Ali Hassan, an Egyptian-American businessman in Brooklyn, reveals a secret past of activism and heartbreak in an attempt to keep his hot-headed teenaged grandson from making the greatest mistake of his life. In a journey that begins amid the high-wattage glamour of the sets of Cecil B. DeMilleâs The Ten Commandments and leads to the deserts of Cairo and beyond, Ali describes how he landed a dream job as DeMilleâs personal assistant and then found himself enmeshed in events that changed the course of history. Itâs a tale that Ali has kept hidden most of his life. But now thereâs an urgent reason to share it: his beloved American grandson, Alex, has run off to Syria to become a holy warrior. Alex says this journey is his destiny. Ali understands better than Alex believes and knows that rescuing Alex is up to himâbecause Ali knows how this movie can end. With equal parts suspense, history, and family drama, Picture in the Sand is a mesmerizing story about faith, family, and the enduring power of storytelling.