Saddam and his palaces. Another disturbing account of the sadism of Saddam Husayn can be found in Mazin Jazrawi's `Ashr Sanawat fi Qusur Saddam Husayn (10 years in Saddam Husayn's palaces). The author was a manager of Saddam's palaces, and provides a glimpse of the private life of Saddam. I never knew that extent to which Saddam was obsessed with designing and building palaces; by 1991 he had amassed 155 palaces.(p. 222) He reports that King Husayn was the most frequent visitor to Saddam. Once, while fishing with King Husayn, he yelled orders: two jet skis for `Ali (King Husayn's son), and $10 million gift to King Husayn. (p. 205) Husayn modestly accepted the gift from "brother Saddam." Also, you have to read the letter that Saddam wrote to his brothers in 1983 when they did not approve of Raghd's husband.(p. 268)