War and Me: A Memoir

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Description

An intimate memoir about coming of age in a tight-knit working-class family during Iraq's seemingly endless series of wars. Faleeha Hassan became intimately acquainted with loss and fear while growing up in Najaf, Iraq. Now, in a deeply personal account of her life, she remembers those she has loved and lost. As a young woman, Faleeha hated seeing her father and brother go off to fight, and when she needed to reach them, she broke all the rules by traveling alone to the war's front lines-just one of many shocking and moving examples of her resilient spirit. Later, after building a life in the US, she realizes that she will coexist with war for most of the years of her life and chooses to focus on education for herself and her children. In a world on fire, she finds courage, compassion, and a voice. A testament to endurance and a window into unique aspects of life in the Middle East, Faleeha's memoir offers an intimate perspective on something wars can't touch-the loving bonds of family.

Reviews

Hassan renders her harrowing experiences in an authentic, heartfelt manner, offering important testimony of personal and national courage. A beautifully wrought memoir from a pioneering Iraqi author. Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Iraqi poet Faleeha Hassan (A Butterflys Voice) revisits a lifetime defined by war in this devastating and gorgeous workWhile a sobering narrative, Hassans intelligence and resilience combine to yield an incredibly powerful look at the ripple effects of warfare. Her poignant tale of survival is one that readers wont soon forget. Publishers Weekly Reading War and Me often feels like listening to a new friend tell her life story, complete with jokes, dreams, and detoursIt's impossible not to want better for Hassan and her family before the first chapters are done. NPR Hassan, now an American citizen, said she did not write this book for accolades. Maybe one time, one leader will read my book, and he will change his mind to have another war, she said. Thats my goal. War and Me is a deeply personal view of what years of wars and international sanctions did to the people Hassan loved. Philadelphia Inquirer Praise for Faleeha Hassan Faleeha Hassan, the Maya Angelou of Iraq, wields a mighty pen. Oprah.com

Author Bio

Faleeha Hassan is a poet, playwright, writer, teacher, and editor who earned her masters degree in Arabic literature and has published twenty-five books. A nominee for both the Pulitzer and Pushcart Prizes, she is the first woman to write poetry for children in Iraq. Her poems have been translated into twenty-one languages, and she has received numerous awards throughout the Middle East. Hassan is a member of the Iraq Literary Womens Association, the Sinonu Association in Denmark, the Society of Poets Beyond Limits, and Poets of the World Community. Born in Iraq, she now resides in the United States.