Often likened to Rigoberta Menchu and Nadine Gordimer; Nawal El Saadawi is one of the world's leading feminist authors. Director of Health and Education in Cairo; she was summarily dismissed from her post in 1972 for her political writing and activities. In 1981 she was imprisoned by Anwar Sadat for alleged "crimes against the State" and was not released until after his assassination.Memoirs from the Women's Prison offers both firsthand witness to women's resistance to state violence and fascinating insights into the formation of women's community. Saadawi describes how political prisoners; both secular intellectuals and Islamic revivalists; forged alliances to demand better conditions and to maintain their sanity in the confines of their cramped cell.Saadawi's haunting prose makes Memoirs an important work of twentieth-century literature. Recognized as a classic of prison writing; it touches all who are concerned with political oppression; intellectual freedom; and personal dignity.
#250924 in Books 1986-05-22Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 #File Name: 0520056876250 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The translation is unfortunately not particularly good.By Leon LamCertainly one of the most cited work in the field of Islamism. Although written in 1984; some of Kepel's predictions are still relevant in 2016. The translation is unfortunately not particularly good.2 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A great piece of researchBy J. AdamsThis book was written over 20 years ago; long before anyone focused on the possible consequences of a growing menace to humanity in the guise of Islamic fanatics calling the masses back to the founding tenants of Islam. Kepel lived in Egypt and spent a lot of time researching and reading what was happening in the 70's and 80's as well as examining the causes and consequences of Islamic calls to jihad and having Muslims continue their conquest of the earth in the name of Allah.This book shows how Egypt's experiment with socialism resulted in a corrupt; dishonest; and totally failed state. Kepel points out the costs of this experiment by showing that the state created a horrific perfect storm; using the establishment of Israel as the ultimate bogeyman to deflect the masses attention away from the failures of socialism. Essentially the Egyptians were no different than the other kleptocracies in the Middle East and held the hand puppet of Israel as the focus of attention while the other hand deprived the general population of any semblance of a decent standard of living. Kepel's insights into the assassination of Sadat because of his overtures to Israel were most enlightening; essentially showing that Sadat was killed by forces he had nourished with years of hatred toward modernity. Carter and his advisors probably still do not understand to this day what damage they did in the Camp David accords when Sadat traded Soviet handouts for American ones. The view held by the vast majority of Muslims in the Middle East of the American-Zionist plot to overtake the Middle East was cemented and fermented in the accord. It took another generation for it to come to fruition in 9/11; but it all started there. Kepel was not aware of Carter's funding of the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan in the 70's at the same time so is not able to link the beginnings of bin Laden's lunatic fringe groups as well. Another interesting observation by Kepel; which is now becoming more apparent is that the Islamic social code of the separation of the sexes lends itself to sexual frustration on the part of the massive numbers of young and horny Muslims so that the lure of 72 virgins may well be the primary recruiting tool for the jihadists to get them to be a "martyr" by committing suicide and getting the sex they cannot get in their own societies.Having traveled throughout Egypt many times myself; I can say that the classic "jelly bean" theory has come to pass. Feed the bear a jelly bean to ward him off will only work as long as you still have jelly beans. When you run out; be prepared to be the next meal of the bear.A great book; especially given its date of publication. It was far ahead of its time. If only the idiots in the US State Department; CIA; or FBI had read it; the prime instigator of the first attack on the World Trade Center would have been banned from the US instead of being allowed entry after the Egyptians arrested him for his terrorist activities in the 1980's.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Susan S.was a gift for someone else
