Nadia, Captive of Hope: Memoir of an Arab Woman

by Fay Afaf Kanafani

A rare feminist perspective on a people and a culture in one of the most tumultuous regions in the world, Nadia, Captive of Hope is the autobiography of Fay Afaf Kanafani, an Arab Muslim woman born in Beirut in 1918.

Genres: Memoir

378 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 1998

Reviews

[Yara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came by this book very randomly as I was obsessing - as always - about Ghassan Kanafani. I found 2 last used copies of this book for $6 on Barnes and Noble, and after just very brief research, I realized I needed to read this book for many reasons: She was an Arab woman who stood against social traditions to realize her dreams, her last name is Kanafani, and it was an autobiography; one of my favorite forms of writing. I never regretted getting this book and I plan to save it forever. Afaf, aka Nadia, was a true inspiration and a very good writer. She drew all images vividly to her reader, and had no apologies about her life decisions. She unfortunately passed away in 2017. I encourage every one, especially young Arab girls in specific to read this book.

[Jamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir of a young woman who grow up in Lebanon in the 1920's and through arranged marriage became a Palestinian wife in the 30's. The memoir is a moving page turner and depicts a woman's attempt to keep her family together through the war around the partition of Paletstine and later the Lebanese Civil War. Women and family issues covered with intensity.

[Bapaul · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Nadia, Captive of Hope” by Fay Afaf Kanafani:

In this candid memoir, Fay Afaf Kanafani, a Beirut-born Muslim woman, recounts her personal life against the backdrop of political violence and upheaval in the Middle East. Written after she fled war-torn Lebanon in the 1980s, this remarkable and fascinating document sheds light on a woman’s role within a Muslim family and her unwavering determination to overcome both personal and political tragedies.

Very beautifully written. For an Arab women, think and write in a foreign language is really something,
The style is highly readable.

[Jacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly love this woman! I've read about the unrest in the Middle East, but never from the female perspective. She weaves through decades of strife, sacrifice, and new beginnings. Everything she writes inspires a depth of sheer determination that translates to me, the audience.

[Alyaa Bakeer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked everything in this book; the victimization of the self, the structure, the nature of the narration . Despite that, I hardly consider it a memoir as there are unquestionable fictional additions!!!!