Casting off the Veil: The Life of Huda Shaarawi, Egypt’s First Feminist

by Sania Sharawi Lanfranchi

In 1923, when the pioneer of feminist activism, Huda Shaarawi, removed her veil in Cairo’s train station, she created what became a landmark (and much-copied) gesture for feminists throughout Egypt and the Middle East and cemented her status as one of the most important feminists in twentieth-century Egypt. In Casting off the Veil, her granddaughter Sania Sharawi Lanfranchi uses never-before seen letters and photographs to explore the life and thought of Egypt’s first feminist, as she campaigned against British occupation, as well as striving to improve conditions for women throughout the country. From her birth into a wealthy and powerful family, her early years spent in a harem, to her iconic status as one of the most influential feminists in Middle Eastern history, this is a fascinating portrait of a determined and ground-breaking woman, a rich and important story which will captivate everyone with an interest in Egyptian, feminist or colonial history.

Genres: Feminism, History, Nonfiction, Middle East, Egypt

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sara Razek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, and should be read in conjunction with Huda Sha’rawi’s autobiography, especially that this book is written by Sha’rawi’s granddaughter, and in many ways fills in the gaps left by Sha’rawi’s own reticence about some personal episodes and the rather fragmented nature of her memoir.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As amazing of a Biography that I have ever read, up there with Wild Swans by Jung Chang (a masterpiece of detail and craft). The author, Sharawi Lanfranchi, did an excellent job of personalizing the struggle and sharing Huda’s life in all its complexity. While almost every paragraph of the book contains a change in subject matter or a new event, all are easy to follow, and extremely engaging.

Through the history of Huda Shaarawi’s life, I learned the history of Egypt as a nation under colonialism and British occupation. I learned about Egyptian political parties and factions among the people, and how political tactics intertwine to support marginalized groups : the effect of boycotts; the development of local industry, Palestinian solidarity, lobbying for women’s rights, education, and independence.

The author does an excellent job intertwining the early days of Egyptian feminism with decolonialism and nationalism. Early on you will realize that you love Huda Shaarawi, a complex, charismatic, force of nature.

[Hala · Rating 5 out of 5]

من أمتع ما قرأت من فترة فيما يتعلق بالحركة النسائية فى أوائل القرن.
كتاب بيتناول جانب حيوي مهم تم تجاهله فى كتب التاريخ و انقاص من أهميته على مدى السنين.قصة كفاح هدي شعراوي ،سيزا نبراوى، نبوية موسى، ملك حفنى ناصف و غيرهم من سيدات افنوا حياتهم لدعم النسوية و رفع صوت السيدات في المجتمع، المعني الحقيقي ل empowering women. مش مجرد شعارات او حملات و لكن اعمال و جهود و كفاح على مدي سنين. و من المؤسف إنه لا يوجد صور أو وثائق للسيدات توثق أعمالهم و
جهدهم عبر التاريخ، رغم وجود كاميرات سينمائيه و صحافة قوية وقتها.
Highly recommended