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Woman at Point Zero
Woman at Point Zero: Second Edition | Nawal El Saadawi
As Firdaus sits in a grimy prison cell awaiting the relief that death will bring, she looks back at her life and what brought her to this point, from childhood cruelty to being forced into a marriage she did not want.
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Night_Reader
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Pickpick

5/5 🌟

I couldn‘t put this book down. It tells the story of Firdaus, a woman on death row for the murder of a man. She remains silent until the day of her execution, when she recounts the harrowing and heart-wrenching experiences she endured at the hands of weak, cowardly men. This book is both savage and powerful—a truly worthy read.

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Lindy
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Pickpick

A remarkable novella based on the true story of a woman facing the death sentence in an Egyptian prison. Firdaus‘s story is tragic, as are the stories of so many women throughout history: neglected as a child, infantilized as an adult; objectified and ignored; physically and sexually abused… until the day she couldn‘t take it anymore. Simply told, slightly surreal, in the voice of Firdaus herself. Translation is by Sherif Hetata.

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Lindy
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In one of my booktube videos, I went through a stack of library books, deciding whether or not to keep them out or return them. You can see it here: https://youtu.be/kpvLeVDSviQ

26 likes1 stack add
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youneverarrived
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Mehso-so

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those forgettable books for me. It had its moments but for the most part I wasn‘t invested. Maybe it was one too many books at the same time where women are treat like second class citizens and have little say in their own life. I liked the questions it provoked at the end - who was really the criminal, Firdaus that killed a man or all the men in her life that lead her to that point? ⭐️⭐️

BarbaraBB I felt similar about this one! 3y
youneverarrived @BarbaraBB it felt like it was lacking something.. 3y
48 likes2 comments
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BarbaraBB
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I could have chosen so many quotes....
RIP Nawal El Saadawi 🖤 #1001books

Suet624 This week...too many authors died. 4y
BarbaraBB @Suet624 Really! 💔 4y
JenniferP I‘ve never read this (or anything by her). Is it a favorite of yours? 4y
BarbaraBB @JenniferP I had high hope for this one but I didn‘t think it as good as another one of her books. She fought for equal women‘s rights in Egypt and I admired her for that 4y
JenniferP Thanks! 4y
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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

Not all men are evil and in continuous need of forcing themselves on women, I‘m sure of that. So I was at first a bit annoyed by Firdaus‘s story, in which literally all men she meets take advantage of her body. She is raped and assaulted again and again until prostitution seems the only way to be in control of her life and body. Yet her story, set in Egypt in the 70s, is a true one. ⬇️⬇️ #1001books

BarbaraBB ⬆️⬆️ In the Preface of the book, El Saadawi summarizes the book as ‘the story of a woman driven by despair to the darkest of ends.‘ And that‘s what it is. Dark and shocking.
Thank you for making it possible to finally read this book @Liz_M 🖤
(edited) 4y
squirrelbrain That sounds like a tough read. 4y
MicheleinPhilly Oof, this sounds awful. 4y
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Liz_M Whew! 😬 I did worry about sending this 'dark and shocking' book as a birthday present at the tail end of this awful year. I am happy that you...appreciated it. 🤗 4y
BarbaraBB @Liz_M I did! I meant to read this one ever since I read 4y
TrishB A tough read definitely ❤️ 4y
Kalalalatja It sounds pretty tough! 4y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @MicheleinPhilly @TrishB @Kalalalatja It‘s a tough story, yet one that deserves to be told. And just 100 pages, I could just handle that 😀 4y
charl08 Amazing woman. 4y
81 likes2 stack adds9 comments
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andioop
Mehso-so

I found this interesting but dated. Difficult at times. Took me longer than I would have expected a 140 page book to take me.
This is a story about pain and how women navigate the world. It hurts.

Dilara That was my take as well. The subject matter is close to my heart, but the execution was disappointing. 4y
2 likes1 comment
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andioop
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some might not like this quote but i sure do

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andrew61
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Pickpick

14 muslim author/character #booked2019 @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen
It never ceases to amaze me how brave some writers are as they create prose that exposes the inequity of patriarchal and religiously dominated societies.this bk is the story of a woman on the eve of her execution telling the story,to a psychiatrist, of a lifetime of abuse by men. Based on the writer's own research it is a brutal story but very important.

BarbaraTheBibliophage Wow. Sounds intense. 5y
Cinfhen Sounds like a must read!! 5y
batsy Sounds good and on my TBR. I loved her 5y
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Anna40 @batsy Thanks for the memoir title. 5y
andrew61 @Anna40 @batsy yes thanks, she is definitely a writer id like to explore. 5y
JanuarieTimewalker13 This looks really good. Just watched KamilReads review it on Booktube. 5y
30 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Parvez
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Pickpick

Short but a powerful read. This brilliant girl is resourceful, and tries to outmaneuver the men who want to control her. But her gender seals her fate. Definitely a pick

30 likes1 stack add
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Parvez

I have triumphed over both life and death because I no longer desire to live, nor do I any longer fear to die. I want nothing. I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. Therefore I am free. For during life it is our wants, our hopes, our fears that enslave us. The freedom I enjoy fills them with anger. They would like to discover that there is after all something which I desire, or fear, or hope for.

MayJasper Such powerful words 5y
28 likes1 comment
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Parvez
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Currently reading!!
Heard a lot about this book.
Finally getting to read this.

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Caterina
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Last day before my surgery reading! Hopefully I finish it tonight, I'm not sure I'll be able to concentrate for a while after the gum graft surgery. So enamored of this book so far, thanks @Emilymdxn for getting it on my radar! #newyearwhodis @monalyisha

Emilymdxn Sending you lots of love and good wishes for your surgery! I'm loving reading your posts about the #newyearwhodis books recently. Not the cheeriest book ever, but certainly a strong woman to read if you need some strength to get through something
5y
TrishB Good luck 💜 5y
monalyisha Sending good, healing vibes your way! 5y
Jess Good luck. Here‘s to a speedy recovery. 5y
SarahHarts_books Good luck and fast healing!! 💖 5y
45 likes5 comments
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Naj
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Pickpick

5/5🌟
Absolutely brilliant. High up among the best books I've ever read. We meet the MC, Firdaus, in an Egyptian prison, hours before she is to be hanged for murder. She then begins telling the story of her life, her journey to the prison cell. It's not an easy story, there's too much pain, too many betrayals, but she manages to remain compassionate and dignified in everything she does – even murder. This one will stay with me for a long time.

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Naj

" I was not destined to achieve what I had hoped for. For no matter how hard I tried, or what sacrifices I made like some dreamer sold to a cause, I still remained a poor insignificant employee. My virtue, like the virtue of all those who are poor, could never be considered a quality, or an asset, but rather was looked upon as a kind of stupidity, or simple-mindedness, to be despised even more than depravity or vice. "

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Daisey
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Pickpick

This is a short book, but it has a lot to say. Firdaus lives through many horrible situations in which every man she meets tries to take advantage of her or is just plain cruel, and several of the women are almost as bad. Yet, she slowly gains an inner strength and the determination to live as much as she can on her own terms, to the point of committing murder.

#1001books #Reading1001 #TBRTakedown March 2019

Emilymdxn I loved this book! 6y
CafeMom This book had a lot of impact on me also. I am glad you liked it. 6y
Daisey @Emilymdxn @CafeMom I can‘t say I loved it, but it was definitely a powerful story. Finding books like this is the reason I keep picking up books from the 1001 list. 6y
58 likes4 comments
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Emilymdxn
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Pickpick

This was breathtaking. Difficult to read definitely, not a light read, but it was so truthful, so open and so unlike anything I‘d ever read before. There weren‘t any frills, and the darkness hit me very hard, but it had this amazing clarity and this amazing simple voice that I know will remain with me for a very long time. I‘m astonished this isn‘t a key novel every feminist reads.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I read this earlier this year after it was recommended to me by another group, and I felt the same way...how had I never heard of this book before! 6y
Emilymdxn @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I just realised it‘s only the second book translated from Arabic I‘ve ever read?? Seems like a whole world of literature I just forgot about. Lots more to read! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Emilymdxn I agree, we definitely need more books in translation! 6y
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Emilymdxn
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The last time I chose a book I‘d never heard of at random from the #1001books list it went well so I‘ve picked another. This looks like a fascinating, deep and sad book, translated from original Arabic (I‘m trying to read more books in translation) about a sex worker‘s life in Egypt.

BarbaraBB I‘ve been looking for this book for years and have never found a copy so far! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BarbaraBB I found it on Scribd, maybe try their trial membership plan and read it there. 6y
BarbaraBB @Riveted_Reader_Melissa thanks, that‘s certainly worth trying! 6y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Pickpick

What a beautifully raw story encapsulating truth bomb this short story is. On its surface it‘s the life story of a prostitute in Egypt about to be executed for murdering her pimp, but as the story unfolds you realize her crime was much more about peeling back the layers of supposed society and civility that allowed her to be abused and disenfranchised, while men benefited, and being punished as she attempts to take more power for herself.

Weaponxgirl I was so excited when I found all this authors books on scribd! I can't wait to get to this one! 6y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Weaponxgirl I know I‘ll be reading more by her! 6y
Weaponxgirl Did you clock the books about her life on there? I posted about them as I'd seen them in a bookstore but couldn't afford them and was super excited to find on scribd. I found a signed book by her in a charity shop once and it's one of my most treasured finds 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Weaponxgirl I‘ll look for that one too! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Weaponxgirl I tagged them both on my list. I wish this one was on Scribd too, but I‘ll keep my eyes open for it... 6y
66 likes5 stack adds9 comments
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Suet624 Gah! 6y
50 likes1 comment
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Daisey I just finished this book this morning, so I'm scrolling back through previous posts. Several of the quotes you shared are the same ones that struck me as I read. Such a difficult yet powerful story. 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes, this is one I was glad to discover through Reading 1001, there are bunches I‘m ugh and not thrilled with, but then you get a hidden gem of a powerful story that you had never heard of before. 6y
46 likes2 comments
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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After her uncle has married her off to that nice old guy who needs a new wife. She‘s not quite 19 yet, he‘s over 60. 😑

Daisey The posts and reviews I‘ve seen for this book make it sound incredibly difficult but also worth the read. I‘ll be curious to hear your thoughts since I doubt I‘ll get to it this month. 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Daisey It‘s another short one, just over 100 pages I think. But yes, tough, but worthwhile read. I have a bunch of those this month. Michael K, then this, Schindler‘s List, and Walking with the Wind for my other group. 6y
50 likes2 comments
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Oh, this is going to be a good one!

#Reading1001
#WeNeedDiverseBooks

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BarbaraTheBibliophage Quite the opener to this interview of her life, right? It‘s one of the picks for my #1001Reading group, and Scribd had it, yay. But this looks to be a powerful read. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Just added it to my Scribd list. Look forward to more posts from your read of it. 6y
48 likes3 comments
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DreesReads
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Pickpick

This novel is based on an interview Saadawi did with a woman convicted of murdering her pimp. As a psychologist and author she was both fortunate and pleased to get the interview. The book focuses on how “Firdaus” became a prostitute despite having more schooling than many Egyptian women. The book looks at her repeated run-ins with the ingrained misogyny in Egyptian culture. Rather depressing. #1001books #reading1001

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DreesReads
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Hangin‘ with the Cookster, we have two fans and it‘s still too hot. Starting my next #1001books read. #reading1001

Slajaunie I have a baby with those same pattern but he is much, much bigger! 6y
DreesReads @Slajaunie this girl is quite average, under 10 pounds. Her sister/littermate is 15, and they look funny side by side. Sister is taller, longer, and chubbier lol. 6y
Slajaunie @AudreyMorris My boy is now on a diet and he is not happy. He yells at me for food. He has a very loud voice. Is your girl loud? 6y
DreesReads @Slajaunie the small cat has a big voice and the big cat has a small voice lol 6y
30 likes5 comments
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Weaponxgirl
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For all you uk littens iplayer has a program about this writer on. #shepersisted

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whatthelog
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#DiverseAThon Day 4: evaluate a favourite book.

This is a brilliant look at feminism in Cairo. Intensely moving and disturbing, this book is one that will stay with me for a long time.

#ownvoices #diversebooks #feminism

BookishMarginalia Cool pic! 8y
Zelma Agreed! That cover works really well on the quilt. 👍 8y
whatthelog @BookishMarginalia thanks! It is a pillow a friend made me :-) 8y
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whatthelog @Zelma thanks! 8y
britt_brooke Nice photo! 📷👌🏻 8y
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