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Woman At Point Zero
Nawal El Saadawi
Manufacturer: Zed Books
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ASIN: 0862321107 |
Customer Reviews:
Egyptology.......2007-09-01
Here's a quick test. Go and grab a pen and paper.
OK, got one? Great, here goes.
Make a list of well-known feminists. I will give you a few moments.
So. How many did you manage? I am not sure the term is as relevant now as it was in the 60s and 70s (aren't we all post-feminist these days?) but to be honest I am not remotely qualified to comment so I should shut up.
Lovely. Now make a list of well-known Islamic feminists. Go on.
If you managed to come up with any at all then you are clearly a widely-read, clued up, socially aware individual who deserves the smug smile you are currently wearing. Well done.
I wouldn't have been able to name one until last week. That was when I received an interesting package from Zed Books. Zed are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year and part of the celebrations include special new editions of three books by Nawal El Saadawi: Woman At Point Zero, God Dies By The Nile and The Hidden Face At Eve.
Saadawi was one of the few writers of her generation to tackle the subject of the plight of women in certain Islamic countries, in her case Egypt. The Hidden Face of Eve was the first book by an Arab woman to talk openly about female genital mutilation. I won't go into too much detail here as her website is full of useful information which I would only be cribbing anyway.
I happened to have the proof of Woman At Point Zero in my bag when I was stuck waiting for a train earlier this week and started flicking through it. It is a remarkable book. Painful, compulsive reading. I am sure some of you know all about it but for those who don't this short novel, or creative non-fiction as the author describes it, is the story of Fidraus, a prostitute about to be executed for murdering her pimp. Her life is recounted in a little over 100 pages but each one leaves an indelible mark. This is a tale of injustice, inequality and sheer bad luck to rival all those bloody misery memoirs that litter the supermarkets but it is written with such grace and skill as to be on a par with the finest literature of this or any era.
I don't think the misery memoir comparison is entirely out of place. I am sure that if you could convince someone who laps up those books to give this a go they would be dumbstruck, they would 'get it' and they may well seek out more 'literary' fare as a result. But this book is not of that genre at all, it is a classic of modern literature and an important social study. I would consider it an essential volume for every self-respecting book collection.
I was prepared to find this book dated (it was first published in 1979) and so outside of my tastes that I would not enjoy it. Instead I found it haunting, poetic and fiercely relevant.
(Originally reviewed at the Me And My Big Mouth blog)
Beautifully written literary masterpiece.......2007-05-16
In western literature, it seems the African novel is consistenly overlooked -- this novel is a dynamic, well written, socially provocative piece of work, and I highly recommend it to all lovers of literature.
It's also about the larger issue of the haves exploiting the have-nots.......2007-03-26
The story takes place in the early 1970s. The author, Dr. Saadawi is a psychiatrist and consultant for the women's prison. A young woman named Firdaus is scheduled to be executed for fatally stabbing her pimp. Thus far Firdaus has refused to speak to anyone, but Dr. Saadawi breaks through and thus a novel is born.
Firdaus is born to a poor family. Her parents die and she goes to live with her perverted uncle. He gets married and wants to be rid of Firdaus so he sends her to boarding school. She finishes her secondary school exams placing 7th in all of Egypt.
Her uncle and his wife decide that sending her to university would be a waste of time as there aren't that many job opportunities available. So, they marry her off to a sheik, who's supposed to be a real catch. He's plenty old enough to be her grandfather, and prone to tirades and violence that cause his repulsive facial sores to ooze pusty goo. Prior to this "arranged" marriage Firdaus contemplates escaping, but realizing how limited her options are acquiesces. Eventually, the marriage becomes unbearable and she flees only to be "rescued" by a pimp. She goes through a series of pimps, and one madam, before having a major epiphany.
Firdaus realizes she has been selling herself short. Drastically raising her prostitution rate makes her a hot commodity. Being a product of American pop culture myself this came as no great surprise to me. After all, some of my compatriots have been known to spend as much as $50,000 for a handbag. This concept of setting the price too high in order to raise the product's perceived worth in the eyes of the consumer is known in the advertising industry as "prestige pricing."
Firdaus sets herself up as a freelance pro. She has a nice apartment and picks and chooses her clients, and has free-time to pursue intellectual interests. Before long she has another major revelation after a male friend, whom she believes respects her as an astute liberated woman, lets her know that she's "just a whore." She then decides to get an "honest" 9 to 5 job working for the government. In doing so she must drastically reduce her standard of living. She is in for a rude awakening as she discovers the subculture of office politics. Not only did she make far more money as a prostitute she got more respect. Putting out is one of the unwritten rules of the job description.
Coincidentally, two nights before I read this book I saw a TV show about one of Nevada's legal brothels. The pimp, or CEO, boasted that their top "girl" grossed half a million dollars last year. That's more than 10 times what the average teacher makes (if not for the union they would make even less) and five times that of a nurse practitioner (HMOs don't mind paying this because it's still far cheaper than hiring MDs). Firdaus' story takes place about 35 years ago and I know there have been a lot of positive changes since then, but I wonder how many of them are cosmetic.
Two days after reading Firdaus' story I came across an article about the human organ "business." (Buying and selling organs is illegal in the US, but entrepreneurs circumvent this bete noire by charging "service" and "handling" fees. Organ procurers can strip a body much like a car, fetching $250,000 through legal channels!) In China harvesting death row inmates to sell their organs is reported to be a booming business. Regardless of how one feels about the death penalty, once profit is factored into the equation look out! So, if Firdaus were executed today in China her body could continue to be a commodity post-mortem.
This novella bears uncanny similarities to Lao She's "Crescent Moon." It's a short story in an anthology by the same name. A widowed mother is forced to prostitute to support her daughter then the daughter ends up prostituting to support the mother. Neither of them is named but, the daughters observations are very similar to Firdaus', so similar I began to wonder if Saadawi has read "Crescent Moon." Lao She was a casualty of the Cultural Revolution in 1966.
Woman at Point Zero.......2007-01-10
I recommend this book. I couldn't take my eyes off it since the first page, this is the most touching book i've ever read.
a voice for the voiceless.......2006-10-17
This is an important work by an Egyptian feminist - a voice for so many women in the Muslim world who have been robbed of their voices. And it is important on many different levels. First, as a psychological portrait of woman who has undergone female circumcision (removal of the clitoris), practiced by many natives of various parts of Africa (by no means all Muslim), as well as by immigrants to Europe and North America. More generally it describes the hell into which a woman can descend in a world dominated so absolutely by males (in one particularly telling passage, the narrator, having been beaten by her very religious husband, complains to her uncle and his wife, and the latter tells her that "it was precisely men well versed in their religion who beat their wives. The precepts of religion permitted such punishment. A virtuous woman was not supposed to complain about her husband. Her duty was perfect obedience"). Moreover, the early parts of the book constitute one of the best descriptions I have read of what it is like to grow up in poverty.
Although the book is a bit repetitive at times (for example, in describing what it feels like to no longer have a clitoris but remember its presence), if one imagines the book as the transcription of the oral narrative of a prisoner about to be executed, this repetitiveness seemed plausible. Otherwise the literary style is elegant, and the book is (esthetically) a pleasure to read.
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Black Magic Woman # Zero Point Negro
I Rivers
Manufacturer: Fugue State Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1879193124 |
Book Description
A text of amazing energy and strangeness, by an author about whom we ourselves know almost nothing, not even his real name, other than that he considers himself "countryless and raceless" and that he has an original and remarkable talent. What on earth is this novel? A gigantic homage to euphoria? A narrative, the way Tristram Shandy is a narrative? A poem? A ritual? We can't categorize it. Written in an English that seems to see English from the outside--as a magic lamp, or as a football to kick around the room--the book recounts a myth about two beautiful and powerful women, Cloud Moon and White Phoenix, and their struggles with such godlike characters as Fire Worm, The Mad General, The Supreme Postmaster, and uncountable others. So is this some sort of droopy New Age allegory? Not at all--it's a perfectly mad rush into the arms of euphoric purity, an expression of ecstatic longing for goodness, with all the hilarity that accompanies any truly hopeless quest. Black Magic Woman # Zero Point Negro is a part of no tradition; for guideposts one would have to imagine some strange combination of The Palm-Wine Drinkard and the novels of Ferdinando del Paso--but even that doesn't convey the degree of mythic impracticality here. The book is outlandish, off-the-rails, excessively unbridled, and very funny. It is also a serious attempt to remind us of how spiritually mighty we are when we're under the spell of sheer freedom and love of beauty.
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Woman at Point Zero
Manufacturer: Zed Books Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I38T5C |
Average customer rating:
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Woman at Point Zero
Manufacturer: Zed Books Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I38T5M |
Book Description
Readers have come to delight in the murder-solving exploits of septuagenarian Sister Mary Helen, a nun with a nose for nabbing killers. Publishers Weekly calls the mysteries "refreshingly different" and a "heady mix of humor and suspense." Once you meet this spry, clever sleuth, you'll make a habit of reading her adventures...."....Bury The Dead."On the feast of St. Francis Caracciolo, Sister Mary Helen finished chanting the Corporal Acts of Mercy-"....to feed and shelter the homeless, visit the sick, and bury the dead"-before she went to work at The Refuge, a San Francisco women's shelter. Immediately she wondered about a pretty new visitor, suspiciously too well kept to be down and out. Only a few minutes later, Mary Helen found the mysterious woman shot and dying on the sidewalk. The police don't want an old nun meddling in the case, but that doesn't stop Mary Helen from snooping around and discovering the victim's true identity. And when Mary Helen discovers two more bodies, it's the police who may be confessing their need of a sharp-witted Sister with connections to a Higher Authority......
Customer Reviews:
super sister's sleuth.......2006-02-03
I have read all of Sr. O'Marie's books and I think they are all wonderful. I love her writing style and her ability to familiarize her readers with her characters.
I also appreciate her ability to weave some good sound theology in her work. I anxiously await the next book.
Series is getting as old and tired as Sister Mary Helen.......2002-09-10
This latest Sister Mary Helen is pretty much a rehash of all of the preceding ones...and you can figure out who the murderer is very quickly...a fast read, but a disappointing one as well!
realistic cerebral cozy.......2002-08-18
Although she is seventy years old, Sister Mary Helen of Mount Saint Frances College still tends to her duties and has no intention of retiring even if her Sisters and the San Francisco police force think it would be the best thing that could happen to them. After forty years of teaching she is now ministering at the Shelter, a refugee for homeless women.
Sister Mary Helen notices a new woman in the shelter, who very obviously has not been on the streets long. The next time she sees that homeless person, the woman is dying from a bullet through her chest. It turns out that Sarah was an undercover vice cop so when Sister Mary Helen learns this, she decides once again to insinuate herself into a murder investigation.
Readers who like the Father Darling mysteries will appreciate this long running series. Sister Carol Anne O'Marie writes a realistic cerebral cozy starring a protagonist it is impossible not to like. The author deals with some major social issues and she gets her point across without preaching.
Harriet Klausner
Sorry to have to say this.......2002-08-07
Sadly for all fans of Sister Carol's books, "The Corporal Works of Murder" shows clear evidence the series may be wearing itself out.
The central clue is a timeworn device, and the link between it and the murderer is so jarringly made clear that it is obvious to any reader two-thirds of the way in exactly how the plot will play out.
There's also some shockingly bad editing; the final clue -- another hoary old cliche -- is presented clearly first, but then oddly garbled when shown through another set of eyes. The discrepancy is never explained, which make it apparent that it was not intended. The ending is rushed, leaving many points unexplained.
All the familiar characters are back, but the stories of their lives barely budge. Characters introduced for this book are one-dimensional and their actions are driven only by the need to provide plot points, sometimes making them do weird unnatural things. To note one without giving away any of the plot, we learn that one character is an undercover police officer when that person, with no motivation, simply announces it to Sister Mary Helen.
Those who adore the nun will, of course, want to read this book no matter what. But they would be well advised to get this one from the library or wait for the [less expensive] paperback edition -- and pray that the publishers provide Sister Carol with an editor before the next book comes out. She has produced a neat series; it is a terrible shame to see it fall to this level.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent reference and fascinating to read.......2006-02-14
I first encountered this book as a textbook for a class taught by Dr. H.P. French at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. He used the book for a history class entitled "History of Reincarnation". The class was a combination of history, comparative religion, and philosophical thought and it was positively fascinating. I have re-read this book many times over the years, and I refer to it frequently. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, I think this is essential reading on the subject and it will help you to understand the various perspectives on the idea of rebirth after death. The authors cover everything from Zoroastrianism to Hinduism to modern Western thought on the subject. This will be a wonderful addition to your library.
An amazing experience.........2003-08-14
This is not just a book..it's an experience that takes the reader on an incredible journey through time and history..and beyond! It's about humankind and its fantastic, diverse spiritual development through the ages, but at the same time also about each and every one of us personally, whoever and wherever we may be.
The writing is so clear, the content so spell-binding and the consequences so mind-boggling I was profoundly immersed in it for weeks.
Sorry Amazon, this one I'll keep forever..to start re-reading soon!
Great reference book........2001-04-08
When you want to find out where some of the most interesting ideas on the planet came from, this book will help you out. I didn't agree with everything I read in it, but I still loved it. What a great overview of some of the most original thinking of our time.
Book Description
Convinced that life has more to offer than the tedious routine of her days, Stacey MacAindra yearns to recover some of the passion of her early romance. In this extraordinary novel, Margaret Laurence has given us yet another unforgettable heroine: smart, witty, but overwhelmed by the responsibilities of raising four children and trying to love her overworked husband. The Fire Dwellers helps us to rediscover all the richness of the commonplace, as well as the pain, beauty--and humor--of being alive.
"Stacey's state of mind is revealed in a swift-flowing stream of dialogue, reaction, reproach, and nostalgia. . . . [Laurence] is the best fiction writer in the Dominion and one of the best in the hemisphere."--Atlantic
Customer Reviews:
The Fire-Dwellers.......2004-04-02
The Fire-Dwellers has been my introductory novel in the world of Margaret Laurence, and I have to say I'm hooked! The characters in the novel are interesting and dynamic. The book is written in a manner that challanges the reader's preconceptions of dialogue and narrative. A good read.
Margaret Laurence Recognizes the Extraordinary.......2001-02-24
Laurence recognizes the plight of married women, raising children and seeking passion. cleverly, the author weaves the story of Stacey as she tries desperately to communicate with her withdrawn husband. Relying on self-talk, and stumbling into an affair, she finally comes to realize that the ordinary life is filled with possibilities.
The Fire-Dwellers by Margaret Laurence: an excellent book.......1997-09-28
I read this book for an independent study, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Margaret Laurence always does an incredible job of creating characters that are very real, and that teach her readers to be empathetic toward other human beings. Stacey MacAindra is no exception. She is an accurate portrayal of an ordinary Canadian woman, wife and mother. Her story draws attention to many of the inner conflicts and challenges that ordinary people face every day that we often ignore or don't notice. The Fire-Dwellers is a very real story, and Margaret Laurence is right on in her description of the emotions and thoughts of Stacey and everyone in Canada who is like Stacey.
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The Great Fire of London (Phoenix Fiction Series)
Peter Ackroyd
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
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The Lambs of London
ASIN: 0226002640 |
Book Description
"The Chamber of Cheesecakes has been opened. Dieter's Beware!" reads the sinister warning in this hysterical parody of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series. In this farce all of your favorite Harry Potter characters, places, and past events have been twisted around with devilish wit. You'll follow the adventures of Harry Putter, Ron Cheesley, and Hermione Stranger in their sixth year at school, seventh if you count preschool. While some of the encounters are spoofs reminiscent of the original tales, others are new, keeping the storyline fresh and unpredictable. If you like the original Harry Potter series, you'll love this crazy parody.
This book is suitable for children of all ages.
Customer Reviews:
This is not the Harry you've read about!.......2007-04-12
We bought this a while ago and we loved it. Knowing the original "Potter" stories made it even better. My two older daughters thought it was hilarious, and my youngest just started reading it as well. We only wish the series was longer!
Book Description
Fires consists of nine monologues and narratives based on classical Greek stories. Antigone, Clytemnestra, Phaedo, Sappho are all mythical figures whose stories are mingled with contemporary themes. Interspersed are highly personal narratives, reflecting on a time of profound inner crisis in the author's life.
"The unwritten novel among the fantasies and aphorisms of Fires is a classic tale."—Stephen Koch, New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Fires.......2002-09-24
"Fires" is a collection of hybrid love stories. Most are taken from real or mythological ancient Greece. Ms. Yourcenar does a spectacular job giving these old stories a modern flavor without losing their original context. I also recommend "A Blue Tale & Other Stories" by her{The University of Chicago Press}.
Go where the love is. Although in some remote cases it can be a struggle (i.e. Romeo & Juliet; Hamlet), love deserves to be accessible, humane, and democratic. Be not afraid to Love/Live.
Delightful punishment..........2000-06-23
Love is a punishment, says Yourcenar, and in some intellectual and emotive way this book is one. I've read all of her books, and this is her most felt, chirurgically precise, passionate and torn aproach to what love is and represents in all the roles we - human beings - play at one time or another in our lives. All the possible deceptions, miscommunications and broken hearts are hold in these pages, through the reconstruction and modernization of some greek myths such as Antigone, Achilles and Patroclus, Sapho, and Maria Magdalena (ok, she was not greek!). Along with "Memoires of Adrian" and "Zenon", this is a must-have from Yourcenar.
Unforgettable.......1999-04-11
"I hope this book will never be read." So begins Yourcenar's Fires...a richly dense collection of famous myths and legends stunningly revitalized through the voices and eyes of the heroines. Intertwining the stories are excerpts from Yournenar's own journal taken from the time during which she had written the stories. Achingly familiar to anyone recovering from a broken heart, Yourcenar marries the heartache of this century's woman to women throughout the ages.
A little book that sould follow you for the life.......1998-01-21
This book, also if is not so take in consideration in the critical analysis of M.Yourcenar, is the more next at my opinion, to the sensibility of this extraordinary writer. The tranfiguration of the reality in the world of the grecian mytology (except the episod of Maria Magdalena) is a very suffer parable of the human condition. This is a little book that sould follow you for the life. (From the same author and in the same way: "Anna, soror; with, An obscure man; and, A lovely morning" by Published by Harvill
Book Description
See above.
Book Description
Filled with ideas and strategies that can be used in everyday practice, Health Literacy from A to Z is a first of its kind resource. Learn the key principles and strategies of effective health care communication presented in a simple, informal manner by one of the nation's leading experts in health literacy.
Customer Reviews:
An essential addition to your personal library!.......2005-03-11
If you can purchase only one book about communicating health information to consumers, make it Helen Osborne's "Health Literacy from A to Z!" As a consumer health librarian working with people with disabilities, their caregivers and service providers, I have been a health literacy advocate for several years. Helen's articles and books were among the first I discovered. She continues to be a pioneer in the field, inspiring people to seek creative and effective ways to make health information accessible for everyone.
"Health Literacy from A to Z" is comprehensive (as one would expect from the title), offering practical tips in a conversational manner. Each chapter is concise but packed with information, including "Starting Points," "Strategies, Ideas, and Suggestions," and a carefully selected bibliography entitled "Sources to Learn More." Some chapters include short vignettes or cases for illustration. Content is clearly organized and bold headings and sub-headings facilitate quick access to information.
"Health Literacy from A to Z" encompasses the broad range of factors affecting understanding and decision making as well as the diversity of content, technology and contexts. Health literacy is more than low literacy skills and this book explains why. The chapters entitled "Y - You: Empathy and Humanity" and "Z - Zest & Pizzazz" convey the critically important role that we play--as service providers, educators, librarians, or caregivers--in communicating health information effectively.
Empower Your Patients With Help From This Book .......2004-10-13
We often think our patients understand us fully when we provide them with information regarding their diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan. In fact studies show that over half of the adult population has trouble processing and acting on this information correctly. Poor compliance often leads to poor outcomes. We need to ensure that our patients get "the whole picture".
Health Literacy from A to Z is a wonderful resource for all health professionals. It touches on all aspects of patient care and provides simple, easily implemented strategies to enhance understanding for your patients.
This is a tool I will use over and over again. I keep it easily accessible so I can refer to it as needed. I suggest you do the same.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from FOCUS: Journal for Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2005. The length of the article is 742 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Message.
Author: Theresa Shumard
Publication:
FOCUS: Journal for Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: 60(1)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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