Dalya Cohen-Mor

If you want a taste of the cream of the crop amongst Arab women writers, seek out this book. It comprises 60 stories by 40 prominent women, representing countries along the width and breadth of the Arab world.

The women are prolific writers, and Cohen-Mor has done a superb job of selecting and translating a sample of their works for the enjoyment of non-Arab readers. A valuable appended biography illustrates the contributors' varied backgrounds and their enormous output.

This anthology exceeded my expectations. I anticipated gloomy stories about browbeaten, oppressed women with a hatred for men and patriarchal society. Instead, I found several upbeat stories of strong enthusiastic women, many of whom wrote with great love about the affectionate, adoring men in their lives. There were, of course, the hard-hearted rogues who treated their women with disdain but it would not have been real without this balance.

Of course the likes of Nawal El-Saadawi, Alifa Rifaat, and Hanan al-Shaykh were included, but for some of the women this anthology marked an exhilarating debut in English. There were several interesting stories; some even had stories behind the story, like "The Gallows," which incurred imprisonment for the Jordanian Suhayr al-Tall.

I was struck by a number of the protagonists portrayed. There was 10-year-old Fatima, at the beach with her wards. Her duty was to watch the kids swim, but she so relished the idea of experiencing the ocean herself that she devised a way of doing just that. I wanted to cheer for her!

There were beautiful, and bold stories; some included a huge dose of humor, others pathos. There were themes of infidelity, boredom, and awakenings. There was a wonderful allegorical tale of a female cat who falls in love with a lying, cheating, untrustworthy tomcat. In a war-torn country, one character finds joy in something as mundane as buying a dress, and is overwhelmed by guilt a moment later. A sweet Syrian couple found love, as children. On meeting decades later, they find their love has endured into old age. Some stories went right over my head, while others were right on the button.

Collectively, this anthology revealed the rich texture of women's lives throughout the Arab world, and the strength women have shown in shaping their own destinies. This was a pleasure to read, and is an even greater pleasure to own!

This review first appeared in Issue 3 of Belletrista: http://www.belletrista.com/2010/issue3/anth_3.php… (más)