A Thousand Farewells

by Nahlah Ayed 

A national bestseller with a new epilogue

  Even though this book was and will always be special for me, I took a very long time to finish reading it (you can see it on Goodreads).  That was for two main reasons. 

  First of all, the book was a gift from a Canadian friend with whom I spent my four months visit there in Canada. So, whenever I pick up this book, I remember her, her little house, our walks, and her long talks about the Middle East situation. She never judges us (Arabs and Muslims). she respects me and my traditions and culture so much. I really liked her. Especially when she starts analyzing my personality and suggesting some solutions and habits to move out of my dark spot I was in by that time. She keeps saying I am exactly like her young daughter (she is as old as me). 

Child of The Dark

The Diary of Carolina Maria De Jesus

I started reading this book when I was going through some of the worst days I ever had. I failed badly, and I have no idea how to face it. As usual, I needed to read a book to forget about my pain when I can't fall asleep. I didn't choose this book by myself, but a friend gave it to me. So I started reading it, and I loved every word and every feeling no matter how simple they were. 

  If you check the story for Carolina Maria book you will understand that she was a very poor woman, surviving by collecting papers and cans and food from garbage. That's exactly what attracted me the most when I started this book. 

  Her diary is divided into 3 periods:

The Good Women of China

Hidden voices 

by Xinran 

Here is another book I read recently,  and I really enjoyed it, not in a funny way at all, but I've learned from each story a new lesson. I believe that if a book don't teach you something new, then it is not worthy. This book deserved the time I had to steal from my busy days (busy with studies). Sometimes I was reading while I wait the bus, then I continue reading in the bus, which caused me troubles when I miss my stop. Other times I was reading it while I was eating my breakfast or lunch. And of course, whenever  had troubles sleeping, I would just grab it and forget my pain by living other women' sorrow. The most important lesson I got from these stories, is that time cannot really heal broken hearts not lost souls. Some wounds are meant to remain open and painful, forever.

In the following I reviewed briefly each story in the book, so everyone can have an idea if the book is interesting for him/her.

1. My Journey Towards the Stories of Chinese Women :

"What was a woman's life worth in China?" I can say this was the main purpose behind writing this book. 

2. The Girl Who Kept a Fly as a Pet:

" I used to dream that my pain could be cleared away somehow,  but can I clear away my life? Can I clear away my past and my future?"

That was really a very touching story. A little girl who suffered from her father sexual abuse and her mother giving up on her by accepting the abuse, decided to commit suicide while she was already sick in the hospital using her favorite animal friends:'flies'. It wasn't an easy story to read when I knew the facts are real. How can any father do this to his daughter? How can any mother scarify his own girl to keep a family? What kind of family did she really kept? What did they feel after losing their daughter? How happy was she when she was dying?

3. The University Student:

Forgiveness: A philosophical exploration

By Charles L. Griswold Jr.

It was a very good book. I liked the simple way the author explains his ideas even though I am not a philosopher. 
He addressed the subject of forgiveness (from two dimensions: interpersonal and political) in a very organized manner. Issues and conclusions are discussed fairly and completely. 
Well, I do recommend it to whoever loves philosophy, or who is studying forgiveness and moral concepts in any field. 

Enjoy :)

Merry