A book Review

Books have been always my best companions. When I am sad, when I am happy, when I am tired … and when I am sleepless. Most importantly, books are my refuge when reality becomes too painful to bear. In the coming days, I will introduce you to my escorts that helped me last couple of months to go through some difficult times of heartbreak, failure, loss, and disheartening.

The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank

I assume most of you have already read or heard about this book. The story of the little Jewish girl who wrote her diary while in hiding during World War II. The book was on my to-read list for more than 3 years until last February. In addition to messy days I was going through, I had a serious sleeping issue and I wanted to stop taking the sleeping pills that seemed to drag me to depression. To avoid overthinking about my own troubles, I thought reading a memoir would keep my mind busy with someone else’s struggle. So, I went through my "Memoirs and Biographies" shelf on Goodreads. I saw this book title, and I immediately chose it. What can ban negative thoughts better than a real story from WW II can do? However, every time I picked up my e-reader to read my eyes hurt badly (I only had free time at night), and I couldn’t read more than few pages. That was expected after spending more than 7 hours working on a computer. As the story captivated me, I wanted to go faster with reading it. Thus, I switched to the audio version of the book. It was narrated by Susan Adams, who had a nice calm voice that brought Anne to life in my imagination.

A book review

Books for Living  By Will Schwalbe

What I love more than book is books about books. 

I heard about this actual book before its official release while I was listening to The New York Times Book Review podcast ( the book is now released). I immediately pre-ordered the book on Amazon, and counted down the days... It was worth it. This particular book took me through completely a different experience. In addition to highlighting the importance of reading in our time, Schwalbe discusses some books that left a great impact in his life (sometimes they even changed it). He also shows us how books can define who we are and who we will become after reading them. He said in his book introduction: 

"... there's one question I think we should ask of one another a lot more often, and that's "what are you reading?" ... [it] isn't a simple question when asked with genuine curiosity; it's really a way of asking, "who are you now and who are you becoming"

A Day Without Electricity

It has been so long since the last time I looked at my sister’s painting on the wall of the living room. Pink roses surrounding a blue woody door. It didn’t change, except the fact that it is so dusty now. It has been so long since I have seen the chickens in the garden.  There are fewer chickens now but the garden didn’t change at all.

It has been so long I did not stay alone at home and notice these small details that remind me of old time, when I was still young and full of hope. It has been so long I did not contemplate my fears, my failures, my life …. Myself … Nothing changed, yet everything seems different … Nothing changed but me.

Continue reading my article on Idea Magazine 

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: