Memoirs from the Women's PrisonOften likened to Rigoberta Menchu and Nadine Gordimer, Nawal El Saadawi is one of the world's leading feminist authors. Director of Health and Education in Cairo, she was summarily dismissed from her post in 1972 for her political writing and activities. In 1981 she was imprisoned by Anwar Sadat for alleged "crimes against the State" and was not released until after his assassination. Memoirs from the Women's Prison offers both firsthand witness to women's resistance to state violence and fascinating insights into the formation of women's community. Saadawi describes how political prisoners, both secular intellectuals and Islamic revivalists, forged alliances to demand better conditions and to maintain their sanity in the confines of their cramped cell. Saadawi's haunting prose makes Memoirs an important work of twentieth-century literature. Recognized as a classic of prison writing, it touches all who are concerned with political oppression, intellectual freedom, and personal dignity. |
Contents
The Arrest | 1 |
Prison | 27 |
Piercing the Blockade | 133 |
Out to the Investigation | 142 |
The Death of Sadat | 169 |
The Final Part | 195 |
Afterword for the American Edition | 199 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ain Shams University Anwar Sadat arms asked bars began Boduur body breathing Cairo called Camp David cell cellmates chest child cockroaches courtyard crime curlew daughter death Dhuba dirt doctor ears Egypt Egyptian enclosure entered prison everything face father Fathiyya Fathiyya-the-Murderess Fawqiyya feet fingers floor gallabiyya gaze gecko girl ground hair hand haraam head heard heart Hosni Mubarak husband imprisoned inside Internal Security officer Internal Security police investigation Itidaal jumped Latifa laughed lawyer legs lips looked Lord morning mother mouth moving munaqqabas Nabawiyya Nawal Nawal El Saadawi newspapers night niqaab opened my eyes paper political precautionary detention prison administration prostitutes Qur'an raised replied returned Sabah Sadat Salah Bey scabies shawisha shoes sitting sleep smile Socialist Prosecutor sound steel street toilet told voice waiting walked wall wearing woman women words write