Product Description

From her prison cell, Firdaus, sentenced to die for having killed a pimp in a Cairo street, tells of her life from village childhood to city prostitute. Society's retribution for her act of defiance - death - she welcomes as the only way she can finally be free.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #197565 in Books
• Published on: 1984-12-01
• Original language: Arabic
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Customer Reviews

Eye-opening account dealing with timeless issues.
Woman at Point Zero by N.el Saadawi is a book I highly recommend to anyone interested in the situation of women in the Arab world and more.

It is the tragic story of Firdaus who, standing on her own from the very beginning of her life, tries to find justice in a corrupt society. We witness her loveless childhood, marked by mental and physical abuse, follow her to secondary school and view her gliding into prostitution which, sadly enough, seems to be the only way to gain at least financial independence.

When reading and reflecting on Firdaus's life I was fascinated by her strong will and determination to find justice in a hypocrite society, despite from being without any support. Instead of having transformed her into an obedient victim of society, all her negative experiences have turned her into a rather aggressive character who is prepared to fight for her rights.

However, Woman at Point Zero is a book which should not only be read by women. Although at first glance mainly dealing with themes like physical abuse, prostitution and the attempt to gain some hold in life, themes of current importance such as corruption, hypocrisy and the exploitation of a minority can be discovered when looking at it more closely. Anyone who refuses to accept whatever life presents without trying to change it will be moved by the timeless importance of N.el Saadawi's eye-opening story.

Simply amazing!
Dr.El Saadawi manages to capture the reader's imagination and awaken their spirit with a novel that deals with issues that often go untold. Few novels have been so beautifully written in a manner so forthright and comprehensible.
I think the world could benefit from a healthy dose of the 'savage truth'..perhaps we wouldn't have half the problems we do now.

Emotional and thought provoking
What a great book!
I have just read it at school as part of my course and am so glad I was introduced to it.
It really makes you think about what life can be like for other people.
I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.