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Book Reviews for The Unfurling
"In
this book of verse and searing insights, Nimah
Ismail Nawwab shares her uncanny gift for linking
disparate peoples and cultures through her poems of
the heart. A daughter of Arabia, she writes with a
knowledge and passion that is as deep and telling of
her attachment to family and ancestral origins as
she does of her understanding of the world and its
ways beyond her country's shores.
"Much
is to be said for those few like her whose prose and
poetry span an otherwise unbridgeable chasm in the
understanding of other countries and their people's
longings and emotions. Ms. Nawwab is among a breed
apart in this regard, and not only for being adept
at holding hands across both ends of a cultural
divide, but in her life and in her writings for
personifying so closely much that can be likened
unto the bridge itself." -- Dr. John Duke
Anthony, President, National Council on U.S.-Arab
Relations
"Nimah
Nawwab's remarkable volume of poetry is must-reading
for its artistic merits as well as its relevance and
timeliness. Her poetry takes on special significance
at the present time as many continue to ask,
"Where are the moderate Muslim voices?"
These insightful, profound and often moving poems
range across Arab and Muslim culture and the
author's life and experiences, addressing topics
from religion and culture, faith and belief, gender
and family, pluralism and peace to Palestine, Iraq,
and Arabia. Nimah Nawwab's poetry reflects the
faith, hopes, fears, disappointments, expectations
and dreams of many ordinary Muslims, and indeed
non-Muslims, today." -- John L. Esposito,
Founding Director Center for Muslim-Christian
Understanding, Georgetown University
"Arab
culture, Arab women, Muslim women, women in general,
human affairs -- this enriching volume moves us from
the center of personal experiences to current global
issues and speaks to the truths in all our lives, as
the pebble in a pond resonates in ever enlarging
circles.
"There
is a wealth of insight here for everyone, and I
highly recommend it to teachers, students, and those
who are interested in Arab culture as seen through
the eyes of a modern writer and poet. It has a place
in language arts programs looking at contemporary
world issues, including women's issues,
coming-of-age, and self-discovery. What a wonderful
tool for dispelling stereotypes and replacing them
with understanding -- a means by which to explore
our own journey of self-discovery. I want to give
this volume a hug!" -- Audrey Shabbas, AWAIR:
Arab World and Islamic Resources and School
Services, Berkeley, California
"Here
is the remarkable poetry of a Saudi woman, living
deeply rooted in the Arab world while possessing the
widest possible horizon of education and travel,
choosing to write in literary English, and
expressing a highly individualized consciousness
that is both Arab and cosmopolitan, both Islamic and
liberally humanist. Keep your eye on the emerging
work of Nimah Nawwab!" -- Mohja Kahf,
Associate Professor of Comparative Literature,
Department of English, University of Arkansas,
Fayetteville
"From
the heart of Arabia -- perhaps from the very soul of
the Saudi Arabs -- come the evocative contents of
this remarkable book of poetry. The gift of Nimah
Ismail Nawwab is to capture the flavor, indeed, the
aroma, of old and new Arabia and waft it
enchantingly before us like frankincense or myrrh.
"So
compelling is this poetic sensation that we are
drawn into captivating imagery that mysteriously
transports us across the burning sands of time. It's
a magical journey replete with delightful rewards of
vibrant, lifelike vistas -- so absorbing we may feel
ourselves making the crossing!
"Yet
the book is far more than an expedition into the
past, no matter the tantalizing discoveries. It also
is a voyage of self-discovery and revelation into
the world of woman. Layers of culture pass before
our eyes as we navigate realms of deep feeling,
emotion, suffering, courage, love and hope. In
reality, powerful words carry us beyond women to
embrace all humanity. Herein, the real exploration
is into the wonders of the rich and complex human
tableau. We may marvel, admire, stand in awe; we
also may stagger, gape or feel overwhelmed. These
common threads, and others, bind humanity in time
and space, forever. The essence of the human
experience, of family, friends, and faith, resonate
at the core, weaving an indelible path across the
pages of this book.
"Nimah
also confronts today's dynamic world by looking
beyond Arabia to share her own restless energy,
courage and -- above all -- optimism for the future.
Always, she writes with a poignancy, compassion and
relevance that touches the mind and heart. Her
journey is our journey. It is one to be
treasured!" -- Michael Skinner, author of
Grandeur in the Stars a book of free verse poetry is
a longtime journalist. He strongly believes poetic
words and images can penetrate into the human soul
and help guide humanity toward global peace and
social justice.
"Nimah
Nawwab's latest book of poetry, The Unfurling,
is both concert and museum tour. Her poetry sings, a
vibrant voice confident is herself, true to her
traditions, and optimistic for the future of all
people who 'do the right thing.'
"The
words and phrases clink and tingle like silver and
gold coins. The rime and rhythm of her adroitly
crafted 'verb clusters' make melody all along the
line. Such is part of her gift.
"And,
when Nimah reads her own poetry, her voice is a
perfect match for both word and image, a solid
voice, resonating with confidence, cascading down
upon the listener like a waterfall, a baptism, a
cleansing, a refreshing. Renewal.
"But
not only is the poetry pleasing to the ear, it is
also gratifying to the eye, for the mosaic of images
from poem to poem blend and flow into each other
like masterpiece water color paintings on exhibit in
a museum: Each poem leading to and enriching the
next one!
"You
see her Grandmother, garlanded in jasmine, smell the
fragrance of the flower, hear and feel the swish of
the braids.
"You
see the street side beggar, and will never forget
her blotched hand, like a badge of courage, reaching
for money as 'She stands on the edge of the fast
lane/In need of sustenance.'
"You
see, hear, smell, taste the market, being bombarded
with images of all its wares, and just the reading
activates the appetite, and we drool over shawarmah
and tahinah, almost a virtual meal in a
virtual shopping trip.
"Such
is her gift: to bring us the universal in her
carefully chosen particulars in a rich tapestry of
imagery.
"And,
Nimah Nawwab speaks eloquently of justice, both its
abuse and its hope. We hold our breath with the
beaten child -- glad the poem is ended because we
too were pummeled by those sinister, bully fists. We
stand on the edge with her when the 'scarf slips'
and the upbraid begins, teetering on the brink of
careening over into the chasm of no return.
"Yes,
she takes us to The Edge. Such is her gift.
"Let
us hope the voice of Ms. Nawwab is not 'a voice
crying in the wilderness,' but rather a voice
ringing like a carillon bell to a nation that has
already heard its 'wake-up call' to make a stand for
modernity and to take its rightful place in the 21st
century, honoring the country's humane traditions
along the way." -- Educator Jack Cook
The
Unfurling by Nimah Ismail Nawwab
"Western
readers with preconceived notions about what it
means to be a woman in today's Saudi Arabia will
find this book an eye-opener. Those without
preconceptions will find it a most pleasurable
learning experience. Those who know Saudi Arabia
will nod in recognition as they read these poems.
Nimah Nawwab, a Saudi poet (as well as essayist,
editor and photographer) writes fluently -- and
fluidly -- in English.
"She
employs poetry to share her thoughts, her emotions,
her important life experiences. She speaks of her
identity as a Saudi woman, of her family, of her
personal joys and frustrations, and of the fractious
and fascinating world beyond her own circle. She is
surprisingly at ease in juxtaposing the traditional
and the modern. With poetry, she explores the
horrors of war and terrorism, and somehow manages to
find in the wreckage of violence those precious
remaining scraps of humanity. Ms. Nawwab deals
realistically with life's problems, yet she emerges
from it all an optimist, a champion of the human
spirit. Her poems are refreshingly honest and
unafraid. Even if you don't normally read books of
poetry, it's likely you'll want to read this
one." -- Robert W. Lebling, Saudi Aramco
World, September-October 2004
Review
of The Unfurling
"When
a flag is furled, it is rolled tightly against its
staff; conversely, when it is unrolled, it takes the
wind and flies. In the case of The Unfurling,
a new book of poetry by Saudi writer Nimah Ismail
Nawwab, what is given flight is the too-often silent
voice of the Arabian woman.
"Nawwab
has earned recognition as a writer of magazine
articles -- usually lengthy and detailed pieces of
objective prose. In this latest effort, she
demonstrates a penchant for subjective, short takes
filled with emotion and intellectual curiosity. She
divides the book into three parts followed by a
brief collection of short poems and Haiku. Each of
those parts deals with a different level of human
experience, from a woman trying to assert her
individuality while maintaining both pride and
reverence in Islamic traditions; to an expression of
her various roles as mother, wife, daughter and
granddaughter; to a reasoned complaint about the
global carnage and restraints of societies and
nations that use war, terrorism and intolerance to
dim what ought to be a golden era of human history.
"In
'The Longing,' the first poem of the collection, she
examines the concepts of freedom and
self-actualization in the context of the Arabian
Peninsula. That chapter is called 'Awakenings,' and
she focuses her feelings on a variety of topics from
the abaya to poverty and the fears most
people have of death. 'Contours,' the book's second
chapter, is a celebration of her love of family,
tradition and the region's rich heritage.
"In
the somewhat comical 'Call to Prayer,' she describes
the struggle of a modern family trying to get the
children organized to go to the mosque and how
welcome the time for reflection is after the hubbub
of tackling teenage issues. Grandparents and loved
ones take a special place in this chapter, but she
also writes here about the clash of cultures and
less-pleasant family issues including spousal abuse.
"That
clash of Middle Eastern and Western culture is
further explored in the final chapter, called
'Crossroads,' in which Ms. Nawwab expresses her
views on recent events that have shattered the peace
of the world -- events that regrettably bring us the
most frequent public views of Muslim women in
newscasts as agonizing widows and stunned mothers
grappling with the loss of children to acts of war
or terrorism. If the veil of the hijab has
served to muffle the voice of Muslim women, then
'The Unfurling' may be doubly precious as a reminder
that this usual silence is brought neither by
ignorance nor self-absorption but rather respect and
reverence to long-standing cultural traditions.
"It
is for that reason that Ms. Nawwab's poetry likely
will find its way into university classrooms
focusing on Middle Eastern, literature or women's
studies. It is also for that reason that people
seeking to understand Muslim women (a number that
hopefully will include Muslim men) will find a
unique and articulate window to the soul in The
Unfurling." -- Stephen L. Brundage, Arab
News, October 14, 2004
The
Unfurling
By Nimah Ismail Nawwab
 Book
Description
The Unfurling is the first collection of
poems by a Saudi woman poet to ever be commercially
published in the United States. Nimah's remarkable
poetry conveys in literary English the joys, hopes,
disappointments and expectations of millions of
Muslim women and men throughout the world. Indeed,
her voice speaks to the truths in all our lives
regardless of nationality. It is a voice pleading
for justice, compassion and a basic respect for the
dignity and rights of people everywhere.
Click
here
for ordering information.
 Nimah
Ismail Nawwab is a Saudi woman poet and author
descended from a long line of Makkan scholars. Her
poems concerning women, freedom, Arabian society,
the younger generation of Saudis as well as the
universal themes of love, loss and the simple joys
of life have been widely excerpted online and in
print.
She lives
with her husband and children, Aminah and Ibrahim,
in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
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