Khul-Khaal: Five Egyptian Women Tell Their Stories

by Nayra Atiya

Book Overview

"Our people prefer boys, because a girl's life is difficult. It's difficult in every sore of family and among all nationalities. A girl's life is not like a man's life. She has no assurance of being happy in her marriage. And her main purpose in life is to marry and to have children. A girl's and a woman's lives are a trial whatever happens. I don't know why."--Om Gad

Their stories are fresh and vivid, recording the various roles of being...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815601816
• ISBN13: 9780815601814
• Release Date: August 1982
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating

This book presents the life stories of five working class women from Egypt in the 1970s. Atiya has masterfully written the tales in the voices of the women who told them to her. The stories contain fascinating ethnographic information about living conditions and customs of the region and the time. Together, they give a picture of women's issues in Egypt, especially regarding family bonds and power, women's work, establishment of gender roles, marriage, and female circumcision.

A very moving read

Khuul-Khal is an excellent insight into the life of Egyptian women. The way the author has kept the women's own style of telling their stories, made me feel as if they were talking to me directly. I felt deeply touched by some of the stories. Khuul-Khal is a very moving book and I can't recommend it enough to anybody who wants to learn more about Egyptians and their customs.