BOOK REVIEWS
Aoe Tanami reviews Revolution Is My Name: An Egyptian Woman’s Diary from Eighteen Days in Tahrir by Mona Prince translated by Samia Mehrez AUC Press, Egypt, 2014. ISBN: 978-977-416-669-3. Pbk, 192pp, £9.99/$16.95
“This remarkable, civilized, and historic people”
There are many writings on Egypt’s January 25 Revolution in which, in eighteen days, the people of Egypt successfully forced President Mubarak to step down. Revolution Is My Name is not just an addition to these works but a unique contribution in the form of a diary written by an observant and intelligent woman writer with an understanding of ordinary people.
Born in Cairo in 1970, the author Mona Prince is an associate professor of English Literature at Suez Canal University. She has published novels, including So You May See (2011), and several short stories. She is a keen advocate of freedom of expression and women’s rights, and was a self-nominated candidate for the presidency in the 2012 election. Some would add that she struggled with the opposition to her tough criticism of religious intolerance.
Beginning with admiration for the Tunisian revolution, mentioning the Facebook posts calling for the first mass demonstration on 25 January, Prince describes how she become involved in the daily demonstrations and gatherings in Tahrir Square. Apart from people’s strong determination not to stop their action until they achieved regime change, it was the attractiveness of the space itself that served to sustain their spirit. People from various areas and with different backgrounds changed the square into a festive space where they shared the pleasure of being present.
The author records many hilarious jokes posted on Facebook, or
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