War and Me: A Memoir

As a young girl growing up in Najaf, Iraq, Faleeha learns early what loss and despair feel like. She watches her youngest brother fade from existence after making an innocent error one harrowing, unforgettable afternoon. Her grandmother is the only one who can console her grief and enable her to regain a sense of self after the tragedy. As the Iran-Iraq War reaches her front doorsteps, her father and brother, Iyas, become entrenched in its wake, and her mother’s health quickly wanes. When left with nowhere else to turn, Faleeha finds her way to America where she hopes to build a future of hope and promise.

In War and Me: A Memoir, author Faleeha Hassan invites readers into her life, one that’s shaded by so much darkness she sometimes wonders if her destiny contains no light. She writes of love and heartache marked with the artistry of figurative language. Her descriptions of living in a war-torn country and one in which a notorious dictator reigns are illustrative and insightful. Those who’ve endured tumultuous and historic times within their own borders will find this story relatable, and citizens of all nations interested in learning about Iraq, especially from a female perspective, will be enlightened by this poignant account.