The author was well known to me as a CBC reporter, and while I read I could hear her voice. The book is a bit like an in-depth report on a number of uprisings in the Middle East, many of which I was familiar with. I think there is a lot of things that she didn’t tell us in this book, but what she did reveal was fascinating. I would have like to have had a map of the areas she was covering, but with ever-changing borders perhaps that wouldn’t have worked. While I found the book interesting, in that it provided a closer look at recent history, it seemed to be lacking in personal involvement with the events. There was a lot of analysis but I did not feel a great deal of emotion was elicited for the people involved. There is obvious ambiguity about the identity of the journalist as both a Canadian and a person rooted in the Middle East. Perhaps this unique identity could have been further developed. I found it hard to keep reading, as it did not feel like the book was going anywhere, other than recounting historical events from her unique perspective, which does have value but is not gripping.
What do You think about A Thousand Farewells (2012)?
A wonderful read I started it late one night then kept reading chapter after chapter. So interesting
—nick
Very interesting reading about her experiences and thoughts on her life. Great book.
—Tay
Educational - I learned a lot but I did not quite finish it - just got exhausted.
—songbirdg7
I'm biased of course. But Nahlah packs a lot into her first kick at the can.
—rose
