War and Me

Faleeha Hassan is a poet, playwright, writer, teacher, and editor who earned her master’s degree in Arabic literature and has published twenty-five books. A nominee for both the Pulitzer and Pushcart Prizes, she is the first woman to write poetry for children in Iraq. Her poems have been translated into twenty-one languages, and she has received numerous awards throughout the Middle East. Hassan is a member of the Iraq Literary Women’s Association, the Sinonu Association in Denmark, the Society of Poets Beyond Limits, and Poets of the World Community. Born in Iraq, she now resides in the United States.William Maynard Hutchins has translated many works of Arabic literature into English, including (for Amazon Crossing) Mortada Gzar’s memoir, I’m in Seattle, Where Are You?, which was long-listed for the PEN Translation Prize for 2022. Hutchins holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Chicago and has taught in numerous institutions, starting in Sidon, Lebanon. He is now a professor emeritus at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.

Praise for War and Me“Hassan renders her harrowing experiences in an authentic, heartfelt manner, offering important testimony of personal and national courage. A beautifully wrought memoir from a pioneering Iraqi author.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Iraqi poet Faleeha Hassan (A Butterfly’s Voice) revisits a lifetime defined by war in this devastating and gorgeous work…While a sobering narrative, Hassan’s intelligence and resilience combine to yield an incredibly powerful look at the ripple effects of warfare. Her poignant tale of survival is one that readers won’t soon forget.” —Publishers Weekly“Reading War and Me often feels like listening to a new friend tell her life story, complete with jokes, dreams, and detours…It’s impossible not to want better for Hassan and her family before the first chapters are done.” —NPR“Hassan, now an American citizen, said she did not write this book for accolades. ‘Maybe one time, one leader will read my book, and he will change his mind to have another war,’ she said. ‘That’s my goal.’ War and Me is a deeply personal view of what years of wars and international sanctions did to the people Hassan loved.” —Philadelphia Inquirer“The author’s poetry is what earned her the reputation as the ‘Maya Angelou of Iraq,’ but she proves how apt the comparison is in War and Me, a book highly reminiscent of Angelou’s first and most famous memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings…War and Me is a remarkable demonstration of what a woman can do to survive.” —Words Without BordersPraise for Faleeha Hassan“Faleeha Hassan, ‘the Maya Angelou of Iraq,’ wields a mighty pen.” —Oprah.com