Sharon and My Mother-in-Law: Ramallah Diaries

Suad Amiry is not only an architect and overseer of Palestinian architectural preservation; she is also a wonderful novelist. This book shows daily life on the West Bank in Amiry’s town of Ramallah. Full of liveliness and humor, it simultaneously shows the gratuitous savage cruelty of Israel in its interminable occupation. There are wonderful depictions of Amiry’s dog, Nura, her mother-in-law, her husband and friends.

Very good and interesting book. I purchased this for one of my college courses and was pretty happy to find it wasn't frustratingly boring.

Important book, especially now. Well written, you feel how it is to be occupied- how insane that is, and what it makes people do. #peace

Mostly I'm disappointed at an opportunity lost. I also lived through the first years of the 1987 Intifada, and found the book did little to capture the fear and trepidation--and thrill of risky freedom--that it meant to many Palestinians. There's too much attention to cutesy trifles and self-aggrandizement, and little of grit and substance; we deserved more than a suggestion of inconvenience. I found no commanding story or strong narrative; it reads like days were picked at random. To be fair, the title does say it's based on a diary.It's good to see literature dealing with day-to-day Palestinian life under occupation, and how difficult it makes things we otherwise take for granted, no matter how bland the reporting, but the daily humiliation, the deprivation of essentials and the hopelessness of the politics is not felt. This book could have been so much more. I wanted angst and I got a dog with a permit.

A Witty and Intelligent Documentary of Israel's Illegitimate Occupation of the Land of Palestine, and its Brutal Oppression of the Palestinian People.An Inspirational and Defiant Resistance to the Occupation portrayed by Ms. Amiri in a captivating style and a complex expression of feelings of both the Occupier (Israeli Army) and the Occupied (Palestinian People): Destruction and Building, Deceipt and Honesty, Cynical and Factual, Depressing and Funny, Sad and Pleasant, Frustrating and Hopeful, Pessimistic and Optimistic, Denial and Hope.....A must read by all who care for human rights and civility.

his book has many feelings it is written in a sarcastic way so expect a lot of laugh! It also tells many many stories of the author's life and struggle to get an identity card "Hawiyyeh". The book describes the life of Palestinian intellects (yes they do exist!) and their going struggle and peaceful resistance with the Israeli soldiers. If I can rate this book 10/5 I would have! Needless to say its a MUST read. You will learn some history and get a feel of the current situation in Palestine. Also the book language is very easy to read.

Excellent, even humorous, account of very painful experience living as Palestinian intellectual in occupied Ramallah.We will propose a get together, if you

Loved to read this book could not put it down. I enjoyed it very much, I visualized being in the scene with this author, very honest and vivid experience for someone living under occupation. I remembered myself living in Palestine Jerusalem and undergoing experienced that made me reflect upon my growing up under occupation for 2 years. If was very hard for me but for her it was much worst for the author and she actually made it seem in a sarcastic way. I recommend this book so much

I loved the style, her witty humour encouraged the reader to go ahead in no time.She is able to tell us their sad story in a very ironic way. This is a book everyone should read to understand the reality of that Country that everyone seems to have abandoned and forgot.I admire the strenght and proud of Palestinians

I enjoyed this book quite a lot mainly imagining the triumph of laughter and optimism in the worst of circumstances. When you see so much of war and devastation around you relentlessly for decades on end, it's so difficult to keep your sense of humour alive and kicking. I admire Suad Amiry's candid wit and crisp quips which comes through in her chats with the husband and the cute and difficult mother in law.

Love this writer who writes with honesty, humour and truth.

This was a bit hard to follow sequentially. But useful, informative, and sometimes wryly funny.

Brilliant - funny - poignant - would recommend this for everyone! I loved it and later on bought it as a gift for others.