Rosa Book Club : The Watermelon Boys by Ruqaya Izzidien
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Last time, we explored Fatma Qandil’s Empty Cages, where resistance emerged from an intimate place: memory, family, and the self. This month, our conversation widens.
The Watermelon Boys was inspired by stories Ruqaya Izzidien’s grandfather shared with her about Iraq during and after the First World War. After his death, Izzidien spent years researching and transforming these family stories into historical fiction, bringing them into a wider conversation about Iraq's past and the impact of British rule.
The novel follows Ahmad, an Iraqi man drawn into the 1920 revolt against British rule, and Carwyn, a Welsh teenager sent to fight for Britain. Through their journeys, Izzidien moves beyond the usual narratives of war to focus on the people living through it. As a woman writing in a genre often dominated by men, she also challenges who gets to tell history and whose stories are remembered.
Join us as we continue exploring Women Writing Resistance from reclaiming the self to reclaiming memory, history, and the stories that deserve to be heard.
🗓️ September 5th, 6:00 PM
📍 Rosa Garden : 18 Ibn Mandhour Notre Dame - Mutuelleville , Tunis
📝 Registration: https://forms.gle/xyzKFNMKbjPku27h8
We look forward to reading and discussing together.
The Watermelon Boys was inspired by stories Ruqaya Izzidien’s grandfather shared with her about Iraq during and after the First World War. After his death, Izzidien spent years researching and transforming these family stories into historical fiction, bringing them into a wider conversation about Iraq's past and the impact of British rule.
The novel follows Ahmad, an Iraqi man drawn into the 1920 revolt against British rule, and Carwyn, a Welsh teenager sent to fight for Britain. Through their journeys, Izzidien moves beyond the usual narratives of war to focus on the people living through it. As a woman writing in a genre often dominated by men, she also challenges who gets to tell history and whose stories are remembered.
Join us as we continue exploring Women Writing Resistance from reclaiming the self to reclaiming memory, history, and the stories that deserve to be heard.
🗓️ September 5th, 6:00 PM
📍 Rosa Garden : 18 Ibn Mandhour Notre Dame - Mutuelleville , Tunis
📝 Registration: https://forms.gle/xyzKFNMKbjPku27h8
We look forward to reading and discussing together.
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Where is it happening?
18 Ibn Mandhour Notre Dame, Mutuelleville , 1002 Tunis, Tunisia, نهج إبن منظور 18, تونس, تونس, Tunis, Tunisia
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherRosa Luxemburg Stiftung - North Africa
