I, Nadia, Wife of a Terrorist by Baya Gacemi
“Gacemi’s unique and invaluable portrayal of this personal side of terrorism is shocking, poignant, and impossible to forget.”—Booklist (May 1)
“This first-person account of a young woman’s seduction by Islamist extremism also offers an intimate look at the Algerian civil war. . . . Gacemi’s book received a lot of attention in France. Since Americans are less knowledgeable about Algeria, it will probably get less here-which is unfortunate, since her account of how a whole community can be seduced by terrorists is frightening and invaluable.”—Publishers Weekly (4/10/06)
“Nadia tells her story simply, offering little analysis. It is the very directness of the narrative that will push readers to consider both the appeal Islamism holds for some downtrodden women, and the way militant Islamism keeps women prisoners. An ultimately heart-wrenching personal account.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[A] fascinating autobiography. . . Nadia’s is a rare, firsthand account by a female Islamist extremist, and it reveals the personal, domestic dramas underlying the political turmoil of our times.” —The Washington Post Book World
“Stark, visceral, and disturbing, this biography tells the true story of the transformation of a naïve teenage into the wife of a brutal religious fanatic. . . . Many books have been written about the terrorist mind, but few explore the psychology of the civilians who make the terrorist way of life possible. . . . Both Gacemi and her subject have taken a brave step in telling this story.”—ForeWord
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