Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut by Salma Abdelnour

May 04, 2012 Julie Davis rated it 1 of 5 stars

This is an Amazon Vine book.

What a mish-mash.

I read to page 130 before this book solidified my thinking about bloggers who write books. They usually need to be very carefully edited and that doesn't happen enough of the time.

Too much description for every single thing from having coffee to walking down the street to going out at night. Description is welcome in a memoir/travelogue, to be sure, but not when everything mentioned explodes adjectives, including some that the author has made up such...more This is an Amazon Vine book.

What a mish-mash.

I read to page 130 before this book solidified my thinking about bloggers who write books. They usually need to be very carefully edited and that doesn't happen enough of the time.

Too much description for every single thing from having coffee to walking down the street to going out at night. Description is welcome in a memoir/travelogue, to be sure, but not when everything mentioned explodes adjectives, including some that the author has made up such as "a small, divey Hamra bar" or "some hipstery bars in town." As well, there is no narrative focus for the reader to follow. The author does little more than wander through town, drink coffee, socialize in the evening with friends, write, and agonize over whether she'll ever find a place where she "belongs." That can make a wonderful reading, especially when set in an interesting location like Beirut. However, the lack of focus leaves the reader being jerked from subject to subject to subject and then back again, all in as many paragraphs. That is the pattern for the book and it left me feeling as if I was in a tornado.

Blogging well is one thing. Writing a lengthy book is another. A good editor can help the blogger learn how to make that transition gracefully. This poor author had no such help and since her professional writing experience is through magazine articles and the like, she is used to writing short pieces.

There are many well-written memoir/travelogues that would-be authors may be interested in reading to see how to tell a clear story while including information about many things. My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme; Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie; The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley, and Madeleine L'Engle's Crosswicks Journals (A Circle of Quiet is my favorite) all come to mind. Perhaps the most helpful for this particular author (and more specifically the editor for Jasmine and Fire) would be the Crosswicks Journals. Each flows through time by the months and season, as Jasmine and Fire does, but the clarity of thought and communication are simply fantastic.

As I say, I put most of the blame for this lack of focus on the editor.

That doesn't make the book any easier to read. What a shame. It had great potential.(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Jan 09, 2013 Cameling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, non-fiction, travel-memoirs, food

For anyone who's uprooted themselves and moved to another city or another country, this book will resonate because it handles the primary issue we'd all face about where we consider 'Home'. How long does one need to live in a place before we feel at home in it and not an outsider? Does one need to be born in a place? Does one need to have family around before it's considered home?

This is a memoir of the year the author spent in Beirut, the city in which she was born and from which she and her fa...more For anyone who's uprooted themselves and moved to another city or another country, this book will resonate because it handles the primary issue we'd all face about where we consider 'Home'. How long does one need to live in a place before we feel at home in it and not an outsider? Does one need to be born in a place? Does one need to have family around before it's considered home?

This is a memoir of the year the author spent in Beirut, the city in which she was born and from which she and her family fled when she was a child. Now a successful journalist and food critic living in New York, she nonetheless doesn't feel she belongs anywhere. Yearning to capture the feeling she had living in Beirut as a child, she makes a decision to sublet her Manhattan apartment, maintain a long distance relationship with her boyfriend and move into her parents' apartment in Ras Beirut.

As she rekindles her relationship with family members and old friends in Beirut, she also rekindles her love affair with Lebanese food. Her food descriptions are lush and so detailed you can almost smell and taste the food she describes. Bakery specialties, old childhood favorites cooked by her aunts or mother's friends, festive food served during holidays and parties are all lovingly describe. We're treated to a avalanche of textures, color, flavors and aroma. Thankfully at the end of the book, she kindly shares some recipes of her favorite Lebanese dishes.

In addition to her own soul searching, she also shares Lebanese political history, the rich and colorful culture built on Christians, Shiite and Suni Muslims and others living shoulder to shoulder in Beirut, the at times indifference of the Lebanese government towards improving the country's infrastructure, the multi-cultural edge on which the Lebanese live, the Palestinian support and Israeli contempt from some quarters, and the strength of the Lebanese not to allow political unrest to stop them from enjoying life. Or perhaps it's the uncertainty of another war that motivates them to defiantly and boisterously celebrate life and each other.

The one thing that stood out though, was her rather frequent trips back to the US during her supposed year in Beirut. I wondered how her feelings for the city may have been different if she had to actually spend an entire year there without any opportunity to leave.

When I finished reading though, I was assailed with an incredible desire to seek out the nearest Lebanese restaurant.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 08, 2012 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobiography

I find myself in my middle age eager to learn about other cultures--the people, the food, the everydayness and also the history. "Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut" was of particular interest to me because the author, Salma Abdelnour, is a very well-regarded food writer and editor. Her knowledge of subject and her rediscovered ties to her home city of Beirut, Lebanon, along with wonderful food passages make this book a pleasure for foodies like me. Bravely deciding to return to Beir...more

like · see review

Jun 05, 2012 Richard Gazala rated it 4 of 5 stars

Home is where your heart is, so the old saying goes. But what if, by virtue of fate and war, your heart is divided between a pair of cities in countries separated by oceans, continents and cultures? This is the question author Salma Abdelnour ponders with absorbing style and wistful grace in her new book, "Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut."

Born in the States to Lebanese parents, then raised while young in Beirut before civil war forced her family to return to America, Abdelnour alw...more Home is where your heart is, so the old saying goes. But what if, by virtue of fate and war, your heart is divided between a pair of cities in countries separated by oceans, continents and cultures? This is the question author Salma Abdelnour ponders with absorbing style and wistful grace in her new book, "Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut."

Born in the States to Lebanese parents, then raised while young in Beirut before civil war forced her family to return to America, Abdelnour always felt slightly out of place as a child in Houston, a student in Berkeley, and an adult in New York. Nonetheless, she forged an admirable career as a writer and editor in New York, including stints as travel editor of "Food & Wine" magazine, food editor of "O, The Oprah Magazine," and restaurant editor of "Time Out New York." Her writing has been featured in publications such as the "New York Times," "Food & Wine," "Travel + Leisure," and "ForbesLife," and she has appeared on travel and food segments for CNN, CNBC, and the Fine Living Network. And yet all the while, a piece of her heart always tugged at her from Lebanon. It made her wonder what she would feel if she were to leave New York and return to Beirut decades after her family fled the war -- not to return for a week or two as she had visiting family on vacations past, but to return to one of the world's most unpredictable cities and live there for an entire year. Would Beirut feel like the home, wherever and whatever that may be, from which she felt somewhat unmoored since she was a girl? Or would the incessantly chaotic but undeniably fascinating city be only a capricious Lothario unworthy of permanently harboring her heart? With the considerable courage required for an unmarried woman in her late thirties to live alone in a society long dominated by unrepentant male chauvinism, Abdelnour packed her bags and committed to a year of living, if not dangerously, at least cautiously, in Beirut between the summers of 2010 and 2011.

With eloquence, passion and a sharp eye for detail, Abdelnour explores the joys and turmoils of looking for home. "Jasmine and Fire" will certainly please fans of expert travel writing. True to the author's calling as a committed foodie, "Jasmine and Fire" will gratify food aficionados too -- at the book's end readers will discover classic recipes for a dozen tantalizing Middle Eastern dishes. Like the adventures and food she describes so intimately, "Jasmine and Fire" is a read worth savoring.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 28, 2012 Jaylia3 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Salma Abdelnour is a travel and food writer so this memoir of her year back in Beirut is full of the sights, smells and tastes of this cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean Sea. Beirut was her childhood home, but her family left during the civil war, and though she'd grown to love her life in America she still sometimes feels like an outsider there. Much of the memoir is a meditation on what home is, and Abdelnour wonders if she can feel at home again in the city she's longed for since she was...more

like · see review

May 05, 2012 Daniel Lewis rated it 4 of 5 stars

very enjoyable to read
After I read the very positive review of Jasmine and Fire by Publishers' Weekly,I got hold of a galley of Salma Abdelnour's book and read it this week.I found it to be a moving,passionate,and a very personal story of a search for the meaning of home.not only the physical,but the deeper sense of belonging and identity.
It also gives a refreshing perspective on the complicated politics and social discourse in the area,without getting too tangled up in that aspect.Abdelnour's m...more

like · see review

Jul 05, 2012 Johnna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received this book from the Read It Forward program at no charge.

I really enjoyed Jasmine and Fire, Salma Abdelnour is definitely a talented writer. I think she should have subtitled the book "A search for home" because the underlying theme here was definitely a search for what defines home, what leads you to a place and ultimately keeps you there. Another strong player in this memoir was the food, not surprising for a food writer. I dreamed of food last night after finishing this...more

like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Marieke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: around-the-world, 2012, brand-spankin-new, e-book, lebanon, memoir, united-states, kindle, impulse-buy, food

At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this because the author did a bit too much hemming and hawing at the outset, about where she wanted to be and whether her relationship with her boyfriend could be sustained long-distance. but once she got to Beirut, I got totally caught up in her narrative. She is a travel and food writer and those passages of her memoir--descriptions of her walks around Beirut and short trips to other parts of Lebanon, not to mention her descriptions of FOOD--are wher...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 01, 2012 Tig rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: narrative-non-fiction

Very interesting, written by a woman who was born in Beirut. Her parents decided to move her family to Houston, TX during the civil war that occurred in Beirut from 1975 to 1990. They kept their apartment, though, and came back to visit when ever they felt that it was safe. The neighborhood is in the same area as the American University. The author, Salma Abdelnour, decided to return to Beirut to live there for a year. This book is about her year there (I believe it was mid-2010 to mid- 2011. I...more

like · see review

May 04, 2012 Shirine Coury rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been interested lately in reading more personal perspectives on life in the modern Middle East, even though I usually don't read memoirs much. This book comes as a much needed and very pleasant surprise.
Salma Abdelnour writes a poignant and sensitive account of her quest for home. Her reflections touch many of us who struggle with understanding the multicultural and diverse landscape we now live in.
Jasmine and Fire offers a vibrant, intelligently written narrative of this Lebanese-American...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Berrendsci added it

Shelves: travel

I was eager to be transported away and learn about Lebanon. I learned that the author eats pastries, lamb and chickpeas and goes to nightclubs with a plethora of relatives and just-met friends. Endless names, pastry crumbs and moaning about home and a difficult boyfriend. Too bad, Lebanon deserves more than food, strangers (to me), and awkwardly placed research about sites.

1 like · like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-won

"Jasmine and Fire" was not the fast paced read that I anticipated. Weighing it at only 302 pages, I planned on quickly moving the book from my to-be-read stack. Unfortunately for my time table, that did not happen as the book is best enjoyed in smaller bites. The writer shares way too much on the everydayness of her time in Beruit; my interest increased when she related the atmosphere during the Arab Spring. But, the writing quickly turned back to musings over her food. The goal of Abdelnour's y...more

1 like · like · see review

May 16, 2012 Dennis Lemmen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: won-from-giveaways

Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut By Salma Abdelnour, Is a wonderful read about her life thought out a year with reflections on her past and what she has overcome to become what she is today. She traveled to her homeland to Beirut/Lebanon, Where she lived until she was nine. When her family had escaped a civil war back in 1981, she felt the need to return to her root's and discovered that she loves her homeland it is a place she feels happy, and Because she could speak Arabic, she c...more

like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was really excited when I received this book from the Goodreads First Reads giveaway. The idea of the book intrigued me, a grown woman's search for the definition of home, something that I think we all wonder at some point in our lives. The other thing that drew me to this book was a desire to learn more about Lebanese culture. My husband's family came to the United States from Lebanon a few generations ago, and I have been enthralled with their history and especially their food. I love that t...more

like · see review

Feb 24, 2013 Mrs J rated it 3 of 5 stars

A pleasantly diverting read that was a well-needed counterpoint to what I had just read (Every Man in This Village is a Liar: An Education in War). It's descriptions of Lebanon were initially quite trans[orting and evocative. Unfortunately about half-way through it loses it's sparkle and the narrative becomes more like a series of lists. The descriptions of the food were really lacking (which I thought was disappointing in a food writer) and I wasn't moved to try any of the recipes at the back o...more

like · see review

Jul 17, 2012 Tumbleweed rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: foodies and no one else.

Shelves: reviewed, goodreads-authors

I got about halfway through Jasmine and Fire before I decided that I just couldn't take it anymore. I don't permanently abandon books often. Here's why I abandoned this one:

1) Abdelnour starts off the introduction in past tense - this is considered normal and appropriate for a memoir. The actual story itself is told in present tense. I simply couldn't handle this, because...

2) ...NOTHING HAPPENS. I'm halfway through the freaking book and all she's done (I'm sorry, this is present tense - all she...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 04, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2012, memoir

3.5 stars. This memoir follows the author's experience moving from New York City to Beirut, Lebanon, for a year. She had fond memories of her childhood in Beirut, and since nothing was holding her back, she headed there again as an adult to see whether it still felt like "home" to her. There, she becomes reacquainted with her Lebanese relatives and friends, explores the country, debates the meaning of "home", eats lots of food, experiences some of the "Arab Spring" firsthand, and tries to figure...more 3.5 stars. This memoir follows the author's experience moving from New York City to Beirut, Lebanon, for a year. She had fond memories of her childhood in Beirut, and since nothing was holding her back, she headed there again as an adult to see whether it still felt like "home" to her. There, she becomes reacquainted with her Lebanese relatives and friends, explores the country, debates the meaning of "home", eats lots of food, experiences some of the "Arab Spring" firsthand, and tries to figure out what she wants in her future.

The best parts of this book were definitely the descriptions of food. The author's bio notes that she's been both a travel and food editor of magazines, and this definitely showed; her descriptions of all the Lebanese food sounded delicious and made me want to go to Beirut simply for the food! Recipes for many of the meals described were included at the back of the book, and I'm very curious to sample a few of them.

Similarly, the descriptions of all the places she visited, especially this beautiful yet peaceful home of a relative along the Israeli border, made the sights comes to life in my mind. Her love for Beirut shone on every page, and it was easy to understand the lure of the city - and country - for so many people. Although technically in the Middle East, it's not quite the sort of country you imagine when thinking about the Middle East; there were a number of striking descriptions of nightclubs, hangouts, and even the disparity between women clad in burkas and women wearing miniskirts. Over the course of the year, she visits many places around the country that sounded fascinating: a war weapons museum, an empty park no one's allowed to go in, sites mentioned in the Bible, and many more.

Despite enjoying the descriptions of places and meals, I never found the narrative between the travel parts and the internal monologue (uncertainly about where her long-distance relationship was headed and debates about whether New York City or Beirut felt more like "home") fully cohesive. They seemed to be two completely separate narratives, only joined together to make this book have both an internal and external journey; they rarely intertwined. I also never felt like the internal journey was nearly as "big" of a one as it no doubt seemed in her mind. There was no giant realization at the end of the book or thoughtful ideas here and there; instead, she ruminates about the meaning of "home" and how that is so open-ended. I'm sure this internal journey was personally a lot bigger, but I didn't feel like it worked as a "big" part of the book, especially since the lack of giant realizations made much of this internal narrative grow repetitive.

I enjoyed the book overall but because it lacked a strong, propelling plot, it wasn't nearly as powerful as it could have been. The writing was polished and elaborate, and it made me curious to visit Beirut someday, but there wasn't a specific scene or plot that will stick with me long after putting this down. Ultimately, this was a pleasant but unmemorable read.

I received a free copy of this book through the First Reads program.

(less)

like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Lexie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I recieved this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I was slightly disappointed by this book. I find myself always fascinated by middle eastern and mediteranian cultures, so I thought that reading a book about a woman discovering her own history in Lebanon would be great for me. But the writting wasn't clear, parts of it needed more work, where other parts of the book seemed overworked. There were some nice historical elements to the book. The book focuses a lot on her past in New Yo...more

like · see review

Jun 10, 2012 Allison Backman rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book in a Good Reads giveaway and am glad that I did. It fits into one of my enjoyed literature categories of "woman-goes-to-the-Middle-East-for-a-year-and-finds-herself-while-writing-about-the-experience-in-memoir-form." So yes, in that regard, the book was a bit cookie cutter with a very neat-and-tidy ending. However, that being said, I did enjoy it for what it was. Abdelnour spends most of the book meditating on the ideas of "home" and "travel," both of which are near and dear to m...more

like · see review

Jul 08, 2012 Kelsea Dawn Hume rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, travel, reviewed

Buxom Book Brief: Jasmine And Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut, by Salma Abdelnour

I won this book through the First Reads giveaway.

Jasmine and Fire was an excellent blend of musings on sense of place, longings for home, long distance love, and, most importantly, luscious descriptions of food. If anything, I would have liked more food and place descriptions, and a little less on relationships. However, I definitely appreciated how Abdelnour delicately touched on Middle East politics, and the h...more

like · see review

Jul 29, 2012 Lori Henrich rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't normally read this type of book, but it sounded interesting.

Salma is a freelance writer who spent her early childhood in Beirut. Her family left Beirut because of the unstable political situation. Her parents wound up in Houston where Salma spent the remainder of her childhood and teen years. During that time she had an overwhelming sense of not belonging. Salma always wanted to go back and after spending several years in New York, made up her mind to take the plunge and live in Beirut f...more

like · see review

May 23, 2012 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, non-fiction, first-reads, memoirs-bio

Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut by Salma Abdelnour was a disappointment to me. At first, I loved learning about the different food of Lebanon, and her experiences but as the book went on, I felt that her idea for a book was too thin.

Salma was born in the United States but her early childhood was spent in Beirut. At the time that the family decided to flee the capital because of the bombings and unrest in 1981 she begged them not to leave. She loved the feeling of Beirut, its food...more Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut by Salma Abdelnour was a disappointment to me. At first, I loved learning about the different food of Lebanon, and her experiences but as the book went on, I felt that her idea for a book was too thin.

Salma was born in the United States but her early childhood was spent in Beirut. At the time that the family decided to flee the capital because of the bombings and unrest in 1981 she begged them not to leave. She loved the feeling of Beirut, its foods, the rest of her family and friends who were remaining.

Her family moved to Houston which had a similar muggy intense heat. She never felt at home there. When she did go to New York to live she developed a love for the city for its complexity, its different ethnic foods and the extreme variety of people. She also had a relationship with a man in which she could not decide whether to commit to. Since she is a free-lance writer, she can do her job anywhere so she decided to go back to Beirut to find herself. Would she feel completely at home there and miss New York?

I was very interested in the story at first because I wanted to learn more about Beirut. Her perspective was from being raised Christian and I had previously read a book by an author who had been raised a Muslim. She has many wonderful recipes in the back of the book that I want to try. I do love Middle Eastern food. She has a gentle sense of humor.

But what I didn’t like was that the book after a great start, the book seemed to start spinning. Do I love New York or Beirut better? Should go to the next step in my relationship? Should I ever get married? Then there got too be too much food for me. In preparation for a test, I had to follow a liquid diet. She had descriptions of food on almost every page. Somewhere along the way, it became a chore to read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Lebanese food but I would have preferred that the author had written a cookbook with beautiful glossy pictures of the foods. There were cultural tidbits but I didn’t think there was a thoroughly engrossing story.

I received this book as a win from GoodReads but that in no way influenced my review.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

First, thank you to Read-It-Forward for the free ARC. I enjoyed this memoir which details the author Salma Abdelnour's year in Beirut, her homeland. She goes into great detail about the culture, political and religious scenes, and the food. For someone like myself who has never traveled there, she paints a clear and very honest picture of Beirut and Lebanon as a whole. It was also interesting to follow along on her quest to figure out where and maybe more importantly what is home. I must say tho...more

like · see review

May 15, 2013 SilverRaindrops rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-around-the-world-in-52-books, 238-books-in-238-days, country-lebanon, region-middle-east, food

This is part of my "238 books in 238 days"-challenge. You can follow my progress here.
--------------

It is difficult for me to try and review this objectively, because I was looking for a different kind of book. I wanted the author to discover her love for Lebanon, and then stay there and show the reader all the different sides of this fascinating country. Which is not a good assumption to make, because ultimately this is her life and not mine. And indeed, basically from the first page this turne...more This is part of my "238 books in 238 days"-challenge. You can follow my progress here.
--------------

It is difficult for me to try and review this objectively, because I was looking for a different kind of book. I wanted the author to discover her love for Lebanon, and then stay there and show the reader all the different sides of this fascinating country. Which is not a good assumption to make, because ultimately this is her life and not mine. And indeed, basically from the first page this turned out to be completely different than I had imagined.

Salma Abdelnour has made a great life for herself in New York, and it is only a slight sense of "not really belonging" that makes her want to go back to Beirut, to the place she and her family left when she was still a child. Before she leaves, she rekindles a relationship with an old friend, and this makes her reluctant to actually go on her journey.
Nevertheless, she's already got a place to stay (her old "small" family apartment) and she's got a job (she can do her work from wherever she wants) and she's told a lot of people that she's going, so she might as well go.

From the start, she seems very privileged to me. This should be expected (if she wasn't, she probably wouldn't have been able to make such an experiment), but it also means that she doesn't have to see the really bad places unless she actively seeks them out. On the plus side though, her well-connected status, command of the spoken languages and outgoing nature means that the reader gets to meet a lot of people with a lot of opinions. Throughout the book, Salma Abdelnour presents a very well-rounded picture of Lebanese history and modern-day Middle-Eastern politics.

Due to her meeting a lot of people, she gets to taste a lot of traditional dishes (and she cooks for herself as well). And with her being a travel and food editor, these are the best parts of the book. They're so good that they've made me hungry, and I'm glad that there are recipes in the back because I'm going to try them out after finishing this review :).

In the beginning, Salma Abdelnour seems very "American" to me. I can't really define what I mean by that, and this probably wouldn't be a helpful comment, were it not for the fact that she herself seems to realize it as well. When she describes something she encounters, it will usually come with a typical Western reference - the Gateway Arch in St Louis, some fast-foody-cheese thing, American movies. She even gives a running commentary on some events that feels like she's narrating a sitcom. When she walks the streets of Beirut, she will usually see something that reminds her of things that happened back in the USA, and they involve her partner more often than not.

When she does decide to go back to America (after a series of visits and returned visits), I felt like it was the right thing to do for her. And I also felt that I would have chosen the other option, and tried not go back so often. This is why it is difficult for me to rate and review this book; I am completely different from the author. And yet I can see that for what she did was exactly right. Which is an achievement in itself, and I hope that someday I will reach that point as well.
I will start contemplating that right after I've tried out one of the recipes in the book. Because, as I've mentioned already, this book made me HUNGRY.(less)

like · see review

Aug 04, 2012 Tanya Eby rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won a copy of this through Goodreads and was really excited. I enjoyed the book (and LOVE that there are recipes in the back. For a foodie like me, that's a nice bonus). I think the book accomplishes a lot: it tells of a heart-felt journey, and it also challenges stereotypes readers might bring with them to the book. I loved just learning about the Middle East through her return there. I honestly thought it was a place of deserts and I never really understood how cosmopolitan it is. I loved le...more

like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Camille rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I really enjoyed this book, probably in part because I have a fascination with the middle east (and middle-east based memoirs). Prior to this book I didn't really know much about Lebanon, so I liked learning about the culture there. I feel like I have so much empathy for the people of Lebanon after reading this book.

I have to admit, some parts of the book were a little dull--I didn't particularly enjoy reading the long descriptions of the author's walks through Beirut--and especially towards th...more

like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Jasmine and Fire felt like an afternoon of sitting in a quiet cafe discussing a recent trip with a friend. I found myself relishing her descriptions of the foods and sites of her journey. I could almost taste the many dishes about which she wrote. Her travel writing experience comes into EXCELLENT play here.

Her emotional journey, was poignant. Again, I felt as though I were sitting with a friend, discussing her coming into her own after years of wandering about her path. I was particular...more

like · see review

Jun 24, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, beirut-lebanon, 1970s-80s, current-2011

Salma Abdelnour was born in Beirut and lived there until she was nine. Her family opted to leave in 1981 and settled in Houston, TX. In 2011 She decides to go back to Lebanon to re-connect with old memories, family and friends and the Arabic language. As a free-lance writier, she is able to work from there.

It is an interesting and introspective exploration into the life of an ex-pat returning to her homeland.

like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

*I have received this book as part of a Goodreads "Frist Reads" giveaway.

Abdelnour writes a compelling novel about finding her sense of place in Lebanon. I loved seeing a different country through food (Abdelnour is a food critic/writer) and understanding a different perspective on the conflicts in the Middle East and how someone can feel part of and disconnected from two countries at the same time. Certainly an interesting book.

Abdelnour has a beautiful style of writing, except when she throws...more

like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 Kayla Jerome rated it 5 of 5 stars

This harrowing memoir had me on the edge of my seat. As someone who reads a variety of books -- many of them primarily about life in the Middle East -- the take on the conflict in Beirut had me riveted. The reflections that come towards the end of the book are my favorite part, by far. A strong work about a difficult time in Middle Eastern politics -- and life.

1 like · like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Read It Forward: * JASMINE AND FIRE by Salma Abdelnour	3	15	Jul 23, 2012 08:21am
Goodreads Librari...: Please Combine: Jasmine and Fire	3	15	Jun 02, 2012 05:15pm

title link	preview: Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut
avg rating	preview: Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut Goodreads rating: 3.40 (145 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13147751-jasmine-and-fire?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327684955l/13147751.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13147751-jasmine-and-fire?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut by Salma Abdelnour[/url]

Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Jasmine and Fire:...

Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Jasmine and Fire:...

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)