The Woman I Left Behind: a Novel

by Kim Jensen

The Woman I Left Behind is a poetically written novel about a turbulent love affair between a young American woman and a Palestinian refugee. When Irene, an intelligent, committed and discerning student meets Khalid, a Palestinian refugee now living in Southern California, she immediately knows that this man would cause her both immense pain and immense joy. Coming from two separate worlds that are at odds with each other, both Irene and Khalid have to overcome their cultural differences. Irene comes to realize that she has to break free from her parents' norms and values and lead a more meaningful life—a life not guided by superficialities but by a sense of commitment and purpose. After opening her eyes not only to the psychological wounds Khalid suffered during his experiences of war, deportation, and exile, but also to her own childhood wounds, Irene abandons her detached self, ultimately leading to a reconciliation with Khalid. With its detailed depictions of modern Palestinian history, as well as its cast of colorful characters—from Palestinian feminists to American cyberpunks—Kim Jensen's novel reiterates the vital connections between politics, the imagination, and the most intimate aspects of our lives.

Genres: Contemporary, Adult

244 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Kim Jensen is the author of the novel The Woman I Left Behind and a collection of poems, Bread Alone. Her poetry and other writings have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Poetic Voices Without Borders 2, the Baltimore Review, Al Jadid, Rain Taxi Review, Come Together: Imagine Peace, Left Curve, and the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. She is associate professor of English at the Community College of Baltimore County in Maryland.

Reviews

[Debbie Sullivan]

This book is written different than any I've ever read. It has some subtle political implications which I have very little interest in reading but the main story was wonderful. The books characters are interesting people that really grab the readers interest.