The Loved Ones

Won the 2004 Naguib Mahfouz Award for Literature. Revolves around a community of Iraqi immigrants reconstructing families out of the friends they make far from Iraq- reminiscent of what is happening now with the mass migrations from Iraq. Mamdouh is known for her unique writing style, which weaves together different characters voices and memories. It embeds the reader in the psyches of her characters, each dealing with a multitude of traumas, grief, and joys both current and remembered at any one time. Deals with deep family issues: a woman’s difficulty in separating herself from the traditions she grew up in; a mothers acceptance of her battering by her husband and her son’s inability to forgive her for it; grief and resentment at those suddenly taken ill; and the need to create a community of “loved ones” that realize your self-worth.