The memoir “War and Me,” by Faleeha Hassan passionately bonds the reader with Hassan’s life in Najaf, Iraq. Hassan grew up in a working class family while Iraq was subdued within a seemingly endless string of wars. Her memoir shows the world what an ordinary family experiences in war torn areas and how this affected her demeanor later in life.
The start of Hassan’s memoir explores her childhood. She relates to her readers with her love of school and the maturity that comes with being the oldest amongst her siblings. This familial bond is revealed to be Hassan’s tether to sanity and happiness despite the trauma of the war. Throughout the memoir she is seen as a strong and level headed girl, allowing her to push through the difficult times when she experienced loss with the war, motivated by her family.
There are specific moments that highlight the immense loss Hassan experienced in her life, such as when her grandmother passed away, or when her best friend tragically died during an airstrike. Her grandmother’s passing came as a dull shock because her grandmother was ready to accept death. It was a natural introduction to loss for a young girl. In a few years, however, the death of Hassan’s best friend was incredibly sudden, showing a loss that is more difficult to heal. Hassan coped with her friend’s death by writing poems which were later published and shared globally.
This memoir is a beautiful insight into what people living in wartorn areas truly experience and how this affects their mental health. Hassan was forced to grow up quickly and learned to cope with loss rapidly. “War and Me” is a must read to receive a scope of what others truly experience during conflict. Since Hassan and her family were a part of the working class this also shows what ordinary people went through.
Everyone can take something away from “War and Me”, whether it is how to cope with loss or how to stay motivated. It shows us the inner workings of a world without safety and how we can find strength within our families and ourselves to overcome all obstacles.
