The Scent of Jasmine

Palestinian sociologist and activist Anan Ameri weaves her sometimes poignant, sometimes funny personal experiences with the historical, political, and social changes that dominated the region in which she lived during the first thirty years of her life. Her story begins with the displacement of Anan’s family during the 1948 Nakba (“Disaster”) and her constant movement from West Jerusalem, to Damascus, to East Jerusalem, before finally settling in Amman, Jordan. The instability of moving from place to place contrasts with the security, fun, and luxury offered by her mother’s large, wealthy Damascene family, along with its many secrets and rumours. Later vignettes focus on the author’s coming of age during 1950s and 1960s—an era of Arab nationalism and international solidarity. Ameri’s experiences reflect the evolving post-colonial Arab societies of her time, the changing roles of women in the Middle East, and the contradictory world around her. The result is a compelling and unforgettable memoir