'A wonderful book about the deep backstories and the tangled histories of N. S. Nuseibeh's own
multiple identit[ies]' MARK HADDON 'Explores vulnerability fragility anxiety and
ambivalence as ways of beautifully coming to terms with the wounds and worries of the world'
HOMI K. BHABHA N.S. Nuseibeh's ancestor was none other than the legendary Nusayba bint Ka'ab
al Khazrajia who fought alongside the Prophet Muhammad at the dawn of Islam. In Namesake
Nuseibeh draws on Nusayba's stories comparing her experience as an Arab woman today to the
distant past to discover what courage looks like in the context of interminable conflict.
Intimate and thoughtful these linked essays offer a remarkable exploration of heritage gender
and the idea of home and demonstrate how connecting with our history can help us understand
ourselves and others today.
