Heart Tantrums and Brain Tumours: A Tale of Misogyny, Marriage and Muslim Feminism

Aisha Sarwari moved to America to create her own identity and story, but a brain tumor caused her husband, Yasser, to become aggressive. She began to see their marriage as part of an oppressive society and the tug between feminist principles and personal happiness. Heart Tantrums and Brain Tumours is a unique story of identity and belonging, misogyny and motherhood, patriarchy and partnership.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 456 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2023
Publisher: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd

When Aisha Sarwari arrived in America as a young woman, she embarked on a journey to forge her own identity and create her own story. Hailing from Uganda, she had never experienced life in South Asia, yet she grappled with the conflicting cultural expectations of being a 'good Muslim girl' while yearning for equality and acceptance. Fate brought her together with Yasser, a Pakistani law student, and they returned to their ancestral country to marry. However, their lives took an unexpected turn when Yasser was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which became a near-lethal third wheel in their relationship. The cancer not only affected Yasser's personality, causing aggressive outbursts, but it also raised questions about whether the illness was the sole reason for his violence or if it had become an excuse. Aisha began to view their marriage within a broader context, seeing it as a reflection of an oppressive society and the constant struggle between feminist principles and personal happiness.

Traversing between Africa, America, and Pakistan, Heart Tantrums and Brain Tumours is a captivating tale of identity, belonging, misogyny, motherhood, patriarchy, and partnership. Through its searing honesty and political passion, the book reveals Aisha's unwavering battle to redefine the rules by advocating for, and sometimes even alongside, the man she loves.

Weight: 568g
Dimension: 215 x 140 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781787388932