'Vom Bruck cherishes the richness of al-Latif's experiences, approaching her subject with affection and understanding ... [her] juxtaposition of oral history and academic analysis makes Amat al-Latif al-Wazir's compelling life story an essential part of Yemeni history.' -- Times Literary Supplement
'An outstanding contribution to the interrelated fields of history, biographic narrative and anthropology.' -- British-Yemeni Society Journal
'Vom Bruck sheds a new and fascinating light on a history that had, till now, almost exclusively been narrated through the eyes of male characters, either by western or Yemeni scholars, or in the form of memoirs published by decision makers. [This] book never fails to enrich our understanding of a historical context that is little known beyond Yemenis and a few academics.' -- Arabian Humanities
'Gabriele Vom Bruck excels in narrating a critical moment of Yemeni history from the point of view of those involved. Mirrored Loss allows for the expression of long-suppressed indigenous narratives while, at the same time, elucidating the frames and structures which inform them and render them intelligible. This rare juxtaposition of oral history and academic analysis makes for a fascinating, indispensable read.' -- Marieke Brandt, author of 'Tribes and Politics in Yemen: A History of the Houthi Conflict'
'A masterful combination of biographic narrative, historical context and ethnographic detail that vividly evokes the trials and tribulations of the cultural and political elite of North Yemen from a woman's perspective. Highly recommended for students and scholars of the Middle East, gender studies, the anthropology of women and the study of memory.' -- Deniz Kandiyoti, Emeritus Professor in Development Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies
'Anchored in the tumultuous events of 1948 and subsequent decline of the Yemeni political elite, vom Bruck traces Amat al-Latif al-Wazir's trajectory into the twenty-first-century, through a biographical narrative attuned to what she calls cultural frames. In so doing, Mirrored Loss makes a valuable contribution to recent auto/biographical scholarship devoted to unsettling the mostly male-centred fixation of the autonomous subject. Vom Bruck's attentiveness to her own role as an ethnographic listener provides an added layer to her compelling discussions.' -- Norman Saadi Nikro, Research Fellow, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient; author of 'The Fragmenting Force of Memory: Self, Literary Style, and Civil War in Lebanon'
