Insightful Review posted on Amazon

New! Mohammad reviewed Suitcase Filled with Nails: Lessons Learned from Teaching Art in Kuwait

 It's not the suitcase that's filled with nails... It's Kuwait! October 15, 2012

In her book, titled "Suitcase Filled with Nails", Ms. Wakefield pretty much nailed the chronic problems that are being inherited and running rampant in Kuwaiti society. As an arts teacher at Kuwait University, for six academic years, Ms. Wakefield did an impressive job painting a picture that underlined the unbiased truth about Kuwait and its citizens. The kiss-and-kill and downright hypocritical, backstabbing culture of Kuwait--which is often, if not always, accompanied with systemic corruption and helpless injustice--is as epidemic to the country as mosquito-borne diseases are to the Amazon river. In other words, it's a hopeless case, but one that needed to be aired for the whole world to hear.

Ms. Wakefield's sense for delivering thoughts to the reader's mind is perhaps one of the key characteristics that attribute to her personality, as an open-minded and thought-invoking arts teacher. She is simply brilliant and I began to love her, even though I've never had the fortune of meeting her.

"Suitcase Filled with Nails" delivers, to the reader, everything he or she needs to expect from even the shortest of stays in Kuwait. Ms. Wakefield's struggle with the tribal-driven and Islamic fundamentalist forces, which opposed her, her work and her students, was a battle that she willingly accepted to fight, for the sake of her principles and for the sake of those who she loved and cared about--Kuwaiti or otherwise. Unfortunately, not many Kuwaitis appreciate the fact that there are many people who are championing, or have championed, for their rights to become truly free and live in an open society, where the only thing they have to fear is fear itself. I just hope there comes a day when Kuwait officially and formally pays gratitude to the people who at least tried to make a difference, instead of rewarding fools like Dr. Badr, who wants everything to be his way and doesn't feel ashamed to lay his hands on servants.

Thank you, Ms. Wakefield, for this wonderful book. I believe you have a gift for storytelling and narration because you managed to create a visual reality in my mind, while I was indulging on this book. I always thought of Seattle as the best city to visit and live in, and now I have an even better reason to love that place.

I hope Ms. Wakefield returns to the Gulf one day. There are some countries that appreciate art more than Kuwait in this region, such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Qatar has a Virginia Commonwealth University arts school in its education city, a place enriched with top US schools. Qatar also has an internationally-acclaimed Islamic arts museum, and Abu Dhabi (UAE) is building an arts museum of its own. I hope Ms. Wakefield gets offered opportunities to either teach or manage arts institutions in either of those countries. Hopefully it would make up for the hardship she faced in Kuwait.

"Suitcase Filled with Nails" deserves all 5 stars and more! God bless you Ms. Wakefield.

Nice Mail

Although, I never consider my self humorous or brave....I just normally jump into things feet first, don't look back and keep a stiff upper lip....I did appreciate receiving the following email: 

After purchasing your book on my kindle app, I could not put it down.

Although I may sometimes have a romanticized view about life there, yours and similar expat experiences have further grounded me in reality, though not discouraged me. On the contrary, if I move to the Gulf and meet obstacles (and I'm sure I will), I will remember your story; it already has inspired me and no doubt it will continue to inform and perhaps inspire others.

You are really brave for having continued to return to Kuwait to inspire your students. I can tell they really love you, and I'm glad you got to experience the humility and generosity of Arabs, despite the other bad apples. I wish you all the best, and please keep writing! I really enjoy your

sense of humor, it is thoroughly entertaining and insightful.

When I asked this reader how she had come across Suitcase Filled with Nails her reply: Amazon's memoirs/biographies section; yours came up first 

Hello Kitty with Revenge

I was invited to submit a postcard - sized art piece to a national women's caucus. I was asked to create art that addresses the following question:What is the pedagogy of Feminist Remixing? What does it look like? Sound like? Feel like?" They did not ask for a title. But I call it "Hello Kitty with Revenge."