--- product_id: 5372886 title: "Woman at Point Zero" price: "C$278" currency: NIO in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ni/products/5372886-woman-at-point-zero store_origin: NI region: Nicaragua --- # Woman at Point Zero **Price:** C$278 **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Woman at Point Zero - **How much does it cost?** C$278 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ni](https://www.desertcart.ni/products/5372886-woman-at-point-zero) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description "All the men I did get to know, every single man of them, has filled me with but one desire: to lift my hand and bring it smashing down on his face. But because I am a woman I have never had the courage to lift my hand. And because I am a prostitute, I hid my fear under layers of make-up". So begins Firdaus' story, leading to her grimy Cairo prison cell, where she welcomes her death sentence as a relief from her pain and suffering. Born to a peasant family in the Egyptian countryside, Firdaus suffers a childhood of cruelty and neglect. Her passion for education is ignored by her family, and on leaving school she is forced to marry a much older man. Following her escapes from violent relationships, she finally meets Sharifa who tells her that 'A man does not know a woman's value… the higher you price yourself the more he will realize what you are really worth' and leads her into a life of prostitution. Desperate and alone, she takes drastic action. Saadawi's searing indictment of society's brutal treatment of women continues to resonate today. This classic novel has been an inspiration to countless people across the world. Review: The semi-biographical story of an exceptionally brave woman, Firdaus - "How many were the years of my life that went by before my body, and I became really mine, to do with them as I wished? How many were the years of my life that were lost before I tore my body and my self away from the people who held me in their grasp since the very first day?" • "I knew that my profession had been invented by men, and that men were in control of both our worlds, the one on earth, and the one in heaven. That men force women to sell their bodies at a price, and that the lowest paid body is that of a wife. All women are prostitutes of one kind or another." • A woman's voice rises from her prison cell. It is that of Firdaus. This semi-biographical tale that El Saadawi has woven gives you a close look into the life of Firdaus, a former prostitute about to be executed for murder. Amid the many lives, she has lead, she was first and foremost a woman grappling with the challenges and limitations of her condition in a conservative Egyptian society. • Firdaus is unapologetically herself. She bares it all for us, and you can not help but be moved beyond words. We are invited into the deep recess of her mind. We witness her joys, her pains, her struggles, her moments of clarity, and realization. This intimate foray into her life makes the story inevitably compelling. • I could not help but be haunted by Firdaus just as El Saadawi was. I felt as if Firdaus became the vehicle of every woman that like her suffered the realities of gender inequality in a conservative Muslim society where men are at the top. It felt like El Saadawi elevated her to the ranks of symbol with this story. • It was a short read, and I blazed through it in a few hours. El Saadawi's prose was quite simple and to the point, but I had some issues with the translation at times. Nonetheless, I adored the parallels and imagery that El Saadawi used which reminded me of poetry, thus it was a near-perfect read for me. • 4,5/5 ~ #fridayinaprilbookreviews • Review: The Truth of Many Women - This book will keep you hooked.Finished in 5 hours! ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,632,041 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #6 in Middle Eastern Literature (Books) #5,345 in Literary Criticism & Theory #8,183 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,524 Reviews | ## Images ![Woman at Point Zero - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81qcZPQp0HL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The semi-biographical story of an exceptionally brave woman, Firdaus *by T***S on October 7, 2020* "How many were the years of my life that went by before my body, and I became really mine, to do with them as I wished? How many were the years of my life that were lost before I tore my body and my self away from the people who held me in their grasp since the very first day?" • "I knew that my profession had been invented by men, and that men were in control of both our worlds, the one on earth, and the one in heaven. That men force women to sell their bodies at a price, and that the lowest paid body is that of a wife. All women are prostitutes of one kind or another." • A woman's voice rises from her prison cell. It is that of Firdaus. This semi-biographical tale that El Saadawi has woven gives you a close look into the life of Firdaus, a former prostitute about to be executed for murder. Amid the many lives, she has lead, she was first and foremost a woman grappling with the challenges and limitations of her condition in a conservative Egyptian society. • Firdaus is unapologetically herself. She bares it all for us, and you can not help but be moved beyond words. We are invited into the deep recess of her mind. We witness her joys, her pains, her struggles, her moments of clarity, and realization. This intimate foray into her life makes the story inevitably compelling. • I could not help but be haunted by Firdaus just as El Saadawi was. I felt as if Firdaus became the vehicle of every woman that like her suffered the realities of gender inequality in a conservative Muslim society where men are at the top. It felt like El Saadawi elevated her to the ranks of symbol with this story. • It was a short read, and I blazed through it in a few hours. El Saadawi's prose was quite simple and to the point, but I had some issues with the translation at times. Nonetheless, I adored the parallels and imagery that El Saadawi used which reminded me of poetry, thus it was a near-perfect read for me. • 4,5/5 ~ #fridayinaprilbookreviews • ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Truth of Many Women *by J***E on February 3, 2026* This book will keep you hooked.Finished in 5 hours! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eye-opening Arabic classic *by K***E on August 15, 2022* This book was first published in Arabic in 1975 and translated into English in 1983. So this is a backlist read for me, something that I have wanted to do more this year but have ended up reading many 2022 releases. This slim book is a work described as creative nonfiction, based on a conversation that the author had with a real person. This slim book tells the story of Firdaus, a woman in jail awaiting execution in Egypt. This story tells of key events in her life from childhood through her life as an adult. While the writing style is easy to read, the actual content is not, as Firdaus experiences repeated abuses of various types by many men in her life. She spends part of the book as a prostitute and actually sometimes feel more empowered there than during other jobs, as she is able to set her value. As you can probably tell from the first sentence in this paragraph, there is no happy ending to be found in this story. I think it is a worthwhile read and can be read fairly quickly. I definitely recommend this, with awareness that it deals with difficult topics. If you plan on reading work by women in translation in August (or any other months), this is a good pick to add to your list. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read this! And if you have any recommendations for other translations from Arabic, drop them in the comments as well, since this is my first and I want to read more! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ni/products/5372886-woman-at-point-zero](https://www.desertcart.ni/products/5372886-woman-at-point-zero) --- *Product available on Desertcart Nicaragua* *Store origin: NI* *Last updated: 2026-05-10*