“Two women, two cultures, and a friendship that freed them both.”
That’s the tagline on the jacket of a book by Shelley Davidow and Shaimaa Khalil being launched in Peregian on Friday 10 June.
It sounds like a pretty standard pitch you’d find on a lot of covers, but in this particular case it’s actually more understated than over-hyped.
Shelley and Shaimaa met 20 years ago at the University of Qatar where Shelley was a teacher and Shaimaa a student. Shelley is an Ashkenazi Jew from South Africa and Shaimaa is a Muslim from Egypt. Despite their geographical, religious and cultural differences, these two women found common ground, which eventuated in a deep and enduring friendship.
Now that Shaimaa is in Australia as the BBC’s Australian correspondent, the two have shared their fascinating correspondence, their experiences and their friendship with us in the form of a wonderful two-handed memoir, Runaways.
These days Shelley calls the Sunshine Coast home.
The author of 46 books, she is a creative writing tutor, a lecturer at Sunshine Coast University, and a director of the new Sunshine Coast Creative Writing Institute, which was featured in Noosa Today in April.
Shaimaa is living in Sydney while on assignment for BBC London, but has worked extensively in the Middle East, covering some of the biggest global stories of our time.
Told from two perspectives, Runaways is an insightful narrative of a friendship that empowered two remarkable women to escape the confines of culture and history. Delving into their shared past, Runaways recalls how their friendship has shaped them as individuals, illuminating all the ways they are bound together. Beginning with their time in the Middle East, Shelley and Shaimaa explore what it means to be denied a voice, the importance of valuing the individual and their choices, and the necessity of seeing beyond race and religion.
Through their stories, they have remained connected to one another over the years, and with their words they push back against the patriarchy to remember those who were – and still are – silenced. In Runaways they remind us of the power of these connections. For Shelley and Shaimaa, love and friendship transcend the boundaries of time, culture, religion and history.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear two highly skilled and intelligent writers introduce an exciting and important book. Shelley and Shaimaa’s Runaways book launch and author talk is at Peregian Beach Community House (next to the tennis courts in Rufous Street) on Friday 10 June from 6pm. Tickets are $20, including wine and finger food, and bookings are essential. Phone 5448 2053 or email info@anniesbooks.com.au
