Book Reviews
1. Clarion Review
https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/because-i-believed-in-me/.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR
Because I Believed in Me: My Egyptian Fantasy Came True
Randi D. Ward
AuthorHouse
978-1-4772-8915-0
Four Stars (out of Five)
Randi Ward’s memoir Because I Believed in Me would make a wonderful, upbeat, and upliftingLifetime Network-esque movie. This tale of a retired English teacher from Atlanta being“reborn” and having “the greatest experience of [her] life” is utterly charming and an absolute joy to read.
It is impossible to read this book without having a broad smile on one’s face. Ward’s
enthusiasm for her experiences in Egypt, first as a tourist and later as a teacher of English in
Cairo, is infectious. Although she does gush and bubble over with cheer in describing her days
in Egypt and the friends she made while there, the sentiment is so genuine that her deep
affection for these people jumps out from the pages. That after thirty-eight years as an English
teacher Ward found a new and fulfilling life doing what she loves best will resonate with any
retiree, although few will have the courage, the means, or the sheer gumption to go off on his or
her own to find that in a foreign land, and one in the midst of revolution no less.
Although almost all of the twenty-eight chapters are packed with happy memories and
descriptions of wonderful people and exciting adventures, Ward was in Egypt during a time of
turmoil. One chapter deals with a particularly frightening night during what became known as
the Second Revolution, and the events of that evening, Ward freely admits, still give her
nightmares. While most people, especially those on their own far from home, left Egypt when
faced with the upheaval and violence of that time, Ward stayed on. She kept on teaching through
it and became even closer to her many Egyptian friends during that difficult period.
That every person she met is a “dear friend” or a “close friend” or made her “feel so
loved” would normally strain the credulity of the reader, Ward seems to be that all-too-rare kind
of person who probably truly feels that way about people—especially those she met in Egypt,
most of whom she remains in contact with on Facebook. They are a diverse and delightful lot
that includes male and female students, artists, engineers, doctors, mothers, children, and even
an Arabic rapper as well as a British subject of Egyptian extraction who is planting a Peace
Forest outside of Cairo.
The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs. In nearly all of them, Ward is not only
smiling from ear to ear but actually beaming with love, happiness, and joy, as are the other
people in the images. There are some shots of Ward on a camel, visiting the pyramids, shopping,
and even attending a Chinese festival and a wedding. As touristy as they are, these pictures
complement and reinforce the story and the emotions Ward felt.
This is not great literature or an in-depth view of life abroad, and while the writing is
loose, it is correct and it is real. Ward’s story would make a delightful film, if anyone has the
vision to grab it up for a studio or a cable channel.
Mark McLaughlin
Posted on May 13, 2013
2. KIRKUS BOOK REVIEW
BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN ME (MY EGYPTIAN FANTASY CAME TRUE)
Ward, Randi D.
AuthorHouse (186 pp.)
$27.99 hardcover, $16.95 paperback, $3.99 e-bookA
ISBN: 978-1477289167; November 29, 2012
The warm spirit of Egypt changes a woman’s life in this autobiographical adventure.
Randi Ward, a retired language arts teacher from Atlanta, Ga., never imagined she would come to see Egypt as a second home. However, during a vacation with her husband, she finds herself drawn to the culture and people of Cairo, and she stays in touch with some of her new friends on Facebook after returning to the U.S. She gets an unexpected offer from one—a three-month stint teaching English at a school in Cairo. Ward considers the idea for weeks; finally, despite speaking no Arabic, she decides to take a chance. Her life in Egypt is often frustrating: Her apartment is small and dingy, her Arabic never becomes strong enough for her to be fully independent, and her teaching schedule is taxing. Occasionally, life becomes frightening, as a wave of revolutionary protests sweeps through her neighborhood, forcing her to stay inside to avoid marches and tear gas. Ward makes it clear, however, that the warmth of her new life in Egypt far outweighs any challenges. Her students, who quickly become friends, invite her into their homes for family dinners and into their mosques for Friday prayers. Throughout the book, the author’s openness and curiosity about Egyptian food, customs, religious practices and history color all of her stories, although the nuts and bolts of teaching English as a second language could have been emphasized more. While the readers may want a bit more detail about her methods as well as the students’ progress over three months. However, moments like the anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian revolution more than make up for the lack of classroom scenes. Ms. Ward stands on the roof of the school with her students as a procession files through the streets below, carrying an immense Egyptian flag. Later, she and a student work their way through the throngs of people to join in the singing in Tahrir Square, which highlights the book’s main theme of how welcoming and inclusive Ward’s friends and students were to her, an outsider.
An Egyptian adventure illuminated by Ward’s bubbly, curious personality.
Kirkus Indie, Kirkus Media LLC, 6411 Burleson Rd., Austin, TX 78744
indie@kirkusreviews.com
Posted May 22, 2013