Stories We Inherit: Reading "Cactus Pear for My Beloved" by Samah Sabawi
Step into this deeply moving conversation as Chelle and Leanne sit down with the book club to discuss Cactus Pear for My Beloved by Samar Sabawi — a poetic, powerful story born from exile, memory, and love. Drawing from her father's life and her own research on transgenerational trauma, Sabawi captures what it means to inherit both loss and hope across generations.
In this episode, the group reflects on the book's unique structure — part memoir, part fiction — and how it bridges history with humanity. From learning about Palestine through a family's eyes to exploring how storytelling preserves identity, this is a tender, thought-provoking chat about heritage, empathy, and the power of listening.
You'll hear:
How Cactus Pear for My Beloved blends memoir, history, and imagination to honour a father's story
Why reading about other cultures' histories helps us see our own family stories differently
Thoughts on names, identity, and belonging in new lands
The book's role as a gentle geography and history lesson — and a human one
How stories can reconnect us with our parents, elders, and our shared pasts
Discussion prompt:
This book reminded us how easily family histories fade if we don't record them. Whose story in your life deserves to be written down? Tell us on Instagram or in the book club.
