PRAISE FOR LISSA

“A visually compelling and sensitively presented work that demonstrates how juxtaposing sequential art with narrative can render extremely complex global processes and phenomena into a gripping human story.” —BENJAMIN DIX, DIRECTOR, POSITIVENEGATIVES

“…brilliant storytelling and stunning scholarship.” —ANNE FAUSTO-STERLING, PH.D., AUTHOR OF SEXING THE BODY

“… required reading for anyone interested in the Egyptian revolution, but also for anyone interested in the complexities of being human and being alive in the twenty-first century.” —GANZEER, EGYPTIAN REVOLUTIONARY, STREET ARTIST/AUTHOR

“Lissa utilizes the medium to the fullest, weaving the complexities of friendship, illness, and faith together in a way that bridges cultures and dispels misconceptions, while offering a narrative that engages readers to the very end.” — LINA GHAIBEH, PROFESSOR OF ANIMATION AND COMICS, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

“… a compelling entry into how issues of illness, mortality, and decisions around them are always shaped in the particulars of history and politics. Bravo!” —FAYE GINSBURG, PH.D., DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR MEDIA, CULTURE, AND HISTORY AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

“… an intimate and powerful understanding of contemporary medicine and politics.” —EMMANUEL GUIBERT, AUTHOR OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER

“… a brilliant fictional account of organ failure, genetic testing, and organ transplantation… [and] a must-read for our alarming times.” — MARGARET LOCK, PH.D., AUTHOR OF TWICE DEAD: ORGAN TRANSPLANTS AND THE REINVENTION OF DEATH

“A dizzying, gripping, and beautiful journey into the world of medicine and mortality—not just its complex emotional universe, but the political realities that structure it too.” —JACK SHENKER, AUTHOR OF THE EGYPTIANS: A RADICAL STORY

“A tangled and controversial journey through injustice and disease, infused with a healthy dose of revolutionary spirit along the way.” —MOHAMED AND HAITHAM RAAFAT EL-SEHT, TWINS CARTOON

“…deftly explores diverse political, medical, and ethical themes in one accessible yet erudite package. Essential reading for the Graphic Medicine community.”  —IAN WILLIAMS, PHYSICIAN, CARTOONIST AND FOUNDER OF GRAPHICMEDICINE.ORG

“…a book about hope and sacrifice, and the effects of capitalism, not just on societies but also on modern medicine, and the environment. Such a complex work that somehow ends up becoming nothing less than a piercing examination of life itself in the 21^st century.” – GANZEER

http://www.ganzeer.com/post/165625633579/review-lissa-a-story-about-medical-promise

“I have nothing but admiration for this book. The story is compelling –even a page-turner. Moreover, it is informative, historically and culturally situated, and uplifting—or, at least, it ends on a hopeful note—teaching hard truths, or glimpses of them, in an accessible and digestible way. …. It was only a matter of time, as they say, before a graphic ethnofiction would appear. It’s fortunate that Lissa is so good, because it launches what may become an increasingly usable way to cast and communicate knowledge—ethnoGRAPHically. ” Shelly Errington, ANTHROPOLOGY NOW

“The plot is anchored in moments of grace; as Layla picks up prescriptions for her family, Anna awakes from an elective mastectomy, and as protests run bloody, the focus is on the helpers. This is the book’s greatest strength: its belief in decency even amidst violence and trauma. Its hopeful mood is mirrored by the book’s rounded, flowing visuals: bandages flutter like hair ribbons, water sluices down Anna’s surgical scars, and Layla’s eyes are wide as she tends to the grievously wounded. This is a chronicle of conflict, to be sure, but it is also a tribute to the persistence of friendship and the power of people, united.” PUBLISHER”S WEEKLY

“There are so many aspects of Lissa that will appeal to readers—the health content, sociopolitical history, or the opportunity to see a worked example of graphic anthropology. Ultimately, it remains a powerful story of two young women. Whether you read Lissa to educate yourself about health issues or research methods, or you just want to find out what happens to Layla and Anna, this graphic novel shows the huge and still untapped potential of comics for use in medicine and global health.”  THE LANCET

STUDENTS RESPOND TO LISSA

“In the end this comic-book definitely serves as an exceptionally informative and engaging piece.  More importantly, it emphasizes the necessity of persistent resistance through hardship, and that revolution (in all its forms) should never die.” – ZENAB YOUSEF, SOPHOMORE, BROWN UNIVERSITY

“I appreciated the depth of understanding Lissa provides of global politics, inequalities, social life, and classism via the bridging of two similar yet unalike character’s mutual experiences and trials and tribulations. Lissa shares the effects of capitalism not just on society, but also on modern medicine and environment. The name of the graphic novel, Lissa, meaning “not yet,” “still,” “there is time,” in Arabic conveys hope and sacrifice coupled with breathtaking and indispensable artwork.” — SAID

“I was very happy to see someone who looked like me in a graphic novel. A hijabi is rarely shown in graphic novels. The political tension between the U.S. and Egypt was illustrated in a very creative way and I was surprised by how much global politics affected the interaction between Ahmed and Anna. It’s a heartfelt novel that you cannot get through without crying. It made me wonder if friendships like the one Anna and Laila exist today.” — YARA

“I thoroughly enjoyed Lissa and felt it was a great way for popular audiences to engage with the important topics being explored in anthropology, today. For that, I commend both Hamdy and Nye for embarking on that venture.” – ALI

“ Reading Lissa was one of those experiences where even as I was in the middle of reading, I knew it would change me. I was given a new outlook into issues that are often clouded with difficult jargon and mystery. It was an extremely worthwhile read, with breathtaking artwork.” NAV

“Comics are a powerful medium and the visuals of Lissa successfully ignite the reader’s imagination to personify both lived experience and anthropological research. Lissa transcends the academy and touches its readers successfully through strong plotlines, emotional pull, and incredible visuals. I would highly recommend this book to others.” — SARAH