Nussaibah Younis in Conversation with Desiree Burch - Birmingham

A wildly funny and razor-sharp exploration of love, family, religion and the decisions we make in pursuit of belonging.

'By normal, you mean like you? A slag with a saviour complex?'

Nadia is an academic who's been disowned by her puritanical mother and dumped by her lover, Rosy. She decides to make a getaway, accepting a UN job in Iraq. Tasked with rehabilitating ISIS women, Nadia becomes mired in the opaque world of international aid, surrounded by bumbling colleagues.

Sara is a precocious and sweary East Londoner who joined ISIS at just fifteen.

Nadia is struck by how similar they are: both feisty and opinionated, from a Muslim background, with a shared love of Dairy Milk and rude pick-up lines. A powerful friendship forms between the two women, until a secret confession from Sara threatens everything Nadia has been working for.

Nussaibah Younis and Desiree Burch will be discussing the book, follwed by a Q&A and then a book signing.

Dr Nussaibah Younis is a peacebuilding practitioner and a globally recognised expert on contemporary Iraq. For several years, she advised the Iraqi government on proposed programs to de-radicalise women affiliated with ISIS. She studied at Oxford, Durham and Harvard Universities, and has a PhD in International Affairs. Dr Younis was a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, where she directed the Task Force on the Future of Iraq. She has published Op-Eds in the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, and the New York Times. She was born in the UK to an Iraqi father and a Pakistani mother, and currently lives in London.

Desiree Burch is an American comedian, writer, solo performer and voice actor. Credits include: Taskmaster, The Horne Section TV Show, The Last Leg (Channel 4), Live at the Apollo, QI, Have I Got News For You, Live from the BBC (BBC), A Castle For Christmas, The Sandman, Master of None (Netflix), Backstage with Katherine Ryan, Desiree Burch: Live at Soho Theatre (Amazon), The News Quiz, The Now Show, Just a Minute, You’re Dead to Me (Radio 4) Desiree is most widely known as the voice of Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle. She is currently on tour with her newest stand up hour The Golden Wrath

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