And Then I Gave Up is a collection of some of the most widely read essays on faith and spiritual crisis by Umm Zakiyyah, internationally acclaimed author of the novels If I Should Speak, Muslim Girl, and His Other Wife, as well as the groundbreaking self-help book for religious survivors of abuse, Reverencing the Wombs That Broke You. Of the most famous is the essay “And Then I Gave Up” in which the author reflects on her own spiritual crisis during the month of Ramadan following the death of her younger brother to cancer.

Offering empathy to the broken and hope to the disillusioned, this book is both timely and much needed, particularly for struggling Muslims feeling increasingly disconnected from their faith.