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Amazon.co.uk Review
Waris Dirie's story puts "rags to riches" to shame. The "Desert Flower" started life as one of 12 children of a Somali nomad family, a people with no written culture, where the basic unit of currency is the camel. Faced at 12 with the prospect of marriage to a 60-year-old man she didn't know, she broke all the rules and ran away, surviving a traumatic trek across the desert to end up in London, as a maid to the Somalian Ambassador. It was in McDonalds that her striking beauty was "discovered", leading to a career in modelling and another as an ardent campaigner against female genital mutilation (circumcision).
As a novel it would be unbelievable, as Waris survives circumcision, rape, arranged marriage, a lion attack--you name it, she's lived through it. But the book is remarkable less for its deliberately dramatic set pieces, and more for its haunting evocation of the little-told life of Somalian nomads, seen from a child's telling perspective, where life centres on the beloved camels, the horrors of womanhood are still an exciting mystery, and the nights are filled with the smell of frankincense. Desert Flower is a recollection of such gentle beauty that "rags to riches" seems hardly appropriate.--Alan Stewart --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Waris's story is one of remarkable courage. From the deserts of Somalia to the world of high fashion ... she emerges a real champion. She is the most beautiful inspiration to anyone (ELTON JOHN )
A story that traverses continents, spans worlds of human experience and human pain ... Waris Dirie was a victim once, but she never will be again (EXPRESS )
She was circumcised at five, fled an arranged marriage at 12, then became a Pirelli girl in her teens. Now, at twenty-eight, Waris Dirie is an ambassador for the UN. Her mission? To rid Africa of its most barbaric ritual (OBSERVER )
Dirie's story is an extraordinary one. (SUNDAY TIMES )
A story that traverses continents, spans worlds of human experience and human pain ... Waris Dirie was a victim once, but she never will be again (EXPRESS )
She was circumcised at five, fled an arranged marriage at 12, then became a Pirelli girl in her teens. Now, at twenty-eight, Waris Dirie is an ambassador for the UN. Her mission? To rid Africa of its most barbaric ritual (OBSERVER )
Dirie's story is an extraordinary one. (SUNDAY TIMES )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was an amazing story of courage in the face of adversity. Reading about the hardships Waris has been through had me in tears but she is an inspiration to all women.
Eveyone should read a book like this, it makes you realise how lucky you are and apreciate what you have got.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I don't think it matters that this book is not "world-class" literature.
Waris Dirie has a wonderful story, full of hardship, striving, and pain. But due to her continual striving, she has made a success of her life, in spite of the odds.
Her experiences meant something to me. One of the most vivid was the description of her circumcision in the bush.
This is an inspiring book, showing what can be accomplished with fortitude and a positive attitude.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think all women should read this book. Stop worrying about what make-up goes on your face day to day and do something positive by educating yourself on the plight of over 130 million women world-wide who are subjected to FGM.
The story in this book amazed me, upset me but mostly inspired me.
The story in this book amazed me, upset me but mostly inspired me.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A life hard done by
This is a remarkable and very unlikely story of a girl born into a nomadic family of camel herders in the Somali desert becoming a model famous in the western world. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Noel
awsome!!
This is an awsome book...i can relate so much specailly the Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) part :)i'm so proud of Waris, she had the courage to write this story because our people... Read more
Published 5 months ago by naima
UNBELIEVABLE
I really enjoyed this book. You cannot imagine what these girls and women go through the pain and hardship. I will never complain ever again. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Linda Morris
Amazing Book
Life changing book for me. Read it a long time ago and still remember it vividly. She's an amazing woman and a good writer too!
Published 20 months ago by meguano
AN AMAZING STORY..AND I PHOTOGRAPHED HER!
yes, an amazing story and quite bizarre really that i photographed her before she was 'discovered' by one Terence Donovan.
I photographed her in my flat in SW London. Read more
I photographed her in my flat in SW London. Read more
Published 22 months ago by tony
Remarkable life of an incredible lady
The great strength of this fascinating autobiography is the enormous juxtaposition between Waris Dirie's childhood and her later life. Read more
Published 23 months ago by James Powell
what a lady!!
i could not put it down-read it in 3 days
she is determined, gutsy, no polite Ps and Qs like us Brits, but we never went through what Waris did.... Read more
she is determined, gutsy, no polite Ps and Qs like us Brits, but we never went through what Waris did.... Read more
Published on 20 April 2010 by Mrs. J. D. Campbell
Sexual cromes against humanity have to be eradicated
An emotional trip of a woman from the desert of Somalia to the United Nations. I will not follow that road which is detailed and marked by exploitation, scarification, mutilation,... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by Jacques COULARDEAU
Desert Flower book
Excellent book. Until you read this know one nows how lucky we are, or most of us, of how people live or have lived.
Published on 15 Feb 2010 by Denise E. White
beautifully written and very shocking
Us westerners do not understand what goes on in places like Africa and to read such terrible things is a real eye opener. Read more
Published on 19 Oct 2009 by Louise Hickerman
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