- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New edition edition (28 Mar 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0140244654
- ISBN-13: 978-0140244656
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 1.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 488,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
Fascinating, meticulously reported, and elegantly written (Susan Faludi )
She takes us behind the veils and into the homes of women in every corner of the Middle East . . . It is in her descriptions of her meetings that the book excels (Observer ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
She takes us behind the veils and into the homes of women in every corner of the Middle East . . . It is in her descriptions of her meetings that the book excels (Observer ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Susan Faludi
'Fascinating, meticulously reported, and elegantly written'
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm an American woman who has lived overseas in Morocco for twelve years. My friends and I are reading this book for our monthly bookclub selection. None of us was able to put the book down, once we started it. We all read the book in one or two days.
The author is a journalist who spent considerable time in the Middle East, reporting from various countries. Although this is not a scholarly work, it is well-researched. The book focuses on her own personal experiences in each country, and ancecdotes from various women she met in each country.
For me, the most interesting parts of the book discussed the home and personal life of the Ayatollah Khomeni. After reading this book, my opinion of both him, and of Islamic life in Iran, went up by about 300 percent. The author met and interviewed his wife, and various family members. He was a fairly modern, new-age husband, and playful father, who even got up in the middle of the night and gave his kids their bottles, and changed their diapers. The only thing he was quite strict about was the Islamic religion.
Anyone who is interested in the lives of women in the Middle East should read this book. The book is as accurate today as it was when it was written.
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have spent time in the Middle East and been offered books such as "Princess" and "Not Without My Daughter" by Western friends positive that the Middle East must be a terrible place for Western women ... It was very enlightening, refreshing, interesting and thought provoking to read a book from an author with such a wealth of experience and such a desire to learn, to understand and not just to brandish and judge. She writes of movements happening within the culture and not just of stagnated ways. Koranic verses are used as a backdrop for understanding that what some may interpret as Islamic is mearly that, an interpretation. I highly enjoyed this book. I will read it again. And I will definately recommend it to anyone interested enough to understand some of the different perspectives governing women behind the veil!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read and enjoyed Year of Wonders I was eager to read anything by Geraldine Brooks. This excellently written, and very personal book helped me to understand the problems faced by Islamic women in Islamic countries. The chapter on female circumcision was utterly shocking and Brooks makes it quite clear that this disgusting practice has nothing to do with the Koran and a lot to do with ancient African and Arab tradition. However, most Muslims seem to turn a blind eye to it. With regard to the rest of the book, I can only endorse the positive comments of other reviewers. It is fascinating to note how differently women are treated in different Islamic countries. I very much doubt if the prophet Mohammed would approve of all the customs attributed to his teaching. This is a short and readable book which provides a valuable insight into a world hidden from most of us in the West.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Life for women in Islamic countries from the most restrictive to the...
As far as a comprehensive look on women living under Islam I have found no better. From the most restrictive (Saudi Arabia) to the most liberal (Egypt) one is presented with a... Read more
Published 27 days ago by Cynthia Danute Cekauskas, LCSW
Geraldine Brooks as a journalist
I love the books of Geraldine Brooks (my favourite is the 'People of the Book'), but I found this was hard to get into. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Laurie
....
I read a few pages of this book on the internet to gain an incite into it. I did not bother buying this book as for me it just reinforces sterotypes. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Thinking Out of the Box
Very good
I really enjoyed this book. Each chapter is split between the author's experiences in various different islamic countries. Read more
Published 13 months ago by vixx
Very illuminating
In some ways this book challenged my preconceptions of life as a woman in an Arab nation but in others it was sadly a confirmation. Either way it is a fascinating read. Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. Readalot
Nine Parts of Desire
Excellent! Have bought several copies for friends.
Extremely well researched and informative.
A 'must read' hard to put down.
Extremely well researched and informative.
A 'must read' hard to put down.
Published 21 months ago by Mrs. M. Key
OK- but not great
I thought Nine parts of Desire was interesting- however it is quite negative concerning Islam and women in the middle east. Read more
Published on 21 April 2010 by Iona Sherwood
Complete let down
I was very excited when I bought this book - but a complete disappointment! The author has not understood and connected with her subject and this is very evident throughout the... Read more
Published on 14 Sep 2009 by SLT
interesting, especially in light of recent events
I was not entirely sure what to expect from this book - a jewish woman who worked and travelled in the middle east could have put forward a rather biased account of women in islam. Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2009 by T-bone
Fascinating insight into the lives of Islamic women.
I live in Dubai, a progressive Islamic country and have also visited Saudi Arabia on several occasions while my husband worked there. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2008 by DubaiReader
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