This truly was a fascinating read and I could not help but appreciate Geraldine Brooks' devotion in her interviews and putting this work together. Written in the 90s (aka pre-9/11 world and view of the Middle East) she tries to figure out the whys between traditions and laws regarding Islamic women. Brooks is a lovely writer and her works paints a vivid image of Iran and other countries, as well as various women she meets. That said... I can't help but consider this a feminist work. Most of Brooks'... more info
Mesmerizing:
Geraldine Brooks is as talented at non-fiction as she is at fiction. I could not put this book down. It is easy to read this explanation of the different levels of individual rights found among Muslim women in different middle eastern states. Brooks traces the circumspection of women's rights to the Koran and Hadiths from Mohammed's time. Interestingly Islam appeared to expand women's rights of the 7th century. In the era of Mohammed and for hundreds of years thereafter European women had no property or... more info
a glimpse of a hidden world:
While this book is not meant to be an anthropological analysis of Muslim women, it does give insight into the Muslim world at large. It is broad in scope and should cite information more, but it can be an excellent choice to begin the journey to understanding. It should not be considered the final destination. I suggest this book to all.
Islam Means Submission:
This is just one of the facts that I learned from this book. It became not just a fact but an insight as I continued reading it. The book's excellence is demonstrated in that 13 years after its publication it is still being read. Its continued relevance is evidenced by so many current reviews here on Amazon. Since its publication there have been many books on this topic, including social studies and personal narratives, but this one still stands out. Brooks spent 6 years in traveling to Middle... more info
