Fascinating, but so sad!

Brooks is an amazing author. I vividly remember reading her "People of the Book" years ago and being completely captivated. Now, as I delve into "Nine Parts of Desire," I am once again in awe. Her experiences are truly remarkable. Having spent 6 years working in the Middle East, she has amassed a wealth of firsthand knowledge that she so expertly shares with us.

What particularly fascinates me is the diverse range of ways in which Islam and the Koran, as well as the treatment of women, are interpreted in different countries. It is both eye-opening and thought-provoking. Brooks' writing is so engaging that it makes me want to learn more about this complex and often misunderstood region.

Overall, "Nine Parts of Desire" is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the Middle East and the role of Islam in modern society. It is a powerful and poignant work that will leave a lasting impression.

I live in Dubai and know numerous people, apart from myself, who have read this book. I am an American, and one might assume that my perspective would be similar to Brooks'. However, that's not the case.

It is indeed true that there are extreme, evil, awful, and simply wrong things that occur in the name of fundamental Islam, and I have shared such stories with my expat friends. But both I and everyone I know who has read this book have been left with an unpleasant feeling.

Brooks is a very good and engaging writer, and I did learn certain things from this book, so I wouldn't completely disregard it. However, I found myself wondering why Brooks has such an agenda to convince the world of Islam's evil. Perhaps she is bitter due to her own experiences during the years she spent reporting in the Middle East.

Brooks selects many specific extreme examples and attempts to balance them with positive stories, but she always concludes on a negative note. I would have liked to see more discussion about the places in the world where Muslims live alongside other religions in relative tolerance. For example, in the United Arab Emirates, the government makes a concerted effort to inform people about the difference between the cultural traditions of Arabic lands and the practices that are actually derived from the Koran.

I felt the book omitted a necessary discussion about the Muslim women (and men) who left their home countries when fundamentalist regimes came to power. How many such Muslim communities exist in the world? In Europe, for instance. And yet, the book tries to attribute the injustices it discusses solely to Islam rather than the regimes in power in the Middle East. Brooks seems to imply that, yes, there are Muslim countries where things aren't so bad, but still, all the problems they do have originate from Islam.

If you are willing to put in the effort to read a lot more to balance Brooks' perspective with more information, then it is probably worthwhile to read this book. On the other hand, if you only read one book about Muslims, do not choose this one.

This is an extremely intriguing set of snapshots that vividly depict the lives of Muslim women who are living in (mostly) extremist Muslim settings.

The writing style employed here is truly compelling and deeply thought-provoking. It has the power to engage the reader and make them reflect on the various aspects of these women's lives. However, at certain moments, I found myself slightly confused as I lost track of precisely which country or city the story was unfolding in.

Moreover, I could have done without the rather over-the-top "shoulds" that were present in the conclusion. It seemed a bit forceful and perhaps not entirely necessary.

Overall, this is a very nice series of real-life stories of Muslim women, skillfully told by a non-Muslim female journalist. While it is certainly not the complete and comprehensive story of all Muslim women, it is still a good read nonetheless. It has successfully inspired me to delve deeper and read more about this often misunderstood population.

I am eager to explore and understand their experiences, cultures, and struggles in greater detail.

This is an unusual genre for this author.

An absorbing account of the lives of Islamic women as seen by Australian journalist Geraldine Brooks is presented here.

Geraldine Brooks has a unique talent for bringing to life the stories and experiences of people from different cultures and backgrounds. In this work, she delves deep into the world of Islamic women, exploring their joys, sorrows, and struggles.

I have always loved her historical fiction, and this book is no exception. I was truly moved by her experiences and the way she portrays the lives of these women.

The book offers a fascinating insight into a world that is often misunderstood and misrepresented. It is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about Islamic culture and the lives of women within it.

I would highly recommend this book to others and give it 4 stars.

This book was penned prior to 9/11 and before the prejudices against Muslims had become the norm. I have an absolute admiration for Geraldine's courage. She journeyed all the way from Eritrea's frontiers to Iran, objectively documenting the lives and problems of Muslim women in all those places.

She wasn't afraid to express her own Western opinions on matters such as the hijab. She was also extremely honest about the suppressed bigotry of simultaneously advocating for religious freedom while disliking one of its visual manifestations.

Geraldine was likely one of the first writers to reveal that a great deal of what Westerners associate with Islam stems from the Wahhabis. Their practices are more rooted in tribal cultures rather than Islam, and their actions go unchallenged by Western governments due to the economic advantages the West reaps from countries like Saudi Arabia.

She is the first Western writer I've come across who points out that Chirac and Khomeini belong to the same category, both desiring in their own ways to address deeper issues by superficially treating symptoms, such as controlling how women dress.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It offers a unique perspective and valuable insights into a complex and often misunderstood topic.

I read this when it first came out in 1995, which was 26 years ago. It truly was an eye opener to me. I am deeply grateful for Geraldine's offering of this. At that time, this was not the norm for publishing. However, in these last 26 years, publishing has indeed become a lot broader in terms of the global people scope.

It is our hope that it will continue to be more expansive. May we hear the voices of more people from all over the world. Let us open our hearts wider and truly listen to each other. By doing so, we can gain a better understanding of different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. This will not only enrich our own lives but also promote a more inclusive and harmonious world.

We should embrace this change and look forward to the wonderful possibilities that lie ahead in the world of publishing.

Before reading this book, I vividly remember looking at the women who were completely covered by their burkas and thinking about how repressed they seemed to be. I truly felt sorry for the freedom that I thought they were denied.

My landlord at that time gave me his copy of the book. Although I was initially hesitant, I finally agreed to read it...and I am extremely glad that I did!

The book delves deep into the roots of Muslim beliefs and enables an outsider like me to gain an appreciation for a custom that we would otherwise know very little about. I learned that most of the women interviewed in the book do not feel repressed by being fully covered in their burkas. Instead, they are proud to wear them and actually prefer it to not wearing one.

The book also explains how, according to the beliefs, God gave men one desire and women the remaining nine, which is why there is a need for them to cover.

A friend in college, Zeneb, who was from Turkey, fully agreed to being fully covered at all times when men were around. She never really explained her religious beliefs to me. She simply said that's how she interpreted her faith. When I finally saw her at an "all girls night" at my house, I was able to see not only her exterior beauty but also her inner beauty. Reading this book has brought me closer to her and to all the women I once believed to be repressed. It has opened my eyes and made me understand their choices and beliefs in a whole new light.

Have you ever wondered about the women covered from head to toe? You know that they are Muslim, but do you know anything beyond that?

Geraldine Brooks, in her highly accessible book, delves deep into the plight of Muslim women in the Middle East. She embarks on a journey from country to country, meeting these women face to face and sharing their stories. From her encounter with Queen Noor in Jordan to her unexpected belly dancing stint in Egypt, Brooks gains profound insights into the lives of these women, their religion, and the limitations it may impose.

Sometimes their experiences are truly frightening, while at other times they are simply different from what we are accustomed to. Brooks presents these experiences without any prejudice, allowing the reader to form her own opinions about this complex religion.

The book is not only easy to read but also inherently interesting, captivating the reader's attention from start to finish. It offers a unique perspective on a topic that is often misunderstood or overlooked.

3/1/08

Brooks worked as a journalist in the Middle East.

At the beginning, she was really frustrated because female reporters were often blocked from numerous interviews.

Nevertheless, she quickly came to the realization that being a woman herself, she had a unique access to Muslim women. And she decided to wholeheartedly embrace this opportunity.

Brooks engages in conversations with a diverse range of Muslim women. There are those who are more Westernized, those who are more fundamentalist, and those who are in the process of transitioning from one end of the spectrum to the other.

She interviews Muslim daughters, mothers, and sisters, as well as Muslim politicians, artists, and soldiers.

Moreover, she skillfully compares the lives of contemporary Muslims with their most powerful role models, namely Mohammad's wives and daughters.

I was truly amazed by the extensive amount of research and the arduous leg work that Brooks undertakes in this book.

I am also highly impressed by her attempt to represent the female Muslim experience on its own merits.

However, she does not shy away from providing personal critiques, especially when it comes to the topics of clitorectomies and other forms of physical abuse inflicted upon Muslim women.

I think this book is a rather challenging one.

It is set in a specific time period, within a particular place, and from a specific point of view that belongs to the past.

Initially, I found it quite interesting and even helpful as it provided insights into a different era.

However, as I progressed through the book, around 70% of the way, I could no longer endure the sense of oppression that permeated the story.

It was truly a sad experience.

Overall, it is still a good book, and I am glad that I have finally finished reading it.

Despite the difficulties it presented, it offered a valuable learning opportunity and a chance to explore a different world.

I would recommend it to others who are interested in history and different perspectives.

Perhaps they will have a different experience and gain something unique from reading this book.

Nine Parts Of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women is an outstanding and highly informative read.

The author, an Australian reporter, spent the late 1980s and early 90s in the Middle East. During her time there, she decided to深入了解 the women of Islam. She dedicated a significant amount of time to interviewing and getting to know these women from various social statuses and different ages. This allowed her to present us with a truly fascinating account of Islamic history, Islamic women, and the traditions of today.

I have a passion for reading about different nationalities, religions, and customs. I have always been eager to learn how other cultures live. This book truly delighted me, and I believe the author did an excellent job. She managed to convey the information without coming across as judgmental or preachy. At certain moments throughout the book, I found myself exclaiming out loud, while at other times, I felt angry. However, I felt that I gained a better understanding of a part of the world that I previously knew very little about. I am truly glad to have had the opportunity to read this book.

I particularly loved the closing few lines of the book, which read as follows: \\n   I lost the chador in which many of my memories were wrapped, yet they are with me always. The women who trusted me across the chasm of faith and culture. When I think of them, I think of faith and kindness, warmth and hospitality. I think of the things that united us rather than on those things that we disagreed. They wanted to live to see their children live. That at least we had in common, that at least is a place to start.\\n

I listened to this as an audio book, which was narrated by Geraldine Brooks herself. While it was adequately narrated, I did find her voice a tiny bit annoying at times. This was not because of her accent but rather because of her tone.

Provocative, this book is not always a page-turner, but it has significantly enhanced my comprehension of Islamic women. Ever since I read the book a month ago, I have continuously thought about it and mentioned it to my friends on numerous occasions. It was published in 1995, and I truly desire to witness an updated version of it. This book has opened my eyes to a world that I was previously less familiar with. The author's perspective and the stories presented have made me realize the complexity and diversity within the Islamic female community. I believe that an updated version would be able to incorporate the changes and developments that have occurred in the past two decades. It could provide a more contemporary and relevant understanding of Islamic women's lives, challenges, and achievements. I look forward to seeing what an updated edition might bring.