I have very mixed feelings about this book, mainly because even with my most vivid imagination I could not imagine what that woman went through. Not just her but hundreds of women that even today have to go through this barbaric ritual to prove themselves untouched, innocent. To become the ultimate symbol of a good women.
This book made me think a lot about the life we live and the conveniences we have. The things we take for granted, for something normal that all people have, yet we do not realize that some e, and they are not a few, will never have the chance to come even close to having them.
What ever happens to the least of us, has an effect on all of us.

Thoughts soon.

I picked up this book on pure chance, when it popped up as a recommendation. Since I’m interested in culture-clash and the African experience, I started reading it. Waris Dirie, who was an international model, came from the life of a desert nomad in Somalia. Fleeing in order to escape an arranged marriage to a much older man when she was just fourteen, Waris’ extraordinary flight across the desert leads first to the country’s capital of Mogadishu, and then to London, where she worked as a house servant for several years. Deciding to make something better of herself, Waris learns British ways and joins an agency as a model, but she still has obstacles to overcome in order to find work. Eventually Waris decides to speak up about what happened to her as a child; female genital mutilation, or FGM, an event that changed her life forever.

This book was a mixed bag for me. Dirie’s anecdotes about her life in Somalia, her struggle to understand the Western world, and her experiences with FGM varied from mildly interesting to fascinating. There were some parts I could’ve done without, however – mainly when she describes tedious and trivial everyday life bits that just aren’t essential to the overall story. In addition, I would say that the prose was fairly unremarkable and pedestrian. So I would say read for the subject matter, not the quality of writing.

6 out of 10

Waris had an extraordinary story to tell but the narration left much to be desired. I suppose writing an autobiography is so subjective. Opens one up to scrutiny. What to put in. What to leave out. The story left a bitter taste in my mouth.

From page 15 to page 224, the narration is flat, flat, flat. As much as her events are chronologically laid out, there was no hook for me as the reader. I kept thinking "where's the rising action?". The one event that would lead to the peak of her story. Nothing. Even her meeting her mother after a 15 year hiatus plateau ed.

From page 224, she becomes a UN ambassador fighting against female genital mutilation. Now that is when her story became interesting to me. I am not for one minute advocating that books with a social element pique my interest, but I feel that she should have chosen a common theme and expanded on it.

The diction. Now that was a thorn on my backside. It felt wrong. Pretentious. Borrowed. Let's blame it on the language barrier. Or rather, let's not. I'd like to believe that when you decide to write, especially an autobiography and your name is Waris, you get assigned a whole literary team. Her's felt like a "basement bargain" team. Firstly, for an African from a sheltered Somali nomadic culture, her constant use of profanity was quite astonishing. Bordered on the bizarre. Her insincere nature was also quite puzzling. Marrying the Irish getriatic I was like "WTF", so out of character. Then she repeats it by marrying Nigel. I take it that she was under pressure and the threat of deportation hung like a jaggered sword over her head but, there were other less dangerous avenues to be explored. Applying for asylum. Her country was in turmoil civilly after all.

Is she still married to Nigel the nut? Is she still with Dana? Did she ever build a house for her family!

AND, Elton John bought the rights to the movie??? Nuff said

Aizkustinošs dzīvesstāsts par bērnību Āfrikas ceļotāju ciltī, pasaules slavu modeles karjeras virstonēs un par tēmu, kas caurvijas Varisas dzīves stāstam - barbarisko meiteņu apgraizīšanas tradīciju. Tās izskaušanai viņa ir veltījusi daudz enerģijas, arī darbojoties kā ANO vēstnese.

Tik maz zvaigznes dēļ grāmatas bērnišķīgās, brīžiem pat primitīvās valodas un tādas kā vienslāņainības, kuru no šāda stāsta nebiju gaidījusi.

brilliant book, I could not put it down once I started reading it.

I read it within 24 hours, and found myself mesmerised by this womans story, and how she overcame obstacles that most of us wouldn't dream of, to get to where she is today.

Without going into too much detail, she managed to convey the horror and trauma of being subjected to female genital circumcision, a practise that causes more problems, than it prevents, and convinces you, that as a woman, we have a duty, irregardless of where we come from in the world, we should all raise our voices and try have this horrific practise stopped, before more young girls are subjected to it, and potentially die.

The fact that it is growing, not declining is awful, and that the practise is spreading due to those faiths and nationalitys that carry this practise out are emigrating to other lands, is a revolting thought.

I would definatly recommend this book as a great read. Get it asap and read I say.

Waris Dirie bir insanın azmedince neler yapabileceğinin yürüyen kanıtı. Hayata defalarca kez dezavantajlı gelmiş olmasına rağmen cesareti ve azmi ile her engeli aşabilmiş. Belki milyonda bir kızın hayatı (kendi çabalarıyla) kurtulmuş ancak halen 200 milyon kıza bu işkence yapılmaya devam ediliyor.

Bence bu konuda doğru tanımı kullanmakta da fayda var çünkü küçücük kızlara yapılan işlemin adı "female circumcision" değil "female mutilation". Mutilation ne peki? "Vücudun bir uzvunu bütünüyle kesme", "kötürüm etme", "sakatlama". Dolayısıyla hayatını hiçbir şekilde farklı yaşamayan erkek sünnetiyle bu bir tutulamaz, tutulmamalıdır.

Kadın sünneti ile ilgili bilgim vardı ancak Type III dedikleri en şiddetli olan ve sağlığı doğrudan etkileyen türünü ilk defa okudum ve dehşete düştüm. Artık bu din ticareti, artık bu cehalet son bulmalı. Nasıl olursa olsun.

I am shattered beyond repair after reading this, especially knowing it’s not fiction.

This is the story of Waris Dirie, a Somalian model and activist, who recounts her journey from a harsh nomadic life to the glamorous world of fashion. But the heart of this book focuses on something far darker: female genital mutilation (FGM). Practiced in 28 countries, this brutal act cuts away the external genitalia of young girls and sews them shut to preserve their 'purity'—a tradition rooted in controlling female bodies for the male ego. The pain these women endure is lifelong, and I’ve never felt more disturbed.

Yet despite everything, Waris never surrendered. She fought relentlessly, not only to fulfill her dreams but to raise her voice for the countless girls who could not speak out.

This is a poignant and powerful real-life story that the world needs to hear if we are to save future generations from the same fate.

Waris Dirie "Dykumų gėlė"

Kažkada, kai buvau jaunesnė skaičiau knygą, kuri paliko labai gilų įspūdį. Ta knyga buvo Mukhtar Mai "Kalta, jog esi moteris". Tos nepaprastos moters istorija sukrėtė. Nuo tada stengiuosi perskaityti tokių knygų daugiau, kad niekuomet nepamirščiau kokia esu laiminga ir saugi.

"Dykumų gėlė" į mano rankas pakliuvo neatsitiktinai. Knygų klubas Vilniuje! nariai šią knygą išsirinko skaityti spalio mėnesį. Čiupau su malonumu ilgai nelaukus. Buvau girdėjusi labai daug gerų atsiliepimų.

Knygos herojė Waris auga Somalyje, Afrikoje, gausioje klajoklių šeimoje. Gyvenimas atrodo gana paprastas, nors ir nelengvas. Jos šeimos gerovei ir saugumui labai svarbūs gyvūliai, kuriuos jie augina ir gano. Ir viskas staiga pasikeičia, kai jaunai mergaitei atliekamas ritualas, toks įprastas Afrikoje - apipjaustymas.

Nepasakosiu, kaip tai vyksta, nes jau vien skaitant visa drebėjau ir niekaip nesuvokiau pačio fakto. Man, jaunai ir išsilavinusiai, nepriklausomai moteriai nesuprantama, kad tai gali vykti XXI a., kai taip garsiai kalbama apie moterų, merginų ir mergaičių teises į darbą, mokslą ir savęs realizavimą. Norėjosi rėkti, šaukti ir sustabdyti tą siaubą. Dar liūdniau pasidarė, kai suvokiau, kad šis baisus ritualas buvo atliktas 5 metų mergaitei su mamos sutikimu.

Skaitydama šią istoriją žavėjausi Waris virsmu iš aukos į savimi pasitikinčią ir tikslų siekiančią moterį, kuri neleido savo praeičiai jos sužlugdyti. Daug domėjausi ir ieškojau informacijos apie pačią Waris. Man ji - moteris, kuri siekia atrodo neįmanomo. O gal įmanomo? Gal kada nors pasaulyje dėl šios klaikios tradicijos nemirs nei viena mergaitė... noriu tuo tikėti.

Šeimos santykiai, bendravimas tarpusavyje ir požiūris į tradicijas - pačios svarbiausios šios neeilinės knygos temos. Trūko to kažko, kas galutinai ir negrįžtamai paliestų sielą. Nepaisant to, knyga manau PRIVALO perskaityti visi vyresnių klasių mokiniai ir suaugę. Užvertusi paskutinį puslapį labai apsidžiaugiau, kad gyvenu kur gyvenu.

Gražaus Jums vakaro :)

I am glad I finally read this and learned more about FGM and Somalia. Not for the faint of heart, and be prepared for a fair amount of nasty language. Not for YA, and I don't say that often.

Waris at the time this was written was an international successful model. But her life did not begin that way. She grew up with a nomadic family tending sheep and camels. Often their "dinner" was a bowl of goat's milk and nothing more. Despite having nothing she believes she had a wonderful family and life in Somalia's deserts.

Her journey from there to becoming a model was full of danger, disappointment, loneliness and challenges. Especially as she faced them as a girl of 13. Also, there were friendships and kindnesses.

An inspiring, and eye-opening story.

a fascinating and harrowing memoir, especially during the first half, but waris has such an incredible story to tell.  her dedication towards helping to stop FGM across the world  is so apparent, and she serves as a great example of a model (or even just someone in the public eye) using her platform to create positive change and a better future for women and girls.

Niewyobrażalne co dzieje się na świecie, o czym my nie mamy pojęcia. Ta książka to nie tylko wspaniała historia, ale też historia o bólu i strachu, niedocenianiu i niewiedzy. Jestem wdzięczna, że mogłam odświeżyć sobie te zdarzenia, których przedstawienie podobało mi się nawet bardziej niż w filmie.
" My nie mieliśmy nic, więc cieszyliśmy się ze wszystkiego"