Reviews

``Almighty God created sexual desires in ten parts; then he gave nine parts to women and one to men,'' explained Ali, founder of Islam's Shiite branch. In this powerful and enlightening report, Muslim women emerge from under their black chadors-often hiding jeans or high-fashion clothing-as a horrifyingly oppressed class slowly liberating themselves from the worst practices but still adhering to the basic values of Islam. Drawing on six years as the Wall Street Journal's Middle East reporter, Brooks presents stunning vignettes of women she has met-the American-born Queen Noor of Jordan, Hamas supporters in Gaza, Ayatollah Khomeini's daughter, Egyptian belly dancers, Saudi housewives, Iranian athletes, secretaries, divorcées, foreigners married to Muslim husbands, activists. Brooks carefully distinguishes mysogyny and oppressive cultural traditions from what she considers the true teachings of the Koran and the liberating philosophies of Muhammad. In some Muslim countries, external events and a small but burgeoning women's movement have somewhat liberalized the marital contract and opened up educational opportunities, some jobs and political offices to women, but genital mutilation continues, even for Muslim women in the U.S. Brooks hopes the U.S. will consider gender persecution a reason to offer asylum. Literary Guild selection; author tour. (Jan.)

"Frank, enraging, and captivating."
--"The New Yorker"
"Powerful and enlightening...Brooks presents stunning vignettes of Muslim women...and carefully distinguishes misogyny and oppressive cultural traditions from what she considers the true teachings of the Koran."
--"Publishers Weekly"
"There has been nothing finer on the subject from a Western observer...she looks at it from the heart...mixing historical perspective with piercingly observed journalism."
--"Newsday"
"Avoids both the sensational and the stereotypical...insightful...a valid, entertaining account of women in the Muslim world."
--"New York Times Book Review"
"A rare look at a significant segment of the world's population that literally has been cloaked in mystery for generations."
--"Seattle Times"