A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Beyond the Veil by Fatima Mernissi
Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Hope & Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Last Chapter by Leila Abouzeid
Women's Rebellion and Islamic Memory by Fatima Mernissi
Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems by Fatima Mernissi
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini
Although set in a different Muslim country, this riveting dark novel captured my attention, imagination, and empathy. It follows the story of two women, across two generations, over a 30-year period in Afghani history. Themes of the novel include friendship and family life, the fragility of love, the devastations of war, the power of fate, and honest exploration of gender roles in an Islamic country. One review summarizes this book as, “Like diamonds and roses hidden under bomb rubble, this is a story of intense beauty and strength buried under the surface of the cruel and capricious life imposed upon two Afghani women.”
Recommended by Jessica Wamala
Beyond the Veil: Male-Female Dynamics in Modern Muslim Society by Fatima Mernissi
I highly recommend the author Fatima Merinissi. She is a former professor of sociology at Muhammed V University in Rabat. I studied her in both my BA and MA of sociology programs, and I reconnected with her her in Morocco. I am particularly a fan of her book entitled "Beyond the Veil: Male-Female Dynamics in Modern Muslim Society " which dives into the discussion of the effects of modernization on male-female relations while exploring the sexual dynamics of the Muslim world. I also enjoy her book "Dreams of Trespass " which tells the story of a young girl raised in a harem. What I enjoy about her writing is how accessible it is. This book is written like non-fiction, allowing the reader to get caught up in the story emotionally, especially PCVs who are developing a personal relationship with this country and get to see it through her eyes. At the same time it gives a solid sociological look into the gender structures of the Muslim world. She has written many other pieces, but these two books really stand out among her repertoire.
Recommended by Elizabeth Jay
Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Half the Sky is a powerful collection of both stories and essays, which work together to describe the climate of women’s rights around the world. It focuses on developing countries and is unforgivingly blunt about the inequalities and human rights violations that exist. However, every disparaging encounter or anecdote is balanced with an uplifting and inspirational story of women and men who are doing incredible work championing women and their rights. The book also discusses ways in which the world - from individuals to associations to governments - can alter their practices to improve the lives of women around the world. Half the Sky is an emotional commitment that is well worth your time and thoughts. Furthermore, authors Kristof and WuDunn have expanded their impact - the book is complemented by powerful short films and an active and engaged online presence. For more information, visit their website, at www.halftheskyymovement.org
Recommended by Kika Kaui
Hope & Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami
Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits is the debut story collection of Laila Lalami, a Moroccan American author and scholar best known for her Pulitzer finalist novel, The Moor’s Account. HAODP chronicles the life of four very different, yet interconnected Moroccans—Murad, Halima, Aziz, and Faten. They are all harragas (a Darija term meaning “those who burn,” referring to North African migrants who attempt to cross the Strait of Gibraltar). Each story is a moving insight into Moroccan culture, immigration, religious identity, poverty, gender politics, and the development of a nation. The multiplicity of narratives lends to the multiplicity of thematic content. In particular, Lalami’s handling of social marginalization is quite haunting. Each character sketch is rich and full of life.
CN: domestic violence, sex work
Recommended by Julie Feng
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the ironic account and biography of the heroine, Lacks, and her world-changing cells, widely known in science as the HeLa cells. In my opinion, the interplay between inequities amongst race, gender and socioeconomic class with research ethics is exactly what makes this book a must-read. Skloot illustrates and traces the life of Henrietta Lacks through a decade of investigative research and interviews with her children, who were reared in poverty and often without affordable health insurance for themselves. The account, which reads like a novel, makes you question bioethics and who really benefits from scientific research.
Recommended by Heyab-Mariam Ogbasion
Women's Rebellion and Islamic Memory by Fatima Mernissi
I recommended Fatima Mernissi's Women's Rebellion and Islamic Memory because it offers a modern day look at Muslim women throughout the world. I find it to be an important read especially serving in a Muslim country because often this glimpse of women and Islam is construed as an overall picture and this is just not the case.
Recommended by Sarah Amer
The Last Chapter by Leila Abouzeid
One day when I was working with a baccalaureate class I came across a segment in their English textbook. It was an excerpt from Leila Abouzeid. The chapter was celebrating strong female Moroccans. So I requested the book from the Peace Corps library and I was surprised that it was less than 100 pages. Leila Abouzeid is known for being the first Moroccan woman writer to be published in English-language translation.
When I was learning to speak Darija I was struggling with the concept of calling everything zwina or myzan and then suddenly I found those crutch words so liberating and I was able to sympathize with this quote,“The words came out easily in the foreign language.’ It had not occurred to me before that foreign language could be liberating.” Pg 49. Abouzeid does a lovely job at intertwining the Moroccan feelings and emotions towards language in a way we are all beginning to understand.
Recommended by Shawn Dubberly
Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems by Fatima Mernissi
Scheherazade Goes West is one of Fatima Mernissi's later works. It is not entirely academic or biographical--but perhaps a "panaché" of various genres. In it, she tells the story of her own casual observations about Western perception of the harem as depicted in European literature and art as well as through conversations with Western colleagues and friends. Exploring the stark difference between this perception and that of Islamic societies, she grows and maintains a stance that Western society places more value on women's physical assets than intellect, the famed Scheherazade's greatest strength. This, argues Mernissi, subjects Western women to another kind of harem, or perceived oppression that has yet to be discussed. While Mernissi may overgeneralize in her conclusion, painting somewhat of a black-and-white picture, her insights and observations in this easy-to-read book can serve as a great catalyst for conversation.
Recommended by Katie Bercegeay
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Clockwise: Rebecca
Skloot, Fatima
Mernissi, Leila Abouzeid,
Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn, Khalid Hosseini, & Laila Lalami.
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If you don't see something you like but still want to explore gender-related books,
Check out the GAD Library List here.
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Post by Shawn Dubberly
