I enjoyed this book. Accompanying Qanta Ahmed as she spends two years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is as much an eye-opening and spiritually enlightening experience for the reader as it is for the author.
From the beginning and her concerns about fitting into Saudi society, despite her Muslim faith, to the ending realization of how much she has learned and changed and become stronger for her experiences, Qanta shows us a side of the Saudi people and the Muslim faith we would find nowhere else.
Some of the lifestyle of Saudi people is difficult to understand or relate to from a western viewpoint, but Qanta describes it well. From the frustrations of not being allowed to be independent in such simple things as driving, dining in public, or shopping unaccompanied, to the difficulties of just doing the job she is trained to do while working in a male dominated society. And yet she finds that the women of this society are finding ways to effect changes that western cultures take for granted, and they do it all within the parameters of their society and with the aid of forward-thinking fathers and husbands.
I recommend this book to anyone who has a curiosity or is looking for a better understanding about Saudi Arabia or the Muslim faith.
1 comment:
Good Review...I may have to add this one to my list. I have always been interested in learning about other religions. The Faith Club was also a good book that looks pretty in depth at different faiths. Thanks for sharing!
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