An Egyptian woman's reflections on her changing homeland—updated with an afterword on the Arab SpringIn language that vividly evokes the lush summers of Cairo and the stark beauty of the Arabian desert; Leila Ahmed movingly recounts her Egyptian childhood growing up in a rich tradition of Islamic women and describes how she eventually came to terms with her identity as a feminist living in America. As a young woman in Cairo in the forties and fifties; Ahmed witnessed some of the major transformations of this century—the end of British colonialism; the rise of Arab nationalism; and the breakdown of Egypt's once multireligious society. As today's Egypt continues to undergo revolutionary change; Ahmed's inspirational story remains as poignant and relevant as ever.
#43565 in Books 2011-04-26 2011-04-26Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .76 x 5.30l; .57 #File Name: 0143120123352 pages
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Pretty Good for a First Book!By Kevin RK DavisAfter reading Philbrick's hit; "In the Heart of the Sea" (before I knew it was being made into a movie; so; you know; I'm a 'true' fan ;) ); I got into a "must read more Philbrick" faze. I started reading Mayflower; only to be weighed down by Philbrick's play-by-play recounting of the warfare he depicts in that book; to the point of having never finished it. I may buy an audio version later for "reading on the road". However; I was intrigued about his book about Nantucket; as I found in "In The Heart of the Sea;" some very interesting accounts as Philbrick briefly recounts every-day Nantucket life in the early decades of the 19th century in that book. I was hoping this book would be an expansion on that. Was it? Yes; and no.What Philbrick does in this book; is give us biographical snap shots on the decades / generations between 1602 - 1890 (as said by the subtitle of this book). As I've found to be in Philbrick fashion; he takes detours about certain subjects and nuances throughout the book; when his primary focal character on a given chapter permits. While it is not Philbrick's fault; there are certain stories that are more intriguing then others. I found myself a little less excited to read; for instance; in chapter 14 where he recounts a notorious bank scandal. Obviously this may keep someone else's attention. What kept me reading through chapter 14 is chapter 15; which; since this book on Nantucket was written before Philbrick's award-winning account of the Essex; chapter 15 is a very condensed "In the Heart of the Sea;" concerning its captain; Pollard.Ultimately; knowing that Philbrick was writing from history; you can't blame him for the content; and the way he structured it was great. Were there other figures or people who could've picked? Perhaps. For the off-islander; it would have been nice to have updated maps scattered throughout the book; as he does in other books like Mayflower; or In the Heart of the Sea.It was a good book; and like Philbrick has; he kept my attention. I know it was his first big work; but perhaps in a revision; he could update it for the off-islander reader; and include some pictures like he does in his other works.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. This is part of our family historyBy da chefMy father-in-law told me some of the history of his family when my husband and I were married 50+ years ago. They were some of the original owners of Nantucket Island; three whalers in the family went down on the Essex which was stove in by a whale; the family married into the Macy family; his great-grandfather was a cooper who made barrels for the whaling ships and many more stories. Several years later after having vacationed on the island several times I teased him about letting that property out of the family!! This book brings back fond memories that make our history even more vivid.10 of 11 people found the following review helpful. "Coofs" please stay at home.By ArthurAs a frequent visitor to Nantucket; I found Nate Philbtick's book accurate and full of well researched historical information that would be essential reading for anyone who is interested in the evolution of "The Grey Lady" over time. He is a skilled story teller and brought the historical evolution of the whaling industry full circle from boom to bust as the women; left at home; ran the businesses as the men were at sea. Good read for anyone interested in the history of Nantucket Island and how the" islanders" dealt with "coofs" even to this day;(who are non islanders).
