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  ProdID: 2662 - NomadWritten byAyaan Hirsi Ali Product Score: 10.0 
Nomad

Price : $38.99
Supplier :
Available : June 2010

Nomad is a philosophical memoir, telling how Ayaan Hirsi Ali came to America in search of a new life, and the difficulties she faced in reconciling her two worlds. With vivid anecdotes and observations of people, cultures, and political debacles, this narrative weaves together Hirsi Ali's personal story -- including her reconciliation with her devout father who had disowned her when she denounced Islam -- with the stories of other women and men, high-profile and not, whom she encounters.

With a deep understanding and intimate perspective of the situation of Muslim women and moderates in the world today and her singular, unwavering intellectual courage, Hirsi Ali offers her always notable, often controversial analysis of Islam vis a vis the superiority of Western democratic values.
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kiwifi   Review #3924 - Dated: 30th of August, 2010
  Author: kiwifi

Highly recommended reading.

'Nomad' is candid, revealing and well written - a very readable and thoughtful account and call to action.

Hirsi Ali presents a very personal insight into Islamic culture and world view, having been brought up a Muslim. She does not really touch on religion, but focuses on cultural issues. It is primarily about her experiences as she grew up, and those around her - in particular, her mother and father, brother, sister, and some other key individuals in her life. She gives a very frank insight into their cultural world-view, the stark realities, the fears and denials and the hypocrisies that arise.

This is an intelligent and insightful wake-up call to guard the freedom and values we enjoy in Western culture. It is a plea to understand the cultural struggles of Muslim immigrants in Western societies and to implement procedures that will help them to fully integrate. In this, Hirsi Ali draws from her own experiences trying to integrate into Dutch society as well as helping with other immigrants.

'Nomad' reveals some of the inner struggles and issues faced when Muslim immigrants attempt to 'find their own way' to embrace Western society. In this book, Hirsi Ali sounds a warning about the increasing threat Islam poses from within to Western societies and their values, especially the rights of women.

Some of the cultural views and outcomes that Nomad reveals are frankly quite shocking - which only emphasises the importance of understanding 'the other side' and how better to respond to their needs (and to our own), so that we can move forward and not backward within our own society in regard to fundamental human rights and equality.

Overall, this book has a rather disturbing yet vitally important message to share. It is not suitable, or intended, for very young readers - but might be a good contender for study at high school level, and required reading for certain political policy makers.

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Printed at 06:12:44pm on Friday 29th March 2024