Book Review: Nine Parts of Desire

Geraldine Brooks is a quiet pioneer, braving the widely anti-semitic and mysogynistic countries of the Middle East as both a women and a Jew, all in order to discover, as the subtitle informs us "The hidden lives of Islamic women". Originally traveling to the Middle East as a war correspondent for The Washington Post, Brooks found herself becoming increasingly intrigued by and involved in the lives of the many women she met in her travels, from the Queen of Jordan to her translator, a young, progressive Muslim woman who one day decides to take up the burqua and devote herself to prayer. By delving deeper into the lives conducted literally behind the curtain, Brooks does a magnificent job of uncovering and demystifying the prejudiced attitudes and cultural factors that keep many Muslim women secluded and under the reign of their husbands for all of the adult lives, as well as humanizing and explaining some customs that might seem thoroughly foreign to the inexperienced Western observer.

My favorite chapter in the book was one entitled "The Prophet's Women", which described the legends and lives of the Prophet Muhammed's many wives and female relatives. This historical and religious background helped to put the rest of the book in perspective; for one thing, it showed that women have not always been discriminated against; many of Muhammed's wives led rich, exciting lives before being led into seclusion. Even the practice of polygamy was originally concieved for the relative benefit of women; many of Muhammed's wives were widows whom he took under his wing, so to speak, out of concern for their welfare. The book also explains that many particular horrendous and outrageous customs come not directly from the Qu'ran but from the ancient traditions of Middle Eastern countries which were absorbed into Islam as its religious boundaries spread. The historical background, as well as the modern-day vignettes, really helped me to understand many of the driving factors behind current women's issues. Brooks does not let them off the hook by any means, but she certainly is just, attempting to understand the entire situation before she judges individuals. I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in the Middle East, or women's issues in general; it offers a relevant, expansive perspective and a mind-pricking analysis.