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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
3.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was an enjoyable book and an interesting look at the lives of women in Saudi Arabia told through case studies. There was diversity of people included and the people interviewed seemed relatively forthcoming. I appreciated that there was representation of the LGBTIQA+ community and how that works in with the culture these people live within. It was compiled by a Western woman which was interesting from the perspective of explanatory notes for those unfamiliar with certain things but it would be interesting to see a similar book written from someone who grew up in and lives this culture.
This was an enjoyable book and an interesting look at the lives of women in Saudi Arabia told through case studies. There was diversity of people included and the people interviewed seemed relatively forthcoming. I appreciated that there was representation of the LGBTIQA+ community and how that works in with the culture these people live within. It was compiled by a Western woman which was interesting from the perspective of explanatory notes for those unfamiliar with certain things but it would be interesting to see a similar book written from someone who grew up in and lives this culture.
This book took me by surprise. Reading it was an exercise in confronting by own biases and prejudices, my idea of feminism, modernity and of Islam. I really enjoyed it and would have given it more stars if I wasn't so aware that the interviews were conducted and written up with a western gaze, which has its own limitations.
Solid 4, veering towards a 4.5. Nice collection of accounts from women in Saudi Arabia with some narrative from the academic who carried out the interviews. Definitely worth a read - and easy to dip in and out of.
informative
medium-paced
Either should have been shorter or not focus on the same 5 or so questions.
informative
fast-paced
A really interesting insight to Saudi women and how they feel about their country, traditions and the perception the West has of it all. Written in advance of the removal of the driving ban for women it gives real insight into what these women think about the potential for change and how they feel it will impact their lives.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
informative
reflective
It was eye opening and informative. Even though it was sometimes tough to read the opinion some women have that were so wrong in my eyes, it showed me how different cultures are and that everyone has the right to live their live as they want.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn about Saudi Arabia and experience a wonderfully wide range of Saudi women's perspectives on their country, its culture, and contemporary social issues - especially compared and contrasted with their perceptions of Western culture and Western media's views of their own.
Nicola Sutcliffe lived in Saudi Arabia for four years between 2014-2017, teaching at a women's university and interviewing Saudi women of varying ages and socioeconomic backgrounds with the aim of raising Saudi women's voices to a western audience likely ignorant of a country that is intensely private in ways both political and cultural. These years of interviews were condensed into 29 chapters highlighting individual women and 8 chapters that give summary overviews of Saudi Arabian history and society regarding women's rights movements, women's education, women's health, dating and marriage, and changing policies and demographics. This book reads like a crash course and a series of conversations. It can be read quickly, but may take time to digest.
In the chapters based on interviews, each woman is described briefly (age, occupation, hometown, a few personal details) and what follows are her responses to questions of her background, her experiences, and her views on (westerners') hot button topics: arranged marriage, male guardianship laws, hijab, driving (legalized for women in 2018 just before publication), their thoughts on Saudi's human rights issues, the future of Saudi Arabia, and other cultural observations, often concluding with a lighthearted hypothetical question - "What would you do if you were a man for a day?" or "What if women ruled the world?" The range of voices was a clear priority for Sutcliffe - differences in age and attitude, background and beliefs give the book breadth and depth - no society is a monolith, and people are complex. Sutcliffe interviewed elderly Bedouin (nomadic) women, young university students, entrepreneurs, professionals, athletes, artists, rights activists, even marginalized women including a refugee, a domestic worker, and one who is gender-nonconforming (transgender was not exactly how the interviewee self-identified). The book includes voices of women who are content and conflicted, devout and rebellious, naive and insightful. What seems to generally unite these perspectives is a sense of national pride and an optimistic outlook for the future of the country - many feel the country is changing for the better as long as they keep the grounding in values they still cherish, particularly of family and religion.
As someone who has worked with Saudi students and colleagues over the past few years and has had the privilege of briefly working in the country, this book not only rang true of what I'd heard and experienced before, but also taught me more of what I'd wished to know, and I found myself missing those years and the people I met. I found this book to be sincere, sensitive, and inspiring.
Nicola Sutcliffe lived in Saudi Arabia for four years between 2014-2017, teaching at a women's university and interviewing Saudi women of varying ages and socioeconomic backgrounds with the aim of raising Saudi women's voices to a western audience likely ignorant of a country that is intensely private in ways both political and cultural. These years of interviews were condensed into 29 chapters highlighting individual women and 8 chapters that give summary overviews of Saudi Arabian history and society regarding women's rights movements, women's education, women's health, dating and marriage, and changing policies and demographics. This book reads like a crash course and a series of conversations. It can be read quickly, but may take time to digest.
In the chapters based on interviews, each woman is described briefly (age, occupation, hometown, a few personal details) and what follows are her responses to questions of her background, her experiences, and her views on (westerners') hot button topics: arranged marriage, male guardianship laws, hijab, driving (legalized for women in 2018 just before publication), their thoughts on Saudi's human rights issues, the future of Saudi Arabia, and other cultural observations, often concluding with a lighthearted hypothetical question - "What would you do if you were a man for a day?" or "What if women ruled the world?" The range of voices was a clear priority for Sutcliffe - differences in age and attitude, background and beliefs give the book breadth and depth - no society is a monolith, and people are complex. Sutcliffe interviewed elderly Bedouin (nomadic) women, young university students, entrepreneurs, professionals, athletes, artists, rights activists, even marginalized women including a refugee, a domestic worker, and one who is gender-nonconforming (transgender was not exactly how the interviewee self-identified). The book includes voices of women who are content and conflicted, devout and rebellious, naive and insightful. What seems to generally unite these perspectives is a sense of national pride and an optimistic outlook for the future of the country - many feel the country is changing for the better as long as they keep the grounding in values they still cherish, particularly of family and religion.
As someone who has worked with Saudi students and colleagues over the past few years and has had the privilege of briefly working in the country, this book not only rang true of what I'd heard and experienced before, but also taught me more of what I'd wished to know, and I found myself missing those years and the people I met. I found this book to be sincere, sensitive, and inspiring.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced