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hoovertronic's review against another edition
4.0
This was an important book to read to better understand what it was like being a female, intellectual, Islamic, cage rattling person in a white, conservative and racist nation.
chava_in_oz's review against another edition
3.0
I've seen Yassmin's TED talk and loved it. This book is a bit of the same, just much much longer. It talks of her upbringing, her values, her strong Islamic faith and her strong standing as a proud, Muslim, Australian-Sudanese woman who at only mid 20s is already very inspiring. I think the book could have done with a good edit chop (ie, made much shorter), but enjoyable nonetheless. A 3 star rating from me due to its length and some political views which I felt were sneakily woven into the book and which I didn't agree with.
hubris_and_hamartia's review
5.0
What an incredible voice we (as a country) have lost. I hope Yassmin will be able to one day write a sequel to her story and find her place back here in Australia. It is so unjust that someone with such burning passion and excitement for inclusiveness was demonized and treated the way she was. I see similarities in her story and the stories of my 1st and 2nd Gen friends - incredible, wonderful, passionate people from a variety of cultures who make my world and Australia all the richer for being here.
I'd like to say that I wasn't once one of the ignorant, self-righteous and culturally biased people Yassmin speaks about, but I can't. I was totally duped by the hideous media portrayals and messages about Islam - that it was dangerous, unfeminist and could not be translated into a western society. What a massive dickhead I was! (Honestly my Richard Dawkins phase was the absolute worst and thank goodness I moved on).
I truly think that if everyone could learn to shut up and listen and really *hear* other people's point of views we would be a much much healthier society. I think it is up to those with privilege to amplify the voices of incredible people like Yassmin and ensure that they are not silenced.
I'd like to say that I wasn't once one of the ignorant, self-righteous and culturally biased people Yassmin speaks about, but I can't. I was totally duped by the hideous media portrayals and messages about Islam - that it was dangerous, unfeminist and could not be translated into a western society. What a massive dickhead I was! (Honestly my Richard Dawkins phase was the absolute worst and thank goodness I moved on).
I truly think that if everyone could learn to shut up and listen and really *hear* other people's point of views we would be a much much healthier society. I think it is up to those with privilege to amplify the voices of incredible people like Yassmin and ensure that they are not silenced.
willoreads's review
5.0
“Muslim women are more than the cloth they choose to wrap or not wrap their head in. This is about looking beyond your bias.”
I think I could listen to Yassmin talk about anything at all and enjoy it
I think I could listen to Yassmin talk about anything at all and enjoy it
mcbaird's review
4.0
A perspective that I’m not familiar with as I actually don’t know any Muslim people so I found it really interesting. It was well written and read by the author. I feel like I have a better understanding of Muslim beliefs and Sudanese culture.
xoxorawrvindictivexoxo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
missflamingo's review
4.0
I had the great pleasure of meeting Young Australian of the Year Yassmin Abdel-Magied at the 2016 Brisbane Writers Festival prior to hearing her speak about her book: "Yassmin’s Story - Who do you think I am? "
Yassmin’s lively personality pervades this memoir and reading it is just like being in her presence. She has an entertaining conversationalist-style born of her father’s encouragement that she “be quick with her wit”. Her stories of growing up as a Sudanese-born Muslim female in Brisbane Australia spring off the page without asking for one bit of sympathy or special treatment. Her honesty has a special kind of directness that is charming and admits no taboos.
Like Scheherazade, this young storyteller spins off one incredible tale after another of her life experiences, stories that are so diverse it’s hard to imagine a single person has lived through them and all by the age of 25.
She encourages laughter at her first untidy attempts to properly tie a headscarf only to end up looking like she’s wrapped in a blanket. She shares the solemnity of first realising that 9/11 might entirely jeopardise the fledgling shoots of humanity that were the hope for change for our world. Her banter with her co-workers as a mechanical engineer on the oil rigs is filled with anecdotes of her attempts to deal with the disparities and diversities thrown her way with her own common sense brand of sanity.
I read Yassmin’s Story with admiration for the courage and stamina of this young woman. @SuzanneKing (This book review was published by Noosa Today in their Spring magazine on 29 September 2016.)
Yassmin’s lively personality pervades this memoir and reading it is just like being in her presence. She has an entertaining conversationalist-style born of her father’s encouragement that she “be quick with her wit”. Her stories of growing up as a Sudanese-born Muslim female in Brisbane Australia spring off the page without asking for one bit of sympathy or special treatment. Her honesty has a special kind of directness that is charming and admits no taboos.
Like Scheherazade, this young storyteller spins off one incredible tale after another of her life experiences, stories that are so diverse it’s hard to imagine a single person has lived through them and all by the age of 25.
She encourages laughter at her first untidy attempts to properly tie a headscarf only to end up looking like she’s wrapped in a blanket. She shares the solemnity of first realising that 9/11 might entirely jeopardise the fledgling shoots of humanity that were the hope for change for our world. Her banter with her co-workers as a mechanical engineer on the oil rigs is filled with anecdotes of her attempts to deal with the disparities and diversities thrown her way with her own common sense brand of sanity.
I read Yassmin’s Story with admiration for the courage and stamina of this young woman. @SuzanneKing (This book review was published by Noosa Today in their Spring magazine on 29 September 2016.)