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parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Death, Biphobia, Religious bigotry, Grief, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Body shaming
Moderate: Pregnancy, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Bullying, Torture, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Classism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Rape, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Abortion, Sexual violence, Blood, and Lesbophobia
emwil13's review against another edition
5.0
A must read to begin to understand the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A look into the brave fight this particular women, as well as others, put up for their most basic freedoms, even if it means harsh punishments and heavy criticism from men and society. I love reading books about the Middle East written by actual locals and women of the region and this is a truly an inspiring true story.
jilly7922's review against another edition
4.0
This is Manal Al-Sharif's story of being a activist for women's rights in Saudi Arabia. This book tells the story of Manal Al-Sharif's childhood to the day she was imprisoned for driving while being female in Saudi Arabia. It is a coming of age story of how Manal grew up in an Islam fundamentalist environment and how she immersed herself into their particular views and lifestyle. She then goes to college where her whole life changes and she is able to see the bigger picture of the country she lives in and changes her lifestyle. She is a very successful woman who stands up for all women's rights in Saudi Arabia, in particular the right for woman to drive.
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was an excellent book, I am so glad I read it. Reading it was so empowering especially for females. I love reading books of different cultures and learning about different traditions and customs out there. I love reading books that deal with injustice, and inequality. This book had both so it was the perfect book for me to read. It was a very inspiring book, and well written also. I can't imagine all the obstacles that Manal had to overcome just to write this book and get to where she is today. I find it amazing how education can open a person's world. That Manal's story could have been much different if she did not attend college and receive her education. I like how Manal combined her own personal experiences with facts on Saudi culture and history. It was a really well balanced book. You could definitely tell that Manal Al-Sharif poured her heart and soul and her passion into this book. With all this said I highly recommend reading this book.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Manal Al-Sharif, and Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews come and read my book blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was an excellent book, I am so glad I read it. Reading it was so empowering especially for females. I love reading books of different cultures and learning about different traditions and customs out there. I love reading books that deal with injustice, and inequality. This book had both so it was the perfect book for me to read. It was a very inspiring book, and well written also. I can't imagine all the obstacles that Manal had to overcome just to write this book and get to where she is today. I find it amazing how education can open a person's world. That Manal's story could have been much different if she did not attend college and receive her education. I like how Manal combined her own personal experiences with facts on Saudi culture and history. It was a really well balanced book. You could definitely tell that Manal Al-Sharif poured her heart and soul and her passion into this book. With all this said I highly recommend reading this book.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Manal Al-Sharif, and Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews come and read my book blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
booknook123's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
Very slow start, but stick with it. This book will inspire you. Another guaranteed cry
shaunaj216's review against another edition
4.5
Title: Daring to Drive
Author: Manal Al-Sharif
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5
GENRE: non-fiction, memoir
📚SUMMARY & THOUGHTS📚
Manal is arrested in the middle of the night for ‘driving while female’ in Saudi Arabia. Her memoir shares the story of her life, growing up in a dysfunctional poor family doing their best in the city of Mecca. Conservative in culture and devout in her muslim faith she was accustomed to the restrictions on women and assumed they were the norm.
Throughout the book she shares how she evolved from a radical extremist in her teenage years to a more progressive muslim woman in her adult years. All this leading her to challenge the cultural norms by driving despite her gender.
📚JOYS📚
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Manal’s story and bravery in her fight for woman’s rights in Saudi Arabia. She endured a lot of resistance from her family, society, and religious and civil police in the process. Her sacrifices deeply impacting her life and those around her to make small strides in the lives of women in her beloved country.
📚CHALLENGES📚
Wanting to learn more about the lives of people from other places means reading about thier abuse, trauma and unique challenges. While reading I was often reminded to be grateful for my country, my family and mostly My God.
📚TOPIC & LANGUAGE CONSIDERATIONS📚
SA, mutilation, violence, oppression, murder and child abuse
lvfl's review against another edition
4.0
This is a minor point but late in the book, she refers to the Woolworth’s counter in Greensboro, South Carolina. That happened in North Carolina. That makes me wonder whether the fact checking was sufficient for this book.
It was also strange to me that the narrator had an American accent rather than a Saudi one.
It was also strange to me that the narrator had an American accent rather than a Saudi one.
novelvisits's review against another edition
5.0
Daring to Drive by Manal al-Sharif
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Audio Narrator: Lameece Issaq
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Length: 304 pages
Original Source: http://www.novelvisits.com/daring-drive-manal-al-sharif-review/
Single Sentence Summary: In the spring of 2011, Manal al-Sharif was arrested for driving in Saudi Arabia, but her courageous story began long before that day.
From the Publisher: Daring to Drive is the fiercely intimate memoir of an accidental activist, a powerfully vivid story of a young Muslim woman who stood up to a kingdom of men – and won. Writing on the cusp of history, Manal offers a rare glimpse into the lives of women in Saudi Arabia today. Her memoir is a remarkable celebration of resilience in the face of tyranny, the extraordinary power of education and female solidarity, and the difficulties, absurdities, and joys of making your voice heard.
Review: In the opening chapter of Daring to Drive Manal al-Sharif is taken from her home in the middle of the night for having dared to drive the previous day. The promise of a brief visit to the police station fails to be realized. Before the day is over, Manal finds herself in Dammam women’s prison; a prison where many of the inmates’ crimes amount to little more than being poor, or failing to meet the stringent expectations placed on their sex. But this is not the beginning of Manal’s story. It actually began 32 years earlier when Manal was born female in Saudi Arabia.
The full title of this memoir is Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening and that second part of the title is every bit as noteworthy as the first. While listening to the story of Manal’s life, I had to work at adjusting the lens from which I saw it. Manal shared her life openly, without judgment or recrimination. I naturally bristle when seeing women marginalized, but Manal made clear that much of what we might judge harshly is part of her culture. It was difficult not to cringe at beatings, not to ache for girls being treated unequally, not to rail against women forced to always defer to men, yet this is the life of Saudi women. Manal also made clear that the Saudi culture is evolving – slowly, but evolving.
As Manal’s life unfolded, I was struck over and over by the power of education. School had a huge impact on Manal’s life. It was the one place where she always excelled. She took her lessons very seriously, including those in Islam. For a time, Manal became radicalized – rigidly so.
“After 1979, after the siege of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, my generation was brainwashed. In school we were taught to go home and lecture our parents about prayer and sins, most of which involved the behavior of women.”
She was devout in following the strictest interpretations of Islam and was vigilant in seeing to it that those around her did, too. Despite her faith which would typically have her marrying very young, Manal wanted a college education and her mother saw to it that she got one. College planted the seeds of discontent that would eventually turn Manal into a powerful voice for women in Saudi Arabia. Manal’s education continued when she went to work for Aramco, a large Saudi oil company employing many expats. It was on the Aramco compound where she first learned to drive.
As Manal’s story comes full circle it returns to where Daring to Drive began, at Dammam women’s prison. There, Manal moves from being a social media phenomenon to an advocate for the women of Saudi Arabia. Manal al-Sharif is a strong woman who didn’t set out to be an activist, but simply wanted to be granted the privilege of driving. When you read her story you cannot help but admire her. She made me proud to be a woman. Daring to Drive is definitely my favorite nonfiction this year, and the audio was amazing. Grade: A
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Audio Narrator: Lameece Issaq
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Length: 304 pages
Original Source: http://www.novelvisits.com/daring-drive-manal-al-sharif-review/
Single Sentence Summary: In the spring of 2011, Manal al-Sharif was arrested for driving in Saudi Arabia, but her courageous story began long before that day.
From the Publisher: Daring to Drive is the fiercely intimate memoir of an accidental activist, a powerfully vivid story of a young Muslim woman who stood up to a kingdom of men – and won. Writing on the cusp of history, Manal offers a rare glimpse into the lives of women in Saudi Arabia today. Her memoir is a remarkable celebration of resilience in the face of tyranny, the extraordinary power of education and female solidarity, and the difficulties, absurdities, and joys of making your voice heard.
Review: In the opening chapter of Daring to Drive Manal al-Sharif is taken from her home in the middle of the night for having dared to drive the previous day. The promise of a brief visit to the police station fails to be realized. Before the day is over, Manal finds herself in Dammam women’s prison; a prison where many of the inmates’ crimes amount to little more than being poor, or failing to meet the stringent expectations placed on their sex. But this is not the beginning of Manal’s story. It actually began 32 years earlier when Manal was born female in Saudi Arabia.
The full title of this memoir is Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening and that second part of the title is every bit as noteworthy as the first. While listening to the story of Manal’s life, I had to work at adjusting the lens from which I saw it. Manal shared her life openly, without judgment or recrimination. I naturally bristle when seeing women marginalized, but Manal made clear that much of what we might judge harshly is part of her culture. It was difficult not to cringe at beatings, not to ache for girls being treated unequally, not to rail against women forced to always defer to men, yet this is the life of Saudi women. Manal also made clear that the Saudi culture is evolving – slowly, but evolving.
As Manal’s life unfolded, I was struck over and over by the power of education. School had a huge impact on Manal’s life. It was the one place where she always excelled. She took her lessons very seriously, including those in Islam. For a time, Manal became radicalized – rigidly so.
“After 1979, after the siege of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, my generation was brainwashed. In school we were taught to go home and lecture our parents about prayer and sins, most of which involved the behavior of women.”
She was devout in following the strictest interpretations of Islam and was vigilant in seeing to it that those around her did, too. Despite her faith which would typically have her marrying very young, Manal wanted a college education and her mother saw to it that she got one. College planted the seeds of discontent that would eventually turn Manal into a powerful voice for women in Saudi Arabia. Manal’s education continued when she went to work for Aramco, a large Saudi oil company employing many expats. It was on the Aramco compound where she first learned to drive.
As Manal’s story comes full circle it returns to where Daring to Drive began, at Dammam women’s prison. There, Manal moves from being a social media phenomenon to an advocate for the women of Saudi Arabia. Manal al-Sharif is a strong woman who didn’t set out to be an activist, but simply wanted to be granted the privilege of driving. When you read her story you cannot help but admire her. She made me proud to be a woman. Daring to Drive is definitely my favorite nonfiction this year, and the audio was amazing. Grade: A
lillimoore's review against another edition
4.0
Manal Al-Sharif is a feminist hero—she knows it and doesn’t let you forget it in her book! Really enjoyed her story. Wish there were an updated version after the legalization of women’s right to drive in 2018 because I would love to hear her thoughts on that. Full review to come!
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
So this was supposed to be my #readharder2020 challenge to read a memoir by someone from a different religious tradition than my own, but the thing that kept hitting me were the similarities between Manal's childhood and my own. My childhood brainwashing in fundamentalism wasn't as extreme or thorough, but judging from stories of friends who also grew up in "real" Christian churches, Islam in Mecca in the '80s and '90s was undergoing a similar indoctrination as Christianity across pockets of the United States.
What wasn't the same was the cultural emphasis that women are the property of men. Thankfully feminism has given women in the United States not only the right to drive, but the ability to open a bank account in their own name, own property, and have a job, all of which are challenges for Saudi women, who still need the permission of the men in their family to do any of these things.
I guess in a way that was the point of the #readharder prompt, despite are differences, we're all the same.
While the message of this book has moved me to learn more about Saudi Arabia and the lack of rights for all people there (but especially women), this was also a well-written book. Al-Sharif's choice to talk about her arrest by the secret police first and then go back to tell of her childhood was a great way to catch my interest and get me to buy in to hearing her whole life story to that point. Her story of being a fundamentalist who eventually became, as she calls it, "an accidental activist" is really compelling, and her strength of character shows throughout as she avoids sensationalizing harrowing events.
Once I finished listening to the audiobook, I immediately watched several videos of her speaking out about the plight of women in Saudi Arabia and saw that she's sticking to the same message - all of Saudi Arabia will not be free until the women of Saudi Arabia are free.
What wasn't the same was the cultural emphasis that women are the property of men. Thankfully feminism has given women in the United States not only the right to drive, but the ability to open a bank account in their own name, own property, and have a job, all of which are challenges for Saudi women, who still need the permission of the men in their family to do any of these things.
I guess in a way that was the point of the #readharder prompt, despite are differences, we're all the same.
While the message of this book has moved me to learn more about Saudi Arabia and the lack of rights for all people there (but especially women), this was also a well-written book. Al-Sharif's choice to talk about her arrest by the secret police first and then go back to tell of her childhood was a great way to catch my interest and get me to buy in to hearing her whole life story to that point. Her story of being a fundamentalist who eventually became, as she calls it, "an accidental activist" is really compelling, and her strength of character shows throughout as she avoids sensationalizing harrowing events.
Once I finished listening to the audiobook, I immediately watched several videos of her speaking out about the plight of women in Saudi Arabia and saw that she's sticking to the same message - all of Saudi Arabia will not be free until the women of Saudi Arabia are free.
bridgetwf's review against another edition
5.0
What a great book! She is inspiring, and this is a real page turner. I read it in under a week and could hardly put it down. A great insight into Saudi Arabia, a place I have to admit I have little knowledge of.