Nomad

I started reading the book “Nomad” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali a few weeks ago, and although I found the writing style easy to read, for some reason I had difficulty with the flow, and had to keep putting it down. I had gone into the book with the clear understanding that this was an amazing woman with an equally amazing story to tell, and she is and it was. A lot of people may not be aware of some of the rather brutal, almost primitive ways of her native Somalia, and of the Islamic faith, so be forewarned as this is told in first person, up close and personal. She chronicles her life, her family, the hardships and struggles faced in the male-dominated Islamic society in Somalia, as well as the other countries in which she lived, and her escape from that existence and ultimately the religion which would have shackled her to a non-life. She is honest about her childlike entrance into Western culture, as well as her views on Islam, the Muslim world and religion in general. She still seems to have a rather idealistic view of America, which is refreshing, if not naive.

Yes, the book is decidedly anti-Islam, but she goes into enough detail by way of her first-hand experience for one to understand why. I recommend this book for the strength of this woman’s intelligent voice and if you desire a personal view of women’s struggles within the stranglehold of the ever-growing Islamic faith.