Point Books Toward Barefoot in Baghdad: A Story of Identity-My Own and What It Means to Be a Woman in Chaos
| Edition Language: | English |
| Literary Awards: | Arab American Book Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2011) |
Description Conducive To Books Barefoot in Baghdad: A Story of Identity-My Own and What It Means to Be a Woman in Chaos
"Walk barefoot and the thorns will hurt you…" —Iraqi-Turkmen proverb
A riveting story of hope and despair, of elation and longing, Barefoot in Baghdad takes you to the front lines of a different kind of battle, where the unsung freedom fighters are strong, vibrant—and female.
An American aid worker of Arab descent, Manal Omar moves to Iraq to help as many women as she can rebuild their lives. She quickly finds herself drawn into the saga of a people determined to rise from the ashes of war and sanctions and rebuild their lives in the face of crushing chaos. This is a chronicle of Omar's friendships with several Iraqis whose lives are crumbling before her eyes. It is a tale of love, as her relationship with one Iraqi man intensifies in a country in turmoil. And it is the heartrending stories of the women of Iraq, as they grapple with what it means to be female in a homeland you no longer recognize.
"Manal Omar captures the complex reality of living and working in war-torn Iraq, a reality that tells the story of love and hope in the midst of bombs and explosions."—Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International, and author (with Laurie Becklund) of the national bestselling book Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam
"A fascinating, honest, and inspiring portrait of a women's rights activist in Iraq, struggling to help local women while exploring her own identity. Manal Omar is a skilled guide into Iraq, as she understands the region, speaks Arabic, and wears the veil. At turns funny and tragic, she carries a powerful message for women, and delivers it through beautiful storytelling."—Christina Asquith, author of Sisters in War: A Story of Love, Family and Survival in the New Iraq
"At turns funny and tragic…a powerful message for women, [delivered] through beautiful storytelling."—Christina Asquith, author of Sisters in War
Mention Out Of Books Barefoot in Baghdad: A Story of Identity-My Own and What It Means to Be a Woman in Chaos
| Title | : | Barefoot in Baghdad: A Story of Identity-My Own and What It Means to Be a Woman in Chaos |
| Author | : | Manal M. Omar |
| Book Format | : | Kindle Edition |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 269 pages |
| Published | : | (first published July 9th 2010) |
| Categories | : | Nonfiction. Autobiography. Memoir. Biography. Womens. Cultural. Travel. Feminism |
Rating Out Of Books Barefoot in Baghdad: A Story of Identity-My Own and What It Means to Be a Woman in Chaos
Ratings: 3.67 From 890 Users | 143 ReviewsCriticism Out Of Books Barefoot in Baghdad: A Story of Identity-My Own and What It Means to Be a Woman in Chaos
I normally consider myself open minded but after reading complaints and jabs about the American military for several chapters I'd had enough. I was too offended to continue reading.I tried to get into this book but I just couldn't make it past the second chapter. I was not a fan of the author's writing style. There are so many other, better written, more engaging books in this genre in my opinion.
[Note: the copy I read was titled Barefoot in Baghdad.Barefoot in Baghdad is going to be a hard book for me to review because I have very mixed feelings about it.First, let me make it clear that I applaud the author for the work she was, and is, doing. I have nothing but respect and admiration for that.The author, who describes herself as an Arab, an American, a Palestinian, a Southerner, a Muslim, and a woman, traveled to Iraq as an American aid worker. In addition, she chooses traditional
totally disappointing! I forced myself to finish this book in hopes the author would shake herself out of the self justification of why she felt she needed to prove to everyone she was not really an American but not really Palestinian; not really supportive of the US military until she had no other options; proving that whining is a sure way to wear down your superiors and family; why escaping from a war zone at the last possible moment, putting your friends at risk to humor your self imposed
The only reason I gave it 4 stars is bc the beginning was a little slow & Omar did not capture my interest with her explanation of all the political organizations she talked about. At times a bit confusing bc too many organizations discussed but in all I really enjoyed this book. I recommend if you have interest in all the unrest/war/corruption in the Middle East - which this focuses on Iraq.
It was interesting hearing her perspective as an aid workers in Iraq, a lot of insight into the situation from someone sympathetic to the Iraqi people. It definitively feels like it goes from yes women in Iraq gaining more of rights to feeling pretty hopeless, but this was written awhile ago but definitely hard to see silver lining and perhaps there wasnt any. It was hard to visualize the places though sometimes people werent described until later in the book.
Manal Omar has lucidly narrated her time and experiences in Iraq. Though I was hoping for a lot more observations that could have been a part of this book. But, one cannot presume an author to have an eye for every single event happening in and around her, beyond her work. Definitely not a page turner; nevertheless, a candid narrative.
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