Writing in the Face of Danger: Women in the Middle East

Middle Eastern women are taking courageous stands in their communities by protesting, teaching, and writing about their lives in a part of the world few Americans can even comprehend. There are some wonderful books: Marjane Satrapi's two-volume graphic-memoir Persepolis (from which the image at right is taken) is a heart-rending account of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution; Azar Nafisi's insightful and unusual Reading Lolita In Tehran: A Memoir In Books recounts the lives of a group of women who dared to continue learning after Iranian women were banned from universities. For other recommendations, visit Laila Lalami's book blog, Moorish Girl.