Infidel

This is a book unlike any book I have ever read. It wasn't an easy read, I actually felt nauseous at times. But I now feel more aware and (dare I say) educated about a part of the world to which I had very little insight. It's rare that a book changes or impacts your point of view on something, and this one certainly did for me. I'm not sure I'm ready to see all of Islam as something dangerous and hateful towards women, but she wages a pretty string argument: it is not OK to sit back on our ideas of religious tolerance and fear of being politically insensitive and allow all this systematic deep seated oppression to continue unchallenged.

Further- what a journey we get the honour of witnessing. Both physically and spiritually. She charts the evolution of her own values and intellectual awakening with such precision and rigor. Causes one to reassess their own processes. The why and how of beliefs and values is fascinating territory and I have to say, after reading this book I thought for days about why I believe things I do (about religion and otherwise). And how little I really challenge myself to deeply inspect the things I value. What an impressive accomplishment this book is- and her life. I'll never think about Islam the same way again.