Rating: 
Summary: Been There Done That
Review: Nope! Sorry! It does NOT represent the Middle East lives. Sorry but visitor visas? What is THAT all about? Sounds like just misinformation after misinformation? People who want the truth need to live there before they state nonsense as fact.
Rating: 
Summary: Accurate for Middle East
Review: Ms. Brooks presents a wonderfuly accurate portrayal of Islamic women in the Middle East. She does not discuss the more tolerant views of Muslims in Europe, America, or other parts of Asia. I can only speak for treatment of women in the Arabian Gulf States, and of them, she is VERY ACCURATE! I wish people could come and see for themselves, unfortunately, visitors visas are not issued here. If you want to know the TRUTH of how Arab women are treated and disrespected, please read this insightful book. I only wish she had had a male write of how men speak of women when the women are not around. After one hears those conversations, you will understand all you need to about a woman's place in society here. The best way to summerize this book is with the following, where Ms. Brooks quotes Iranian, Fatemeh Givechian,"No doubt the policy led to more awareness of one's own gender, but not necessarily any increase in one's knowledge of the opposite gender. Sex segregation to this extent is not natural...There will emerge a dual society of male and female stranger to one another and unaware of each other's anxieties."
Rating:
Summary: A pathetic work of tabloid quality
Review: It always amazes me how publishers agree to accept books on Islam written by cheap characters with absolutely no insight into the world of Islam. If the western world is the measure of gender equality, I wonder why US was never able to produce any influential women in its history [presidents, vice presidents etc] while it is always embarrasing for westerners to explain howcome the majority of women leaders in the world are actual muslim women [Megawati, Vice President of Indonesia, Sheik Hasina and Khalida Zia, Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Benazir Bhutto, PM of Pakistan, Massumeh Ebtekar, vice president of Iran and Tansu Ciller, Prime Minister of Turkey!
Rating:
Summary: Easy to read; brings this problem to light
Review: I have read several books on this topic, written by both Muslim and non-Muslims women, some of this format, some as case-studies. I feel that Muslim women who take offense to this book are denying there is a problem. The book is well-written and passionate. The author, while a journalist, does not hide the personal effect this has had on her. The fact that so many women consider her experiences and depictions biased shows how little information leaks out. I suggest reading Amnesty Internationals World Wide reports on this region. There are many, many documented cases and studies that show this is a growing problem in need of attention. Brook's book is written in an elegant manner and covers the scope of the lives of many women in Islam.
Rating: 
Summary: the best book i've read on the middle east
Review: As someone who has lived and worked in the countries Brooks writes about, I found this book informative, fair-minded and full of fascinating Muslim women. It shattered many of the stereotypes Americans have of Islam, and explained to me many of the things I saw but did not fully understand. A great intro for anyone interested in the region and its culture.
Rating:
Summary: Please do not buy this book!
Review: I am a muslim woman and very proud of it. The writer has no respect for the religion, and did not even try to understand the culture! Many westerners could find this book entertaining, it confirms all the stereotypes, but everything is relative in life, and this is what is hard for the Americans to see, because their only beleive if that the way to be is the American way! I am an engineer in an American company, I disliked this book very much eventhought I am not a fanatic (some reviewers claimed that only the fanatics dislikes this book) There are many exellent books written by MUSLIM women on MUSLIM women... Please read those and not this one! I have seen 100 times more non-muslim women complaining about Islam, than muslim women... Thanks for complaining for us... we do not need it!
Rating:
Summary: incorrect and biased view of islamic women
Review: The author clearly shows no proof of actual understanding of islam or women in islam. All of her views are based on hatred against islam. The author entirely ignores the fact how pre-islamic societies treated women. In Arab girls used to be burried upon their birth, because they were believed to bring shame to the family. Christians and Jews were not much better in treating women and still exploit women. Islam gave women the respect and encourged them to be educated and be prominent parts of the society. There have been numerous women leaders in Islamic society. The western people are the hypocrite, they believe they have given freedom to women, but they are abused by men.
Rating:
Summary: Typical
Review: This book is a typical portrayal written by someone who has no real knowledge of anything they are writing about. Imagination goes a long way to provide nothing but misinformation about anything Islamic. It is ludicrous that the book was even published as a nonfiction. It isn't even worthy of entertainment value as it depicts a specific group of people as something they are not nor have they ever been. Total fabrication of anything real. Completely misleading in facts or even any type of knowledge and typical of more propaganda to misinform.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: Amazing how these reviews keep changing from one day to the next. Sometimes there are a bunch wiped out (usually 1-Stars) and when someone complains a couple reappear another day. For what it is worth to bother putting in another one, the book lacked validity in any area and seems to be written either by some misinformed, misguided or totally (well I don't want to violate TOS here do I) person. This type of writing belongs in the fiction waste basket prior to getting past some unsuspecting publisher who obviously thought it was worth printing. Kind of goes along with the hate books published by the Christians in accordance with accounts of the Pagans in the early days of this country. A total waste of time and certainly not a believable account of anything the rest of the world knows.
Rating: 
Summary: Brooks gives a biased view of women in Islam
Review: Geraldine Brooks' examination of women in Islam is an excellent source of historical chronology in the Middle East. Her portrayal of Muslim women, however, is stereotypical and biased. The reader gets the impression that Brooks has set out to show all the negative aspects of the religion in regards to women. She throws in two examples of Muslim women who are happy in their marriages, and who live contented lives. These two women's stories seem to be included to "prove" the author's objectivity, which otherwise is absent. Some of the details regarding the religion itself are laughable to the reader who has any knowledge of Islam, and one can only wonder why someone who is supposed to be as educated as Brooks would place herself in the situations that she does. Overall, the book should be read for historical content only. Islam should be left to those scholars who are truly interested in an objective examination of the religion's practices, and how they affect women.
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