Infidel

This book was a very passionate, fascinating and honest autobiography. Besides being an amazing story of adaptation and personal growth, it showed new facets of Islamic spirituality, gender and immigration issues that the ones that are usually portrayed. It was also a very enlightening comparative view of the clashes between Western, Islamic and tribal cultures from religious, spiritual, intellectual and historical perspectives. A must-read for anyone with limited familiarity with Eastern African culture.

This is one of my all time favorite books! Ali has become a huge inspiration to me. In her book and in her life, she shows how one person can make a difference and that no matter how much is stacked against you, truth and righteousness is worth striding for. When I began reading this book, I had no idea it would haunt me, as it has done. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by being an Atheist in a religiously controlled country and being a woman in a male dominated society, I remember the struggles Ali has gone through and continues to go through. I then remember to "buck up" and try harder. At least a major religious group isn't trying to kill me. Thanks be to Ayaan Hirsi Ali for her bravery and insight. I am forever in debt to you. Angelia Stinnett

The first half of the book is rather drab, Ayaan does describe some explicit mutilation of women's genitals and writes about the torture( both mental as well as physical) of women in the Muslim world that she inhabits. However once she settles down in Holland and takes up cudgels for the persecuted she comes out as a courageous person.