Book club picks for ages 912 king county library system. Jun 27, 2015 nine parts of desire is the story of brookss intrepid journey toward an understanding of the women behind the veils, and of the often contradictory political, religious, and cultural forces that shape their lives. Critical essay by randa abdelfattah about nine parts of desire by geraldine. Wall street journal middle east correspondent brooks describes with sensitivity and clarity her conversations and relationships with islamic women, from the bluejeanclad, americanborn queen of jordan to a devout palestinian who shares her abusive. Discussion questions for exit west the new york times. Defying our stereotypes about the muslim world, brooks acute analysis of the worlds fastest growing religion deftly illustrates. No ones mind will be changed by karls book, but its a valuable report from. The book also shows these factors have slowly been taking away womens rights, rather than furthering them. Brooks was a reporter for the wall street journal when she wrote this book in 1995 and was able to gain.
Defying our stereotypes about the muslim world, brookss acute analysis of the worlds fastest growing religion deftly. When her secular, westerneducated egyptian translator suddenly adopted the islamic veil, brooks gender became. Obong lighting design by matthew jefferson ishee sound design by joseph schefer production stage management by anne rowell technical direction by austin manning choreography by carolyn demanelis and alexandra degliseumble 9 parts of desire is presented by. As a woman reporter covering the middle east for the wall street journal, geraldine brooks found herself confined to the corridors of highlevel offices, shunned by muslim men, and prohibited from the more adventurous stories her husband, a freelance writer, had no trouble getting. The hidden world of islamic women by geraldine brooks overview in this captivating book, awardwinning journalist geraldine brooks offers an intimate, often shocking portrait of the lives of modern muslim women, and shows how male pride and power have warped the original message of a onceliberating faith. Well talk to members of the creative team behind this production. The book deals with cultural and religious practices, describes positive as well as negative experiences, and in parts is critical of. A wellcrafted, absorbing account of islamic womens lives as seen through the eyes of a secularminded, australianborn feminist journalist. To ask other readers questions about nine parts of desire, please sign up. Rather than blaming luck or fate, however, rudy places the blame on hitler. Below are questions to help guide discussions as you read the book throughout the month. A 38 years old woman who has been divorced a couple of times. In fundamentalist iran, brooks finagles an invitation to tea with the ayatollahs widowand. Nine parts of desire the naval officers club of australia.
Rudy, meanwhile, is struggling with the randomness that keeps his father at war while allowing hans to return home in one piece. Dramatists play service, one of the premier playlicensing and theatrical publishing agencies in the world, was formed in 1936 to foster national opportunities for playwrights by publishing affordable editions of their plays and handling the performance rights to these works. Joanna settle directed the plays first productions. Fairminded and often revelatory, nine parts of desire is an extraordinarily rich tapestry of the different lives women lead under islam, and a captivating and diverse portrait of a little known world. Originally from michigan, raffo now lives in new york. Geraldine brooks is the author of four novels, the pulitzer prizewinning marchand the international bestsellers calebs crossing, people of the book, and year of wonders. Parts of desire is a play written by heather raffo. Heather raffo herself has acted in productions of 9 parts of desire. Rod stryker wrote 4d to share the best of his thirty years of teaching yoga and meditation to general audiences.
Nine parts of desire tends to concentrate on those countries where the author spent the most time and had muslim women friends, namely iran, egypt, saudi arabia, iraq, kuwait, united arab emirates, jordan, lebanon and even palestine. On nine parts of desire, by geraldine brooks griffith. Nine parts of desire is the story of brooks intrepid journey toward an understanding of the women behind the veils, and of the often contradictory political, religious, and cultural forces that shape their lives. I have read all of geraldingbrooks novels and absolutely love them.
September nonfiction group read nine parts of desire. She is also the author of the acclaimed nonfiction works nine parts of desire and foreign correspondence. The book is actually called nine parts of desire because the prophet ali declares that god created desire in 10 parts and gave 9 parts to women. Obong lighting design by matthew jefferson ishee sound design by joseph schefer production stage management by anne rowell technical direction by austin manning choreography by carolyn demanelis and alexandra degliseumble 9 parts of desire is presented by special. In fundamentalist iran, brooks finagles an invitation to tea with the ayatollahs widow and discovers that mrs. My book club read this book long before the current interest in all things islam. Geraldine brooks is the australianborn author of the bestselling novels calebs crossing, people of the book, year of wonders and march, for which she won the pulitzer prize. An interesting fact given most of these stories show the limitations put on these women. This captivating book analyzes how the religious oppression towards women in islam culture has been distorted in many ways. The drama deals with the plight of iraqi women, especially during times of war. The title for this story is taken from the book the nine parts of desire.
The 9 club as legendary as atlantis and rare as the holy grail, the 9 club oozes mythic exclusivity. A graduate of sydney university and the columbia university graduate school of journalism. In the original version, a single performer plays all nine characters. The hidden world of islamic women, by geraldine brooks, is a book that i wish id read a couple of years ago. I love the way, in her novels, she mixes fact with fiction although nine parts of desire is all fact. Girl coming in for a landing by april halprin wayland, elaine clayton illustrator not since sandra cisneross house on mango street have i admired a book of such poetic power as girl coming in for a landing. The hidden world of islamic women by the pulitzer prize winning journalist geraldine brooks. Our vision for this book club is to build a community of active 4d readers that want to better understand its key teachings.
Sep 25, 2011 the four desires 4d is a stepbystep process based on ancient yogic teachings that enable you to figure out your life purpose. In march 2005, the play was awarded a special commendation from the blackburn prize. She has also written the acclaimed nonfiction works nine parts of desire and foreign correspondence her most recent novel, calebs crossing, was the winner of the new england book award for fiction and the. A note before we start dearest desire mappers, you know why youre awesome. Actor and playwright heather raffo has performed nine parts of desire to great acclaim both in london and across the united states, where it is currently in an openended run at the manhattan ensemble theater. Rudy concludes that hitler stole his father, and he decides that the mayor and all the other rich nazis are the true criminals for. Australian author geraldine brooks, who wrote the book based on her coverage of the middle east while working as a reporter for the wall street journal, went to live among the women of islam.
A traditional hired woman who leads call and response with women mourning at a funeral. This captivating book analyzes how the religious oppression towards women in islam culture has been distorted in. An artist in iraq who is a resilient and fragile woman. Dps offers an extensive list of titles that includes many of the most significant plays of the past century. Geraldine brooks booklist geraldine brooks message board.
Its overall purpose is to understand the women behind the veils and why the muslim women take up the hijab. A prizewinning foreign correspondent for the wall street journal, brooks covered wars and social change in the middle east for six years. The discovery that the islam texts and prophets words have been manipulated to ensure the suppression of women. The hidden world of islamic women by geraldine brooks.
Geraldine brooks, the author of the book nine parts of desire, wrote that it is resonant. Mainly reading book club saturday, april 4, 2009 nine parts of desire by geraldine brooks we have continued our examination of middle eastern topics with nine parts of desire. These bangers are few and far between, but the list below records the high scores, with video clip proof. Heather raffos 9 parts of desire directed by kate burke scenic design by hilary landowski costume design by mfonabasi j. Nawal saadawis persecution by the radical islamic group jihad and the egyptian. Nine parts of desire by geraldine brooks, 9780385475778, available at book.
The four desires 4d is a stepbystep process based on ancient yogic teachings that enable you to figure out your life purpose. This book i would say is enjoyable but more of a documentary than a book of book club reading. Winner of a 2005 susan smith blackburn prize special. Nine parts of desire the hidden world of islamic women book. Geraldine brooks is an awardwinning author and journalist. The play, nine parts of desire by heather raffo, is based on brooks book of the same name. Its called 9 parts of desire and moolelo performing arts company is staging the production through the end of october. Feb 22, 2007 nine parts of desire tends to concentrate on those countries where the author spent the most time and had muslim women friends, namely iran, egypt, saudi arabia, iraq, kuwait, united arab emirates, jordan, lebanon and even palestine. Not because you bought my stuff but thank you for that, truly. The hidden world of islamic women 1994 is a nonfiction book by australian journalist geraldine brooks, based on her experiences among muslim women of the middle east. My book club and i read march brooks 2006 pulitzer prizewinning novel this year, and i really enjoyed it despite the fact that i never liked little women all that much, but i thought that nine parts of desire was every bit as good as march.
Nine parts of desire fab book club recommendations. The hidden world of islamic women by geraldine brooks 12,706 ratings, 4. My book club had, as you might expect, a very lively discussion of this book. Nine parts of desire audiobook by geraldine brooks. The hidden world of islamic women geraldine brooks, 1994 knopf doubleday 255 pp. Stories of iraqi women in moolelos new play 9 parts of. Publisher bantam doubleday dell publishing group inc. An amazing book but quite hard reading in view of the content islamic women. Raffo visited iraq in 1993 and interviewed several women. Nine parts of desire year of wonders march little women by louisa may alcott. Australian author geraldine brooks, who wrote the book based on her. Our womens book club had a very interesting discussion about this book, which taught us many new things about the moslem world.
Nine parts of desire is the story of brookss intrepid journey toward an understanding of the women behind the veils, and of the often contradictory political, religious, and cultural forces that shape their lives. The hidden world of islamic women is the story of brooks intrepid journey toward an understanding of the women behind the veils, and of the often contradictory political, religious, and cultural forces that shape their lives. Conclusion nine parts of desire is a laconic, well written book of 289 pages. Nine parts of desire a book that will educate you on life as a muslim woman. After moving from oregon to a trailer park in california, tenyearold star participates in a poetry club, where she learns some important lessons about herself and her own hopes and dreams for the future. Marriage with an eternal perspective book club, part 2 duration. Brookss first book, nine parts of desire 1994, based on her experiences among muslim women in the middle east, was an international bestseller, translated into 17 languages. As a woman reporter covering the middle east for the wall street journal, geraldine brooks found herself confined to the corridors of highlevel offices, shunned. Booksnyc of books in the city sent me this link to a new afterword found on geraldine brooks website. It was an international bestseller, translated into 17 languages. The hidden world of islamic women promises the reader.