A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book focuses on three generations of Arab American women living in Brooklyn over the past 30 years. The story is told by these three alternating points of view in different chapters. The story is simultaneously compelling, yet heartbreaking and very difficult to read. Life as an Arab American immigrant woman is not at all easy, especially in a culture which values the men of the family. However, I loved the fact that three women in this family were able to escape their daily lives through their love of books and reading.
"Life was nothing more than a bad joke for women. One she didn't find funny." Isra, Fall 1992
"Books were my armor. Everything I'd ever learned growing up, all my thoughts, dreams, goals, experiences, it all came from the books I read. It was like I went around collecting knowledge, plucking it from pages and storing it up, waiting for a chance to use it." Deya, Winter 2008
"Books have always kept me company when I felt most alone." Sarah, Winter 2008
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