Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World by Zahra Hankir

"In Our Women on the Ground, nineteen of these women tell us, in their own words, about what it's like to report on conflicts that are (quite literally) close to home. From sexual harassment on the streets of Cairo to the impossibility of traveling without a male relative in Yemen, their challenges are unique—as are their advantages, such as being able to speak candidly with other women or gain entry to places that an outsider would never be able to access. Their daring, shocking, and heartfelt stories, told here for the first time, shatter stereotypes about Arab women and provide an urgently needed perspective on a part of the world that is often misunderstood." (Goodreads.com)

For as long as I can remember there has always been conflict in the Middle East but I can't say that I know a lot about the Middle East in general (besides what I've learned in school). So when this book came out I picked it because not only is it about women journalists but the essays are comprised of a variety of subjects. The most interesting section for me was Transition because it covered how different countries' changes in leadership affected the people that lived there; especially if it was one ruler who held office for a long time. Some of the countries in this book are places I would like to visit someday  and it was interesting to see what some of these cultures can be like outside of the scope of tourism. This was a dense book to read and I found that reading one essay a day was the best way to read it so that I could properly appreciate each story. The reporters in this book were also really inspiring and dedicated to their jobs despite the risks that face everyday.

Kelsey Fitzgerald
Library Assistant

Available at the Langley-Adams Library