Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations

I mean, really. Does everyone recognize the quite extraordinary oddness in this case, that Amazon's editor has chosen to place the most negative reviews not below where I am now--which would be reasonable and pro-debate and pro-critical thinking, but above this area, in the Editorial section?? This never happens. What happens instead? You guys know. Repeated 5 star reviews often probably from multiple promotional department employees because after all, this is a book and music selling site. But look for yourself. This is quite a highly acclaimed writer and scholar, yet these two embarrasingly unfair critiques from companies such as Publishers Weekly which are NOT the end word of consensus for books in any case, are presented in an elevated position of supposed authority. So, before any actual reader gets a chance, we are told that "she has become tiresomly reptitive and her wholesale condemnation of an entire religion...(and) her romanitc view of Christianity is so wide-eyed...reads like a callow excuse (for)...the author's own self-entitlement." Absolute cowardly non-sense. Then, another: and I'm paraphrasing, read it yourself, tell me I'm wrong" most found her slander of Islam to be oblivious that Islam is all about peace...Infidel is the far better book'. Why is this stupid tripe placed in this section ? Cowardice? I have to wonder/worry, since this kind of thing is so very rare on Amazon, has the Amazon editor been shouted down or even threatended with violence by radical muslim crazies? Why else be so obviously anti-debate, so anti-critical thinking, and so one-sidedly lock-stepped against Ali's extremely brave and accuate book?To respond to others' misinformation, yes this book does continue where 'Infidel' left off. Yes, it does contain as centerpiece, a continuation of her Dad story, on her father's deathbed, as she needs protection naturally to be there considering all the death threats from that peaceful religion's true believers. There's no such thing as wide-eyed ignorance or obliviousness or sense of entitlement--unless one means, that as a female, Ali strongly opines that she should not be forced to marry at age 9 as the prophet modeled, she should not be forced to marry an old geezer in another country who she never met, she should not be forced to have her sexual organs mutilated, and she should not be forced to obey the men in her life because the prophet demanded that females be considered chattle. You don't like those opinions? Fine. But you are wrong. Live with it.If the motivation for these stupid and embarrasingly inaccurate editorials' placement was not fear of being bombed, then my second theory is that Ali's condemnation of the supposedly well-meaning politically correct cultural relativists who believe that minorities and the darker-skinned cannot be criticized in any way, because that is their religious freedom (to mutilate female sexual organs, to demand arranged marriages for 9 year-old girls, and honor killings because 'that's just the way they are' , and who are we to say, since we (ad hominem?) bomb Iran and our leader was Christian, and we had slaves several hundred years ago, and don't get us started on what we did to the American Indians. THIS Amazon editor is one of THOSE people who supports ignorant shout-downs of Ali for having the guts to point out that Islam never went through the scrutity that Christianity and the Jews went through during the age of enlightenment. That's why they have not come to terms--in the mainstream, with down-playing all the old fashioned horriblleness of their holy books, considered some things to be applicable only to that era, considered that mistakes were made since holy books were written by men, and in the specific case of Islam, considered that Mohammed was not like Jesus a peacenik who turned the other cheek and advised others to render onto Caesar what is Caesar's' but a man of war with sword, rather like the old testament's Joshua or David. Worse even, if possible, is the suggestion that these politically correct do-gooders who like the Amazon editor, want to tell others the "right" way to think, are in themselves, rationalizing and entitling displaced and alienated Muslims (who they believe it is wrong to try to encourage to join the melting pot that is our society) to seek out bomb making materials. Five stars for this book. No stars for the cowardly Amazon editor who must deep down hate woman (and free speech/critical thinking/modernity) very very much.

This is the eagerly anticipated third book by the phenomenal Ayaan Hirsi Ali. It lives up to expectations and then some, ending on a note of hope and a proposed solution for a future free from murderous Islamic terror. ("Extraordinary talents" that were "indispensable" for the United States of America was inscribed on Ali's visa when she entered the U.S.)Since the publication of "Infidel" in 2007 her work at the American Enterprise Institute has been, as she describes it, "...a cross between academic work and activism." She soon discovered at AEI that learned discussions of Islam, multiculturalism, and women had been exhausted even before 9/11/01, and there was nothing original she could add to the existing volume of scholarly work.Culturally speaking, she is 1500 years old; her intellectual life has traversed from Sixth Century Islam in Somalia to the 21st Century in the West. She states early in Nomad that her previous work, Infidel, described her experiences in escaping from Somalia to the West, but only "touched on" her "parallel and equally important mental journey." Nomad is, in large part, the telling of that parallel mental journey.Thankfully this gifted writer has chosen to continue her autobiographical style, which was so compelling in her preceding book. Here she writes Chapters about her Father, Half Sister, Mother, Brother, Nephew, Cousins, and Grandmother. These were persons close to her that were introduced in Infidel. Their stories are continued, with Ali's genius for finding the right word for every detail of time, place and character. Always, these personal details illuminate the inner workings of Islamic culture.At the midpoint of the book Ali includes an examination of Islamic culture and society in terms of its three chief characteristics: sex, money, and violence. Her writing is so rigorous and concise it's difficult to describe her themes without quoting long stretches of her own work. Ali knows well the beauty and power of simple words.In the last three Chapters and Conclusion Ayaan Hirsi Ali boldly proposes Christian proselytizing as an answer to the worldwide Islamic expansion that is taking place. She herself is a professed atheist, but understands that Muslims (and most people) need a redemptive God and belief in a higher power to provide moral guidance. She propounds an alliance of enlightened secularists with Christians to evangelize Islam, because "The Christianity of love and tolerance remains one of the West's most powerful antidotes to the Islam of hate and intolerance. Ex-Muslims find Jesus Christ to be more a more attractive and humane figure than Muhammad, the founder of Islam."Ali's proposal that Christianity turn the tables on Islam by converting Muslims is elaborated at considerable length, but comes as a surprise and a problematic notion for this reader. But the ideas put forward in the last part of the book may be tentative and exploratory, preparing the way for exposition in this intrepid author's next work.A brief moving Epilogue is Ali's "Letter to My Unborn Daughter." This is an imagined missive to the child that Ali hopes, one day, to have. Essentially it contains, in six memorable pages, the personal Credo of Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Ayaan Ali Hirsi speaks her mind however unfavourable her ideas may appear. In this book also she has quite a critical view things and people around her since her birth. The book also gives idea about how moderate Muslims can pursue their religiin and how European countries and the US should combat the problem of Islamic terrorism. In last she also writes a beautiful letter to her imaginary daughter to tell her how wouls she treat her as a mother who believes in emancipation of woman and humanitarian view of life.

I had read her other book “infidel”, and even though I didn’t agree with some of her thoughts, I still liked the book because it was informative. “Nomad” however is the lowest book I have read in a while. Hirsi Ali wants to fit in the America’s life by criticizing where she came from, and comparing Islamic faith with western life, by talking about illiterate people, poor and uneducated life they live. The ignorance, which they didn’t choose, is the only reality they know. She has the potential to bring some light in their life, but she’s too focused on becoming famous and wanting to have the attention of this side of the world. These people don’t know better, and this woman is putting just gazoline on fire in a time where we want peace. All the religions can be interpreted in extreme by many, lucky him/her that finds the best and uses the intellectual mind to find the equilibrium and bring some positivity between different believers. What a shame she doesn’t know better, even after all this life experience she had.

it felt like this book was written from a very honest open place. A rare thing today to write about such a sensitive topic. Although some may accuse Ms. Hirsi of writting only from her personal point of view and that it may not reflet what other muslims feel or believe, I dont buy this argument. Her writing is precise, her thought process clear, and frankly she is braver than anyone to tell it like it is.

Am enjoying the book. Having read Infidel, her earlier book, and working with Muslim refugees encouraged me to read this. I would like to learn more about their customs and traditions to understand these people better.

I was told during my childhood that this particular piece of the globe, that particular piece of the globe was mankind's cradle of civilisation, but now after reading this I have come to the conclusion that mankind's cradle of civilisation isn't a piece of earth here or there....instead... it's the WOMAN..... it's the WOMAN who bears the man...and it's she who has the patience, perseverance and love to make a human out of this beast known as man...