Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World Paperback – August 6, 2019

This is an absolute must read!4.5/5Our Women On The Ground is an anthology aimed to break down stereotypes of Arab and Muslim women in the Middle East and it did just that! It sheds light on Sahafiya, female journalists in and from the region, given the higher numbers of male and Western female reporters. As readers, we see the large role women played in war times - being the sole person to look after the family, maintaining strength, etc. These are heartbreaking stories of loss and survival.•The countries covered are Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Typically, when we see reports on these countries, we hear stories from the battlefield but not much beyond that. Instead, these women wrote beyond that - encounters with relatives and celebrating child births. It was hard not tearing up when reading these personal stories of death, torture, and sexual assault. Do sit with a tissue box because these stories are raw.•Having grown up in the Middle East, I went in with awareness and understanding of the struggles but by no means will I fully comprehend the loss as this isn’t my culture. I ask that anyone who reads this goes in open-minded to better learn from these women.

Despite trying to follow the news for a number of years now, I found myself completely unaware of a large number of details for day to day life and history written in this book. If you have even a passing interest in the subject, it's definitely worth a read.

Our Women on the Ground is one of those rare books that can make me squirm as I read, and cry out loud. This diverse collection of essays is not only educational and informative, but more so speaks to the heart of our human condition, something that we all share, no matter our religion or geography. On a personal note, as a gay American who has buried two husbands and over 120 friends due to plague, these stories of on-going conflicts and death in the Arab world resonate deeply with me. This book is not for lightweights nor those of faint heart, rather it is an exhibition of the ability of people----here, all strong Arab women----to endure great suffering and yet be resilient. I love this book.

The essays are written well and the content is very informative.

I love the way this book is written. It is full of first person reporting from Arab countries. Very readable. Having been several of the countries reported, this was especially meaningful.

Loved reading through this series of essays from women journalists all over the Middle East. I loved that there was no single view point, or location. The range of topics covered, even within the lense of war and conflict, gave me a greater understanding of the Middle East from a mostly non-western perspective.

This book is so bitter-sweet. It's so tragic but also so well-written. Every page was infuriating and simultaneously enlightening. Highly recommend!

This book is like a tidal wave. The power of the essays will knock you off your feet and leave you breathless. Some of the essays are haunting; others evoke anger, frustration and despair. What unites them is superb writing and a conviction that war is senseless.