Reddit reviews Infidel

http://www.amazon.com/Infidel-Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali/dp/0743289684

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the book Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. It may only be one person's account, but it really affected my views on Islam, especially the treatment of women.

http://www.amazon.com/Infidel-Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali/dp/0743289684

Ultimately, it all boils down to the existence of god(s). If they can show that one exists, fine; if not; there's your answer.

As far as developing a deeper understanding of Islam itself, for a start try Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book "Infidel"... http://www.amazon.com/Infidel-Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali/dp/0743289684

There's always the web... http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/

Good luck...

I just went and stared at my bookshelves and realized that there was a distinct paucity of minority characters.

However, some general recommendations:

feed for the teenager uninterested in the world at large or the dystopian fiction fan.

My Date with Satan Short stories, usually from a female perspective. High schoolers would probably delight in the bad language and messed up characters.

Trickster's Choice; A young adult girl-power fantasy/spy novel with a lot to say about colonialism. My strongest recommendation on this list. Lots of major minority characters also.

Infidel; A heavy-handed memoir about triumph by a woman who "escaped" Somalia and is now a European politician. Controversial for a multitude of reasons and has nothing nice to say about Islam, but you know your students better than I do.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for the scientifically inclined.

Wicked for modern classic fans who'd appreciate deeper meanings.

Might I suggest an addition?

I have been trying for a week to come up with a way to respond to this with, but I have completely failed, because I'm not sure how some (not I said "some", not "all") women freely choosing to wear full-face veils in Western countries is comprable to genital mutilation and disfiguring violence. I understand that they all come from the same culture, but that doesn't mean that they all necessarily go together. Male genital mutilation (circumcision) and eating Kosher are both part of my cultural heritage and I do neither of those things, yet still feel connected to the culture in other ways.

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree. You seem to care very passionately about this issue, and I really admire that. If you really do care about these issues, I hope you don't mind my recommending some books for you to read: Unveiling the Truth: Why 32 Muslim Women Wear the Full-Face Veil in France, and The Politics of the Veil are good ones. I also suggest both Infidel and Murder in Amsterdam, and perhaps those two first since they're opposites. Depending on which one you end up agreeing with, the other two may not be worth reading to you, although I'd still urge you to read opinions that differ with yours, if only to help you strengthen your arguments.

Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Have you read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Infidel? She's an amazing woman, and it sounds like you might relate to her in some ways. I don't usually like biographies, but hers was fascinating.