Bowen Library





http://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/a_sense_of_community/library/

The Ali Abbas story

Warren, Jane. The Ali Abbas story. Harper Collins Entertainment,2004.

"The Ali Abbas story" is a real story of a boy (Ali Abbas) his father, mother, and brother were killed in the Iraq war of 2003. Ali lost both his arms. The story is the stories of many children’s that became orphans as consequence of wars. Is a dramatic story that the author explain really well the deep sadness and fear of children at the same situation of Ali.

 

Israel/Palestinian confict

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/israel-firms-security-as-gaza-truce-holds-20121123-29xdk.html

Persepolis (Movie)

The women of Afghanistan under the Taliban

Skaine, Rosemaries: The women of Afghanistan under the Taliban. Jefferson, N.C. :McFarland, c2002.

RosemariesSkaine described the suffering of Afghanistan people have under the rule of theTaliban. The women lives are but especially difficult. They are denied basic human rights, forced to dress themselves completely and kept in isolation. Is a disheartening, disturbed for readers, specially for women.

 

 

10th Annirversary West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

http://youtu.be/gDJui5-zoeg

Word into art: artists of the modern Middle East

Porter, Venetia. Word into art: artists of the modern Middle East. London: British Museum Press, 2006.

One of the best ways to express politic situation in a determinate moment is across art. The history of the Wold has been study by historiadores and anthropology by means of sculpture, picture, arquitecture etc.  Venetia Porter in this book selects contemporary calligraphers’ works from Middle East and North Africa. Is an interesting pictorial book that show to the people meddle east art beyond of war, violence and terrorism. 

The black banners: inside the hunt for Al Qaeda

Soufan, Ali H. the black banners: inside the hunt for Al Qaeda. London: Allen Lane, 2011.

Black Banners is a complex book, full the relevant information about the history of Al Qaeda and the evolution of the   politico economic situation after September 11^th. Ali Soufan shared his experience working for FBI for 10 years FBI. Is a notable book for readers interested in the condition before and after bombing attack and CIA actuation after September 11^{th .}

Persepolis

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The story of a childhood. Jonathan Cape, London: 2003

Marjane Satrapi tells her childhood in Iran. She group up in educated, modern family the last years of Shah rule, after fundamentalist Muslims became the new government. On this complex and difficult circumstance .The author used format graphic to describe how she was lived that period in Iran. Is an amazing graphic novel for readers that like graphic novels.

Mayada: daughter of Iraq: one woman's survival under Saddam Hussein

Sasson, Jean. Mayada: daughter of Iraq: one woman's survival under Saddam Hussein. New York: Dutton, c2003.

A true story of Mayada Al-Askari, a daughter of an influence and wealth Iraqi family. Mayala was working as translator to America journalist, Jean Sasson. Both women became really good friend. When Sasson returned to the United State, they keep in touch until 1999 when Mayala is arrested by Saddam Hussein's secret police. Mayada is accused of printed pamphlets against Sadan Hussein regimen. Mayala survive a month in the worst prison in Bagdad.  The end of the story is happy but is impossible not to think in many lives that did not survived Sadan Hussein’s regime.

The high cost of peace: how Washington's Middle East policy left America vulnerable to terrorism

Bodansky, Yossef. The high cost of peace: how Washington's Middle East policy left America vulnerable to terrorism. Roseville, California, 2002.

Yossef Bodansky (born in Israel) is an Israeli-American political scientist. The book is a no fiction that analyses terrorism into historical context, since the establishment of Israel, 1948. Many countries in the Middle East are involucrate in terrorism, and the author explain evidences of countries as Iran and Iraq are links with politics terrorist as responds of west countries actions.  Is a remarkable book for readers that are interested in theme of terrorism.

In the hands of the Taliban: her extraordinary story

Yvonne, Ridley. In the hands of the Taliban: herextraordinary story. London: Robson Books, 2001.

Yvonne Ridley is a British journalist who was captivate by the Taliban during her assignment as a reporter for the Sunday Express. The author relates her experience with the Taliban. The theme hold the reader interest, a western women captivate for the most danger regimens in the World. Is a interesting book and ones again the author central attention in women’s lives.

The birth of the Palestinian refugee problem revisited

Morris, Benny. The birth of the Palestinian refugee problem revisited.. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004

Benny Morris is an Israeli professor of History in the Middle East. This book gives you a brief history of creation of the state of Israel from that   thousand of Palestinian Arabs have to move from the house and they were became refugees. The author makes an analysis with historical documents, describe different lives to carry for Israelis and Palestinian. Numerous descriptions of violence on civilian Palestinian.  Is a powerful book, make it with meticulous detail; give to the reader a historical vision of Palestinian refugee problem.

 

An Israeli in Palestine: resisting dispossession, redeeming Israel.

Halper, Jeff. An Israeli in Palestine: resisting dispossession, redeeming Israel. London, Ann Arbor, MI Pluto Press, 2008

Thousands of Palestinian houses are destroyed since the Israeli occupation. Jeff Halper is an anthropologist Israeli. Analyses the conflict Israel – Palestine from a real perspective, he make a critical about Israeli politics, the damage is doing to Palestinian. Is a Political – historical book, has illustrations and geography maps of Israel and territory occupied. Is an interesting book written for a author is living in Israel.

 

Behind the veil of vice: the business and culture of sex in the Middle East

Bradley, John R. Behind the veil of vice: the business and culture of sex in the Middle East. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.

John R Bradley is a British journalist, author of numerous books about Middle East.  As the title reveal the book described the permitted business sex in the Middle East. Very young girls are sold to older Arab men to get married. According with traditional Islamic culture, girls can get married with the very age of 11, so those girls are temporary forces to married. This book is a powerful book with clear detail of real stories that would cause distress and sadness to the reader.

All the Shah's men: an American coup and the roots of Middle East terror

Is quite complex political- historical book. Mossadegh Mohammad was the Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953. During this period Iran has a social and political changed but the main reform was the nationalization of the Iranian oil industry. Those facts provoke a hard relationship between Iran and foreigners interests of British and American. This book is filled with fact that would be a bit difficult to follow for readers that do not have previous knowledge in relation to Iran history.

 

My war at home

Sultan Masula born in Afghanistan but grow up in America. When she was 17 years old she got married by agreement with a men old that her. After few years she divorced and decided return to the small community in Afghanistan where she born.  Sultan Masula have two cultural visions, the American and Afghan, she describes women’s live in Afghanistan. Is a political personal book that the author relate really well how the foreign interests in Afghanistan not contribute to get peace in the country.

 

Taliban: the story of the Afghan warlords: including a new foreword following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001

Ahmed Rashid is a journalist Pakistani and bestseller author. “The Taliban: the story of the Afghan warlords” is a complex book about the diplomatic relations between the Taliban and Americans. The book is quit informative, is not easy to read as a result of the amount of information and dates. The book is recommended for readers that have previous knowledge about politics and economics relation in this conflict.

Our woman in Kabul.




Irris Makler is Australian journalist. She was living in a small village in Northern Afghanistan and Kabul. The author relates her personal experience and the unbelieved stories of Afghan women lives. The readers will enjoy reading this interesting book that encourages to discovery different women’s lives. Is a interesting powerful book.