Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey Of A Desert Nomad by Waris Dirie, Cathleen Miller Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey Of A Desert Nomad
Book Review: Freedom of the Flower
Summary: 4 Stars
Desert FlowerBy Waris Dirie,
Virago Press, 369 pages
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Louise Nicholls
Desert Flower is an intimate journey through the childhood, adolescence and early adulthood of the author, Waris Dirie. Inspiring and repressive are two words that best describe the polarities that are Dirie's life.
Dirie came from a strict African culture that endorsed female circumcision. The only way to describe the pain and suffering endured by Dirie, (as a five year old) is devastating. This would be considered an absolute violation of human rights in the Western World, however this is one of the best depictions of the cultural difference. Dirie describes it as her "womanhood being stolen", a true portrayal about her feeling of female circumcision.
Throughout Desert Flower (the meaning of Waris in the Somali language), Dirie shares her experiences living as a nomad in the harsh and arid desert of Africa. Her description of the surroundings is so powerful,
as the reader you can almost smell the desert air. Her flight from her family at age twelve to avoid yet another Somali custom of arranged marriage is inspiring. I feel as if this act took strength and this is
a perfect example of Dirie's courage as described throughout Desert Flower. Dirie explains that she knew "this was not the life for her" and took her destiny into her own hands.
Her journey to freedom was confronting. Along the way Dirie reveals many experiences that will send shivers down your spine. An instance is when a truck driver picking her up as a hitch hiker and taking advantage of her susceptible nature and gullibility. Dirie spends time working for her extended family in Mogadishu as a house keeper, baby sitter, cleaner and cook. She then gains employment, as a house keeper, with her uncle, who is also the Somalian Ambassador in England. A fortuitous move to London with her uncle and his family is where the journey, from desert nomad to supermodel, intensifies.
As the reader you are encouraged to empathise with Dirie during this time of her life. You feel her suffering with things such as her lack of the English language, the unrelenting work load as house keeper and her
disturbing encounter with cousin, Haji. Feelings of jubilation are also shared with the reader at happier
times of dressing up and discovering modelling. Dirie
had both positive and negative experiences which create interest for the reader and balance the story.
Dirie grows throughout this journey. Desert Flower explores her emergence from a young nomad, in many ways as "free as a bird" because of the open land of the desert, but in many ways trapped in a stifling culture, to her
development into a woman super model, a mum and an ambassador for the rights of women in African and other third world countries.
Desert Flower is a quality read and I recommend this inspiring story. This book offers African culture and history, growth and development of a woman who could see light and followed what she knew was waiting for her, but most of all offers inspiration for anyone. It is uplifting to know where you have come from doesn't even compare to Dirie's childhood. To achieve what she has from where she started means that nothing is impossible, it is just a matter of following your dreams, no matter what it takes!
Book Review: I want to know more
Summary: 3 Stars
This book provides an almost unique opportunity to hear a voice ring out from Africa and there is so much more I want to know. The second book ought to have given that to me and in some respects I did receive a little more knowledge based on the ten days or so that Waris spent reunited with her family in Somalia. I am heartened to read about courage and fortitude and resilience and I want to know more about the difficulties of being an Nomadic mother in a western culture, about the process of finding synthesis and balance when one strides across several continents. I wanted more photos (and I accept that there will be none from the desert childhood but why not at least one in profile as that was the shot that lifted this wonderful woman from obscurity).I am interested in other reviews that measure the book against the standards of the west as if the life of this child was exceptional. This little girl of the desert represents millions, literally millions and the great shame is that they are, as yet, unable to get this message through to us. For this beginning I give thanks, and I still want more... Let us sit by the campfires as the hyenas prowl and imagine yet another meal of rice and pick the thorns from our feet and curl up with a family who will drink camel's milk and move on again tomorrow. We need more stories and we need such stories to become more commonplace.
Book Review: A Cultural Awakening
Summary: 3 Stars
This ghost-written autobiography of a Somalian nomad who became an international fashion model is certainly an interesting read. The story in broad terms is quite extraordinary and eye-opening. However, there were several sections of the book which just didn't quite ring true. For example, her initial (solo) arrival in London as a young illiterate teenage who spoke no English and who until 24 hours before had never seen a flush toilet or an airplane. There is simply no way that she could have gone through Heathrow arrivals without any questioning. She would not have had any clue how to navigate her way from the plane, through immigration and customs etc. All I am saying is, that I believe there were many embellished stories in this book.However, the book did serve one very important purpose - drawing attention to the abominable practice of female genital mutilation. Waris Dirie now works with the United Nations to stop this atrocity and if her story can help achieve this goal in any small way, then this book has achieved its purpose.
Book Review: An extraordinary journey...
Summary: 5 Stars
That Waris Dirie survived some of her experiences at all is amazing, but that she found success, love and happiness is practically miraculous. She's lived so many different lives, ones that most people can only imagine - as a nomad in Somalia, as a servant in London, as an international super model - yet the voice in which she tells her story is so personal, so warm and informal, that she easily conveys a sense of what she has been through.Waris literally ran away from when her father tried to marry her off to a much older man when she was thirteen. After staying with family in Mogadishu, she goes to London to work as a servant with other relatives before being 'discovered' and going on to model. Waris grew up totally and utterly isolated from the rest of the world ? so much so that, when on a plane to London, she is surprised to see non-Africans because she did not even know that ?white? people existed - and a lot of the book focuses on the radical adjustments she must make and how she feels - fascinated, frustrated, excited - about doing so.
Always just below the surface is the horrifying procedure of female genital mutilation or circumcision, which Waris underwent at the age of 5. She continues to suffer excruciating pain as a result but eventually, after her initial embarrassment and reluctance, is able to discuss the situation with Western doctors and obtain some relief. Her anger at what she and thousands upon thousands of African women have been through increases as she learns more about the world and realizes that not every woman undergoes the same torture, and she becomes a U.N. ambassador working to end female circumcision throughout the world.
Desert Flower would be a rewarding book if it were confined to Waris early years growing up in a nomadic culture. But as it is, Waris' story is truly remarkable, and she succeeds in providing readers at least a glimpse into what she has experienced and endured. One of the best aspects of Desert Flower is its narrative voice, as Waris clearly uses one that is comfortable for her and that comes across as very personal, honest and warm. I recommend this book most highly to just about everyone, as Waris?triumph over her hardships, struggles, and suffering is fascinating while the fact that she maintains her sense of humor, faith and humanity is awe-inspiring.
Book Review: Worthwhile but disappointing.
Summary: 3 Stars
I am pleased that I read this book. It is an often harrowing account of Waris Dirie's personal journey from the life of a Somali nomad to that of an international model and special ambassador. It is often brave - Dirie lays out incredibly personal aspects of her life, which goes against all that she learned as a child about the privacy of one's body and of one's own culture. That anyone suffers the pain and oppression of female genital mutilation is an international crime. It is important that word of what is happening to millions of women should be spread as wide as possible and this is a very accessible means of doing just that. The book is very readable.
Despite this I was left feeling that there was just something lacking that I have found it difficult to pinpoint. It is not a literary masterpiece by any means. Some things just don't ring true, and it seemed rather too self-congratulatory to me.
If you are looking for details about FGM try Hanny Lightfoot Kleins work. If you enjoy memoirs and autobiographies there are much better ones out there.