[.ca] Bint Arab: Arab and Arab American Women in the United States (ISBN 0275956725)

Vague Stereotypes Rapidly Dissolve:
For a reader seeking to understand the experience of women of Arab heritage in the US, reading Evelyn Shakir's book makes an excellent first step. One's vague stereotypes about this group dissolve after reading a few pages. Starting at the beginning of the 20th century, she paints a vivid and colorful picture of these women and their families, ethnic communities, business enterprises, and interaction with Anglo-American society. I found the descriptions of the earlier 20th century to have the evocative quality of E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime. Shakir does not gloss over the difficulties that these women had with their patriarchal-minded males; she also depicts their numerous victories in redefining their roles as women. (The author's own mother won such a victory, setting up a successful small clothing factory in West Roxbury, Massachusetts.) Shakir's family was Christian, as were most of the earlier generations of Arab immigrants, and her account of their generation draws much from family memories. (She also did considerable research in books and periodicals by and about Arab Americans, enriching her account while never making it ponderous.) When dealing with today's largely Muslim immigrants, she takes a different approach. She gives the reader lengthy transcriptions of Arab women's accounts of their experiences, taken from interviews or, in one case, from a conversation among four sisters. I would guess that, feeling unfamiliar with their culture, she preferred to let the Muslim women speak for themselves. This drew me in as effectively as did the earlier part of the book. Taken as a whole, Bint Arab is a very readable and richly detailed portrayal of an ethnic group with whom other Americans would do well to become better acquainted.

Long-Awaited:
As an Arab American woman, I have been desperate in my search for common experiences, for familiar voices and shared stories. Picking up this book made me realize that I am not alone, but furthermore a member of a community! It also made me realize that I had even bought into the hype of American media. The book shares anecdotes and gives a detailed history of Arab american women. It is pieces of history, small tales threaded together to form a priceless 'misbah,' prayer beads for every Arab American. It taught me what I needed to learn. Or re-learn.

Fantastic . A look at Arab Americans:
Bint Arab is an excellent study of the history and present of Arab American women dispelling much myth and presenting this wonderful minority in vivid color and 3d. Shaker did an wonderful job presenting an accurate portrayal of the many faces of Arab women in US. The very considerable amount of research into the history of Arab migration in US makes the book a very valuable source on the subject. This coupled with the personal history of Shaker's own family helped bring the history to life. Shakers extensive field work with modern day Arab American women from very diverse backgrounds with no attempt to force any specific viewpoint serves to make Bin Arab a fantastic window on diverse group of Americans