Status
Missing
Call number
Collections
Publication
Time Warner Books Uk (1999), Edition: New Ed, 238 pages
Description
Waris Dirie (the name means desert flower) lives a double life - by day she is a famous model and UN spokeswoman on women's rights in Africa, at night she dreams of her native Somalia. Waris, one of 12 children, was born into a traditional family of desert nomads in East Africa. She remembers her early childhood as carefree- racing camels and moving on with her family to the next grazing spot - until it came her turn to meet the old woman who administered the ancient custom imposed on most Somalian girls: circumcision. Waris suffered this torture when she was just five years old. Then, aged 12, when her father attempted to arrange a marriage with a 60 year old stranger in exchange for five camels - she took flight. After an extraordinary escape through the dangerous desert she made her way to London and worked as a maid for the Somalian ambassador until that family returned home. Penniless and speaking little English, she became a janitor in McDonalds where she was famously discovered by a fashion photographer. Her story is a truly inspirational and extraordinary self-portrait of a remarkable woman whose spirit is as breathtaking as her beauty.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member strandbooks
This is a powerful book about Warus Dirie. As a child she ran away from her Somali nomad life. Through many amazing circumstances she made it to England and then into the high fashion industry. It is very eye-opening into the tribal life of Africa for women, particularly the continuing practice of
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female genitalia mutilation. Show Less
LibraryThing member emcnellis16
Desert Flower is as an excellent introduction to the nomadic culture of the Somali desert. Somalia, as described by Dirie, is a beautiful and dangerous place. The people who inhabit the desert must use all their strength to create a life using only sand and the little water that can be found. It is
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding it to be easy to read and well-written. Dirie manages to describe the more intimate events in her life with just enough detail to get her point across. She is factual, but not over the top. I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Desert Dawn.
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this strength that enabled Dirie to survive female genital mutilation, her flight across the desert to avoid an arranged marriage, living as a servant in England, and finally achieving success as a model. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding it to be easy to read and well-written. Dirie manages to describe the more intimate events in her life with just enough detail to get her point across. She is factual, but not over the top. I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Desert Dawn.
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LibraryThing member jumpingjacks
A Somalian nomad tells of her harrowing childhood in the dessert (including genital mutilation), and her rise to fame as a model.
LibraryThing member chatrbox48
October 31, 2008: Memoir about Waris Dirie and her journey from Somalia to England; a young girl subjected to FGM (female genital mutiliation) in Somalia; becoming a model; revealing her story and helping others in the same situation.
LibraryThing member kakadoo202
after reading INFIDELITY I was hope to get more inside of the situation of women in Africa and I got it, but I am scared that young girl might stat to think it is easy to run and away and then your become a model and famous and rich. These stories are single stories and so many young girl vanish
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and die. I just hopethese books will open the eyes of a lot of people and they will start to make a change. Show Less
LibraryThing member EscapeBookClub
Though some of us cringed as we read parts of this book, it was enlightening but terribly sad. We felt that parts of the book seemed to be written by two different people ..... perhaps the presence of the writer who helped her write the book? Never mind all that .................. at least the book
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is serving to make the world aware of the terrible procedure that is still occuring today..... and hopefully one day help will come and things will change. Show Less
LibraryThing member Claudiaharrald
the story carry away from our every-day-lifestyle,
it is very emotional
it is very emotional
LibraryThing member DebbieMcCauley
This is the story of a Somali nomad girl who becomes a famous international model. After learning at age 12 that her father wants to marry her to a 60-year-old man in exchange for five camels, Waris (meaning 'desert flower') runs away from home. She makes it to London, working as a servant-girl for
This autobiography delves into Waris's childhood as part of a nomadic tribe living off what they could find in the desert. It also describes her horrific circumcision at the age of five and the ongoing legacy of that ordeal. It is an inspiring story, made all the more sad by the fact that the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is still be carried out on little girls, without anesthetic, leaving them with a lifetime of pain and discomfort. Shocking!
'I had to learn new survival skills for this new world, which were different from the ones I was raised with in the desert. Here I needed to learn English, and how to communicate with all sorts of people. Knowing about camels and goats wasn't going to keep me alive in London' (p. 123).
'The health problems I've coped with since my circumcision also plague millions of girls and women throughout the world. Because of a ritual of ignorance, most of the women on the continent of Africa live their lives in pain. Who is going to help the women in the desert - like my mother - with no money and now power? Somebody must speak out for the little girl with no voice' (p. 225).
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her uncle, the ambassador. Later she is discovered, and goes on to work as a top model and a UN spokeswoman on women's rights in Africa. This autobiography delves into Waris's childhood as part of a nomadic tribe living off what they could find in the desert. It also describes her horrific circumcision at the age of five and the ongoing legacy of that ordeal. It is an inspiring story, made all the more sad by the fact that the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is still be carried out on little girls, without anesthetic, leaving them with a lifetime of pain and discomfort. Shocking!
'I had to learn new survival skills for this new world, which were different from the ones I was raised with in the desert. Here I needed to learn English, and how to communicate with all sorts of people. Knowing about camels and goats wasn't going to keep me alive in London' (p. 123).
'The health problems I've coped with since my circumcision also plague millions of girls and women throughout the world. Because of a ritual of ignorance, most of the women on the continent of Africa live their lives in pain. Who is going to help the women in the desert - like my mother - with no money and now power? Somebody must speak out for the little girl with no voice' (p. 225).
Show Less
LibraryThing member amme_mr
Angus and Robertson Top 100 (2006-2008) Book #100
This autobiography was very enjoyable to read. It contained some very tragic elements, but I believe that it is a book that everyone should read. It provides a direct insight into the treatment of women and young girls in Africa.
This autobiography was very enjoyable to read. It contained some very tragic elements, but I believe that it is a book that everyone should read. It provides a direct insight into the treatment of women and young girls in Africa.
LibraryThing member ElizabethCromb
The back story of an international model who grew up living a nomadic life in desert Somalia and how she broke away to change her life but still maintained her love and connection to her roots.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1998
Physical description
238 p.; 5.2 inches
ISBN
9781860497582
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DDC/MDS
| 305.42092 |