Middle East Reading Challenge ~ with links to my reviews

Photo taken by Helen on a visit to Oman

Helen of Helen's Book Blog started the Middle East Reading Challenge when I was unable to participate because I was preparing and teaching a couple of classes at Chattanooga State in the fall.  The semester is over, so now I'm joining.

The countries
Helen defines the Middle East as these fifteen countries.

1. Bahrain
2. Egypt
3. Iran
4. Iraq
5. Israel
6. Jordan
7. Kuwait
8. Lebanon
9. Oman
10. Palestine (Gaza Strip and West Bank)
11. Qatar
12. Saudi Arabia
13. Syria
14. United Arab Emirates (UAE)
15. Yemen

She explains her reasoning:

"The Middle East is a nebulous term with each person defining it in a different way (it's also a very Euro-centric term so please forgive me for that). However I am going to use it for lack of a better way to define the area covered by this reading challenge. So, what is the Middle East? Traditionally it included only the countries in Asia plus Egypt. Some define it as countries with Arabic as the dominant language, while others say it is all Islamic countries. For the purposes of this challenge I am going to stick with the more traditional/geographic approach including the countries around the Arabian peninsula. I struggled about what to do with Turkey and have chosen to leave it out as they currently choose to be associated more with Europe. Likewise, I am not including the 'stan' countries as they are culturally, linguistically, and ethnically different (and, officially, they are in Central Asia)."

The books ~ anything to appreciate and understand the Middle East more

• Author from one of the countries
• Fiction ~ set in one of the countries
• Nonfiction ~ leaders
• Nonfiction ~ religions
• Nonfiction ~ historical events
• Nonfiction ~ memoirs
• Young Adult

Dates of the challenge
August 1, 2010 through July 31, 2011 (it began during Ramadan).

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1. Barefoot in Baghdad ~ by Manal M. Omar, 2010, memoir (Iraq), 8/10
2. The Jerusalem Scrolls ~ by Bodie and Brock Thoene, 2001, fiction (Israel), 6/10
3. I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced ~ by Nujood Ali, 2010, memoir (Yemen), 8/10
4. Islam: A Concise Introduction ~ by Huston Smith, 2001, religion, 9/10
5. The Septembers of Shiraz ~ by Dalia Sofer, 2007, fiction (Iran), 8/10
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