In The Land of Invisible Women

In The Land of Invisible Women by Qunta A. Ahmed, MD

What was this book about?

Qanta is a British doctor who just so happens to also be Muslim. When she is offered a job in Saudi Arabia she decides that it wouldn’t hurt to see what it was like, make good money, and wait till she can get a visa in the United States.

For Qanta this is an eye opening experience. She is a respected doctor who is now in a country that treats women completely differently from what she is used to. She has her eyes opened to how the country works. She also takes a journey and explores her Muslim faith.

This book shows us a small glimpse of life like it was for her. The people are generous and caring and yet there is still that touch of hate and racism, that permeates some of their lives. She opens your eyes to all of this and still see them for the great people, the great country that they are.

What did you think about the book?

Usually I don’t read these sort of books because I find them a little dry. They have a lot of facts, but very little story. But I was intrigued by the book jacket of this book enough to pick it up and see what it was about.

I really enjoyed it. I felt like I was there and finding out about a culture that I didn’t really know anything about. But at the same time it wasn’t written by a complete outsider. It was almost an insiders look at the things that make the Saudi culture. But an insider wouldn’t have the perspective of what is so shocking to someone like me – an American.

If you have any interest in learning about how men and women interact, how the Muslim religion is practiced, what sorts of laws govern that area – this is the book to read for you. It definitely made me think about so many different things. From how others reacted to 9/11, how lucky I am to be a woman in America, and many other things.

What genre would you consider this?
Memoir

Overall:

Question for you:
Have you ever been to a place that was so culturally different then what you were used to? Do you think your experience opened your eyes to your culture and others the way it did for Qanta?