Product Description
This unique volume focuses on the psychosexual and social effects of female genital mutilation, an ancient, deeply entrenched custom saturating the larger part of Africa. Over a period of six years, Author Hanny Lightfoot-Klein trekked through outlying areas of Sudan, Kenya, and Egypt, where she lived with a number of African families. What she learned by way of in-depth personal interviews and firsthand observation has enabled her to add a previously unknown and often astonishing dimension to our knowledge of ritual practices and human sexuality. This valuable book will be extremely helpful to professionals and scholars in women's studies, social psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry, gynecology, sexology, as well as cross-cultural and African studies. It should also interest anyone who is concerned with male circumcision in the United States. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A must read for medical and human rights professionals
Wanted to write a review of this book, first because its a subject close to me personally and professionally and secondly I get many great e-mails from people who have seen other books on sensitive topics I have reviewed and then they check and see what other books I have read, so I am hoping they read this one as well.

Have had the book since 1989, and became interested in the whole issue of FGM or female genital mutilation because of my Peace Corps work and reproductive health work with third world women and here in California with migrant workers.I also recommend Alice Walkers book on the subject as well.

As the author points out and health workers discover first hand when visiting the countries mentioned this procedure began centuries ago, thousands of years. Herodotus the famous historian reported of FGM in Egypt in the 5th century BC and he believed the ritual began in Ethiopia or Egypt. And the Greek papyrus in the British Museum notes it was dated to 163 BC

As the author correctly notes the Sudan is Africa largest country. I was happy to see she didn't overlook writing about the Kikuyu the largest group in Kenya who do practice excision since I am familiar with them. As well as the regions of Tanzania Senegal Nigeria where the Ibo Hausa and Yoruba the main three ethnic groups all excise their women.Most populations in Senegal also do excision while Infibulation occurs in the horn of Africa and the lowlands of Ethiopia Djibouti, Somalia and Mali.

The FGM methods the author deals with are Mild Sunna where there pricking slitting or removal of the prepuce of the clitoris is done.Modified Sunna where the partial or total excision of the body of the clitoris is doneClitoridectomy/excision or the removal of the part or all of the clitorisas well as the labia minora is doneto the extend that it occludes the vaginal opening.

Infibulation/pharonic circumcision is where the clitoris is totally removed as well as the labia minora and the inner layers of the labia majora. The raw edges are then sewn together with a small piece of wood or straw inserted to prevent complete occlusion. There is barely enough room for urine or blood flow and in fact many women do not have menses that flow outward but the blood backs up into the internal pelvis area. Thus any suggestion that testing cervical mucus i.e.ferning is nonsensical.The book is over 300 pages long and the author does an excellent job of explaining in great detail where and why this is done. How and why it is still done and how international health and human rights organizations are trying to stem its practice.

The author also deals with the issue of male circumcision and its origins and where and why it is still done.And she notes that FGM and male infant circumcisions have some distinct and important differences. First being that male infants are usually done by a Mohel or physicians whereas female are much older and the procedures are crude and done in ways that have nothing to do with hygine issues but to prevent the female from ever experiencing sexual pleasure of any kind. It is done to punish the female and to control her.

A respectful look into FGM, while advocating change.
LightFoot- Klein does an excellent job of asking the right questions.This book has no overt agenda and can be read by many different people, even men.It advocates breaking the silence of this serious issue. I findthe interviews to be personally moving.Lightfoot- Klein does a great jobat showing the health consequences of infibulation.And explains herselfwell for why this issue requires gradual change not instant change. It is amust read for anyone who considers themselves a human rights advocate orwants to get started! ... Read more

Product Description
This handbook provides basic reference information on Eritrea, including its geography, history, government, military forces, and communications and transportation networks. This information is intended to familiarize military personnel with local customs and area knowledge to assist them during their assignment to Eritrea. ... Read more

Product Description
Today the world knows more about the plight of our Moslem sisters than ever before. This volume is from 1907 and was written by an assortment of Christian missionaries.Here we are 102 years later with many accomplishments for women in certain Middle Eastern and African countries; but still for others nothing much has changed except the date.

There are 25 chapters covering India, Yemen, Palestine, Malaysia, Turkey, Tunis, Egypt, Persia (Iraq), Morocco and more. Christian or not, this is a good read.

Some excerpts from the book's Introduction:

This book with its sad, reiterated story of wrong and oppression is an indictment and an appeal. It is an indictment of the system which produces results so pitiful. It is an appeal to Christian
womanhood to right these wrongs and enlighten this darkness by sacrifice and service. At the recent Mohammedan Educational Conference in Bombay the president of the gathering, the Agha Khan, himself a leading Moslem, spoke very trenchantly of the
chief barriers to progress in the Moslem world. The first and greatest of these barriers in his opinion was "the seclusion of women which results in keeping half the community in ignorance and degradation and this hinders the progress of the whole."
Surely the ignorance and degradation of one-half of a community which has a world population of 233 millions is a question that concerns all who love humanity.

The origin of the veil of Islam was, as is well known, one of the marriage affairs of Mohammed himself, with its appropriate revelation from Allah.In the twenty-fourth Surah of the Koran women are forbidden to appear unveiled before any member
of the other sex, with the exception of near relatives.

And so by one verse the bright, refining, elevating influence of women was forever withdrawn from Moslem society. The evils of the zenana, the seraglio, the harem, or by whatever name it is called, are writ large over all the social life of the Moslem world. Keene says it "lies at the root of all the most important features that differentiate progress from stagnation."

In Arabia before the advent of Islam it was customary to bury female infants alive. Mohammed improved on the barbaric method and discovered a way by which all females could be buried alive and yet live on namely, the veil. How they live on,
this book tells! Its chapters are not cunningly devised fables nor stories told for the story's sake.Men and women who have given of their strength and service, their love and their life to ameliorate the lives of Moslem women and carry the torch of Truth into these lands of darkness write simply the truth in a straightforward way. All the chapters were written by missionaries in the various lands represented. And with three exceptions the writers were women. The chapter on Turkestan is
by a converted Moslem ; and the two chapters on the Yemen and the Central Soudan are by medical missionaries. The book has as many authors as there are chapters. For obvious reasons their names are not published, but their testimony is unimpeachable
and unanimous. We read what their eyes have seen, what their hands have handled, and what has stirred their hearts. It has stirred the hearts of educated Moslems too, in Egypt as well as in
India. A new book on this very subject was recently published at Cairo by Kasim Ameen, a learned Moslem jurist. Although he denies that Islam is the cause, yet speaking of the present rela-
tion of the Mohammedan woman to man the author says: "Man is the absolute master and woman the slave. She is the object of his sensual pleasures, a toy, as it were, with which he plays, whenever and however he pleases. Knowledge is his, ignorance is hers. The firmament and the light are his, darkness and the dungeon are hers. His is to command, hers is to blindly obey. His is everything that is, and she is an insignificant part of that everything."

No illustrations are included in this Kindle version.



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Product Description
The Kingdom of Kush, lying south of Egypt, flourished for 1000 years. During the eighth and seventh centuries BC its rulers controlled Egypt as pharaohs of the 25th Dynasty. Yet much of the history of the kingdom is obscure, with it being overshadowed by its more famous neighbour. Using both ancient classical sources and modern data from archaeological digs, this work explores the history and culture of the Kushites. It illustrates all aspects of life and shows how the kingdom interacted over the centuries with Egypt. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Almost saved by the photographs
Author Derek Welsby spares every effort to clarify Kushite history. Here's an emblematic sentence: "El Kurru should perhaps be considered as a candidate for the location of Krtn with its royal palace." Is it possible to cram more conditionals into a single sentence? The text is filled with clauses such as "of which we are largely ignorant", "we have no way of knowing", and "no indisputable evidence exists".

Admittedly, this may indeed reflect the true state of affairs of our knowledge, or lack thereof, of the Kingdom of Kush. But to me the faults in the writing extend beyond failing to clarify an ambiguous situation or hesitancy in choosing between alternative explanations. Place-names are frequently introduced without explaining whether they are ancient or modern names. The relevant geography is treated as if the reader is already an expert in the Nile's meanderings. References are brief and seldom help in evaluating a citation's specific interpretation.Succeeding paragraphs do not often link together. Sentences are often opaque, doggedly refusing to surrender their meaning ever after repeated readings.

And where the history of Kush touches on an event that may already be known to many readers - that being the Kushite intervention against Assyria in its assault on Jerusalem in 701 BC, as ambiguously recounted in the Old Testament -- Welsby fails to treat it with the rigor the episode deserves. He fails to recognize both that 1) the accounts in Kings I and II are superficially inconsistent and 2) resolving the discrepancy shows that the Kushites in fact saved the kingdom of Judah from certain destruction at a crucial moment in its history. (An absorbing and fully convincing exegesis is provided by Henry Aubin in "The Rescue of Jerusalem".)

The photographs - many in color - are extensive, stunning and provide an eloquence the writing lacks. The best that can be said of the diagrams, including a few meagerly drawn maps, is that they are no worse than the text.

Interesting book, but tried to use European fantasies
Interesting book, but tried to use European fantasies of being African, indigenous (Egyptian)or Black (the modern European term for African).However it does have some very good information. When you get pass theimperial European denial. You can find some good information in this book.Ancient Nubians and the other ancient Africans, the Kamites (their realname)called Egyptians thousands of years later by the Greeks.

A beautiful and very interesting book
This is a beautiful and captivating book.It differs completely from other books about the black Pharaohs, which are often ideological and controversial.This book provides proof, with photos from archeologicalsites.It informs us about life in the cities and in the countryside andabout ancient black religions.Kush was not Egypt, but it ruled Egypt fora period of time.The book is also affordable, which I greatlyappreciated.

A beautiful and very interesting book
This is a beautiful and captivating book.It differs completely from other books about the black Pharaohs, which are often ideological and controversial.This book provides proof, with photos from archeologicalsites.It informs us about life in the cities and in the countryside andabout ancient black religions.Kush was not Egypt, but it ruled Egypt fora period of time.The book is also affordable, which I greatlyappreciated.

Great Disappointment!Poorly organized with no focus.
I have rarely read a more disappointing book than The Kingdom of Kush by Derek Welsby.Badly organized with no continuity, I assume the publisher's editorial staff was on vacation when this one came through.The book isthe literary equivalent of the 50 yard dash for people with no sense ofdirection.Hummingbirds spend more time in one place than Mr. Welsby spentwith any one facet of his book.Unless you happen to be a scholarspecializing in the Kingdom, you will be quickly lost as the author zigsand zags through myriad arcane tidbits that are probably significant tosomeone.There is no effort to establish a context, set out a chronology,or discuss the historical significance of the topic in general terms thatan intelligent, but unschooled lay person could understand.Perhaps thetarget audience was the six other experts fluent in this field; for therest of us, the book is a useless garble of facts and pontifications.Equal criticism goes to the History Book of the Month Club who marketed thebook with no indication that you needed a PhD in the topic to follow thebook.The bio describes Mr. Welsby as an assistant keeper and fieldarchealogist.While it appears that he is indeed quite knowledgeable inthe field of Kushite history, I would recommend that he stick with his dayjob or get real editors. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally self-published in hardcover in 2000, this acclaimed memoir is now in a revised paperback edition, complete with 14 black and white photographs and a new epilogue. Here is an unforgettable true story of a young boy's remarkable journey from a refugee camp in Sudan to an affluent Chicago suburb where his family survives on welfare.Following his father's advice to "treat all people - even the most unsightly beetles - as though they were angels sent from heaven," Mawi Asgedom overcomes racial prejudice, language barriers, and financial disadvantage, eventually realizing his dream of a full-tuition scholarship to Harvard University. Of Beetles and Angels is a compelling survival story sure to inspire readers of all ages and backgrounds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Very satisfied
The book came in fine condition and in good time.Thank you
Regina Immarco

Poor writing
This book seems to be required reading at most inner city schools.It's a typical poor boy from a third world country makes it big story.Sound familiar?It's a shame the poor writing takes away from the story though.I agree that most childen should be taught never to give up on dreams, but there are much better written books out there.

A contemporary autobiography of a young man's journey to success
Of Beetles & Angels is a contemporary autobiography of a young man's journey to success. When he was four years old, Asgedom's family left their war-ravaged home in Ethiopia and spent three years in a Sudanese refugee camp before coming to the U.S. in 1983. He later earned a full scholarship to Harvard where in 1999 he delivered the commencement address. Told from Mawi's point of view as a teenager, he describes the conditions in Ethiopia, their escape to Sudan's refugee camp and finally their emigration to America. Once in the United States, things don't immediately fall into place. Mawi is faced with many trials and tribulations, hardships and pain. Nonetheless, he follows his fathers advice to "treat all people- even the most unsightly beetles - as though they were angels sent from heaven,"Mawi overcomes racial prejudice, language barriers and financial disadvantage, eventually realizing his dream. This is both an inspirational and positive immigration story highly recommended for teens and young adult's grades 6 - high school.A terrific read aloud as well.

review by amanda g
Scared for your life in the midst of a civil war. Then put into a Sudanese refugee camp, disconnected from your father but left with your terrified mother and siblings. After a while, you are reunited with your father, and your entire family is together. Then in America, where you must start over in an alien place, where you get most of your possessions from dumpsters. This was the childhood experience that Mawi Asgedom underwent.
The book "Of Beetles & Angels" shows the extraordinary experiences throughout Mawi Asgedom's young life, which led him to America and to graduate from Harvard University. His amazing story shows the hardships, as well as the joyful occasions, as he discovers American culture and starts an American life. I thoroughly enjoyed his book and believe that I caught a glimpse at just how hard his childhood was.
The chapters within the book are separated into different stories and times of Mawi's life. This way, the reader truly gets to see how wonderful and cruel our country can be to those who are starting over in a new place, and how Mawi and his family start in a new and foreign place. The book also shows Mawi's experiences viewing racism, biased brutality, and what it is like to be noticeably different from most others around you. " Most of our classmates treated us nicely, others ignored us, and the rest -- well, we could only wish that they would ignore us. We may not have understood their words, but we always understood the meaning behind their laughter. `African boodie-scratcher! Scratch that boodie!' `Black donkey! You're so ugly!' `Why don't you go back to Africa where you came from?' We were just two, and they were often many. But they had grown up in a wealthy American suburb, and we had grown up in a Sudanese refugee camp. We were accustomed to fighting almost daily, using sticks, stones, wood chips, and whatever else we could get our hands on. So it was usually no contest, especially when the two of us double-teamed them, as we had done so many times in Sudan. The cruelty of brutal beatings and the name calling left Mawi and his older brother scared and unsure about their new found home America.
Mawi Asgedom's parents dreamed that their children would do well in school. The primary values that they taught their kids were that education was most important, knowledge was power, and that if all of the children within their family studied hard, they could earn scholarships and become smart and powerful leaders within their new country. Mawi kept his parents' values close and fulfilled them all. "I graduated from Harvard one year ago and have since thought much about my parents' dream. By earning my scholarship and graduating, I have fulfilled it. But along the way, I have found greater value in other dreams. And while Harvard University taught me well, my true education has come from less-likely sources. As I look back to the angels, the Charlenes and the Beth Raneys; as I look back to God's servants, dressed as beggrs and as beetles; as I look back to my inspirations, to the Mamas and Tewoldes, I see true guidance staring back at me. True power comes from focusing on what we can give, not what we can take." Mawi learned so much throughout his life and not only made his parents' dreams come true, but also made his own dreams come true.
This book, with all of its extraordinary detail and description, probably cannot entirely summarize all of the struggles, hardships, and rewards Mawi and his family endured from their journey to America and once in America. However, throughout the pages and dialogue of the story "Of Beetles & Angels", the book does an exceptional job of showing how unique Mawi Asgedom's life was as a child. I absolutely recommend this book.

eye opening
Beginning in 2001 I worked with two refugee families from Liberia.I wish I had read this book first, because it would have helped me to understand better the sorts of things these families might have experienced before they arrived in our country. While experiences of war, persecution and homelessness vary among people arriving in the USA, the feeling of confusion (even when you speak English, like 'my' families did) and dependence mixed with utter relief of finally getting here seem to be common among all. "My" families knew basic things, but our housing, food and school systems were totally overwhelming even for these educated people. And the police, which we're taught to depend upon, strike fear into every refugee I've ever met. Most of them have had bad experiences with police.
So when I read this book I could relate to some things, I cried over others, and I put others in the back of my mind to remember for when I'm working again with refugee immigrants, especially in these days of heated debates about immigrants.
Personally I think this book should be a must-read in every high school curriculum and for every teacher, not only because it's such a compelling story, but it helps us to see others through another lens and it is ultimately a story of hope.
From a strictly literature point of view there are better books out there, but this one tugs at the heart.And it's also a fast read if you want it to be.
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Product Description
4 books by the Right Honorable Sir Winston Churchill in one collection:

Liberalism And The Social Problem
London To Ladysmith Via Pretoria
The River War An Account of the Reconquest of the Sudan
The Story of the Malakand Field Force An Episode of Frontier War ... Read more