Books by Muslims – Equal Opportunity Reader

[REVIEW] The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, by Shannon Chakraborty

The Kindle cover of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, depicting a sea monster eating a ship in black and white.

(Buy this book here.) This book is absolutely delightful and this review will do it no justice. You have been warned. Amina Al-Sirafi is a middle-aged single mother with bad knees who lives in a modest country house and minds her own business. She was also one of the most fearsome pirates who ever sailedContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, by Shannon Chakraborty”

[REVIEW] When Stars Are Scattered, by Omar Mohammed and Victoria Jamieson

The cute cover of When Stars Are Scattered, depicting two cute Black boys observing the night sky, is held up against a dark sky by a Black woman's(my) hand.

(Buy this book here) Take a look at that book cover for a moment. It’s cute, right? Two little button-nosed Black boys taking in the night sky without a care in the world, right? Not quite. Omar and Hassan are Somalians living in a refugee camp in Kenya. Their parents are presumed dead and theirContinue reading “[REVIEW] When Stars Are Scattered, by Omar Mohammed and Victoria Jamieson”

[REVIEW] Sultana’s Dream, by Roquia Sakhawat Hussain

An e-reader lying on a wooden table with a lacy white tablecloth, some green leaves and an iced coffee. The reader shows the cover of Sultana's Dream, which depicts a group of South Asian women walking on a broad country path in a black and white photograph.

(Buy it on Bookshop HERE) There seems to be this weirdly pervasive idea in popular thought that modernity is the sole property of the (white) West. There are similar backwards modes of thought about science fiction, feminism, utopia, dystopia and the examination of gender roles. Somehow, it’s acceptable in certain circles–sometimes unwittingly–to really believe thatContinue reading “[REVIEW] Sultana’s Dream, by Roquia Sakhawat Hussain”

[REVIEW] The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah

A Black woman(me) is partly visible, holding a tablet displaying the cover of The Coldest Winter Ever. The book cover shows a Black girl's face from the nose down, her full lips painted bright pink. The woman holding the book is also only visible from nose down and wearing a similar lipstick

(Buy it on Bookshop) Back in 1999, I was an 18-year old nerd who spent way too much time reading.(Big surprise.) I was a soft, weak naive thing without an ounce of fight in me–but I hated this book and would have happily beat the brakes off of somebody like Winter Santiaga in real life.Continue reading “[REVIEW] The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah”

[REVIEW] Rebel Music: Race, Empire and the New Muslim Youth Culture, Hisham D. Aidi

(Buy it HERE.) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It is *really* hard to try and write a concise review of Rebel Music simply because there’s so much to talk about. In contrast to the polemics of a lot of popular writing about Islam, Aidi instead takes us on a cultural tour of music in and of the Muslim world.Continue reading “[REVIEW] Rebel Music: Race, Empire and the New Muslim Youth Culture, Hisham D. Aidi”