Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
17th out of 31 books
—
4 voters
From a Crooked Rib
Written with complete conviction from a woman's point of view, Nuruddin Farah's spare, shocking first novel savagely attacks the traditional values of his people yet is also a haunting celebration of the unbroken human spirit. Ebla, an orphan of eighteen, runs away from her nomadic encampment in rural Somalia when she discovers that her grandfather has promised her in marr...more
Paperback, 176 pages
Published
June 27th 2006
by Penguin Books
(first published 1970)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
276)
Written 40 years ago, this early novel from Somali writer Nuruddin Farah tells of an independent but uneducated young woman who leaves her tribe rather than marry a man she does not care for and flees to a life in town - first a rural center called Belet Wene and then to the city of Mogadishu. It is near the time of Somalia's independence from Italy, and her unsophisticated and limited grasp of what independence means for her may well represent the author's vision of Somalia, about to steer its...more
From a Crooked Rib, by Somali author Nuruddin Farah, follows Ebla, a young nomadic girl in her escape from the country village in which she was born. Paramount to the novel's plot is the nature of womanhood in Somalian culture -- and, indeed, in Muslim culture in general. Farah is a well-known feminist, and From a Crooked Rib is demonstrable of the reasons why feminism is so important in a culture of not only patriarchal dominance, but essentially patriarchal ownership.
Ebla begins her journey as...more
Ebla begins her journey as...more
This was quite a quick read and was read for a book club that a friend and I were not able to go to. However, I am glad to have read it. While it was not as engaging or involving as I wished, it is hard to find anything bad to say against it. It simply was good and not great. It tells the story of a young woman from Somalia who runs away from home after being set in an arranged marriage by her grandfather. The book takes place in a very short period of time, less than a month. Her experiences hi...more
This book is from the perspective of a Somalian woman who escapes from her nomadic tribe in order to find something "more." For Ebla, the main character in this book, her entire life has been restricted to a role that society, and man especially, has dictated.
However, no matter where Ebla travels or what characters she meets, her role is somewhat fixed. She soon realizes that this is reality; no matter where she goes, society's expectations shall always limit her. Not only are men a part of thi...more
However, no matter where Ebla travels or what characters she meets, her role is somewhat fixed. She soon realizes that this is reality; no matter where she goes, society's expectations shall always limit her. Not only are men a part of thi...more
Farah's work isn't my usual reading fare, but he was recommended to me by a colleague. I happened to pick this one up because it was one of the only Farah books on Kindle. This is a kind of "slice of life" book I really enjoy, one that gives a glimpse of a moment in time of someone's life and culture. The book is candid in its treatment of topics that would make western audiences uncomfortable--female circumcision, arranged marriages--but doesn't attempt to apologize for them.
Ebla, the main cha...more
Ebla, the main cha...more
In telling of Ebla, an 18-year-old runaway who seeks solace in the home of her Mogadishu cousin, Nuruddin Farah draws multiple comparisons to the lives of animals. In one segment, the reader hears of monkeys who cake their female’s vagina with dirt in order to stave off – or reveal signs of – adultery. In another, Ebla reflects on the camels milked, calved, and sold for their value to humans – a relationship that parallels the bartering and sale of wives to men. Ebla sees herself, her friends, a...more
This is a beautifully written story, told from the point of view of a thoughtful, young somali girl-woman. The story is poignant, but stressful for the reader. This is not simply the result of caring for a mistreated protagonist, but the result of the protagonists constant and overwhelming confusion. She is not afraid to take a chance, and takes many. She seem to make these decisions in a haze, unclear about the morality of her decisions, unclear regarding their consequences. I was left hoping f...more
view 1 comment
This book is my 'World Tour' choice for Somalia. It is the story of a young woman who leaves her traditional pastoralist way of life for a town and then the city after her grandfather chooses as a husband someone she would never have chosen for herself. She finds the traditional female role limiting, frustrating and unfair (which it is), so wants something better. Unfortunately she has so little experience of the world that she finds it difficult to imagine what she wants instead and even more d...more
The setting must be a few months before Somalia's Independence Day of June 26, 1960. The book projected much wisdom about self-identity and male-female relationships, mostly voiced by late-teen Ebla. (view spoiler)...more
1 like · like · see review
I struggled with how to rate this book. As a feminist, of course I admired Farah's portrayal of the sexist culture that oppresses women in Somalia and how a struggle against the current cultural beliefs and structures are difficult, if not impossible to break out of, for the individual.
For Ebla, the main character, every time she attempts to find freedom and independence, she further ties herself to people whom mistreat and take advantage over her. As the narrative continues, it is difficult to...more
For Ebla, the main character, every time she attempts to find freedom and independence, she further ties herself to people whom mistreat and take advantage over her. As the narrative continues, it is difficult to...more
A girl's struggle to be men's even. Nonetheless equally succumbing to the advice and will of the women she comes into contact with. The text contains some valid deconstructions of the mentality, that more than the actual story, give an insight into these comunities. Bit difficult to understand the presence of the women gang who beat up heir husbands. The end is bewildering and unconvincing - husband and wife are rejoined; any attempt to challenge the situation apparently abandoned and forsaken.
Jul 27, 2011
Akin
added it
It is good, for what it is - which is a book written 37 years ago. If a writer produced this now, I'll be pissed off. NOt because it is dated - it isn't, and sadly the issue of exploitation will probably always be with us - but because it wouldn't be original now.
But I digress.
Disturbing at times, strangely enigmatic. Reminds me a little of L'Etranger, although I can't precisely say why.
Worth reading
But I digress.
Disturbing at times, strangely enigmatic. Reminds me a little of L'Etranger, although I can't precisely say why.
Worth reading
The most interesting part of this pro-feminism novella is that it was written by a man. The story of a young woman who runs away from her nomadic tribe to the city in order to escape an arranged marriage, it is an excellent window into colonial Somalia. However, the writing style was just too obvious for me; it seemed clumsy, the way the author just flat-out stated the characters' political views, and had them announce the historical context of their lives.
Fairly simplistic and less insightful than much of Farah's later work. Little insight into the mind and real thought process of a Somali village woman. Instead it feels like what it is: a Westerner (or Westernized Somalian) using Western feminism to doctor the character's mindset---a description of victimization rather than any real attempt to show what space the woman would attempt to carve out for herself beyond "escape." "I'll write the story for her."
The writing was very simple but this story really pulled me in. I am so busy right now but this story had me in a strangle hold. It was the first novel I read on my Kindle. A good way to start. What an interesting unique character Ebla was.
Another testament to the hardship of women's lives in the extended world, to the devastation of poverty and the plague of immorality.
Interesting in that it's told for a woman's point of view. A Somali woman. Probably sometime in the 1950s - maybe 40s. Otherwise, not much to say about this one.
this is a testimonial book in which somali girl is the present absent
Well written. Sad... Depressing ..the complexity of ignorance.
Well written but singularly depressing.
This is a first novel and it shows - the internal narrative doesn't flow, people's motivations change from page to page, the pacing is uncertain (how much time passes throughout the book? a month? several months? two weeks?), characterization is... not emphasized, the main character's thoughts are rather randomly juxtaposed with the external events, and the prose is awkward. It's an interesting subject, but it was painful to get through.
"...it carries with it many points for discussion around Somalian practices, Islamic law, and the place of women in the world. But in the end it boils down to men need women, women need men, and the world would be a happier place if we treated each other as equals."
Read my full review href="http://booklit.com/blog/2007/06/01/nu....
Read my full review href="http://booklit.com/blog/2007/06/01/nu....
I liked this one a lot!
I don't often run across books written from the perspective of a Somali woman, and written by an African of such high acclaim, so I had to read it. It was a quick read, which is good for a busy lady like me. The story was rich and gave a insight into a culture I'm pretty ignorant about. I'd like to read more by this author.
Gripping story of a young girl's struggle to own her destiny. Better than a lot of non-fiction out there, e.g. Aman, Desert Rose, etc.
Farah's first book, mainly an internal dialog of a peasant girl escaping a series of unwanted marriages.
stark story and book. it was a good book, but I wasn't ready to enjoy it.
Not perfectly written, but perfectly fascinating.
ok. sweet and sour milk was nicer.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“She wondered then if she had ever been on the right track. She had been reticent all her life, because it turned out that her opinions were different from what others expected. 'That proves either that I am an exceptional idiot, or the reverse.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
