Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

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Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

by Nicholas D. Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn

4.36 · rating details · 7,268 ratings · 1,847 reviews

From two of our most fiercely moral voices, a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.

With Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as our guides, we undertake an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling there, among them ...more

Hardcover, 294 pages

Published September 8th 2009 by Knopf (first published 2008)

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Jan 16, 2011

Sparrow rated it

Recommends it for: You; world movers and shakers

Recommended to Sparrow by: Tracey Coleman

Shelves: non-fiction, girls-rule, reviewed, slaves, motherless-daughters

I think what I want the most this year is for everyone I know to read this book. I don’t really know what to say about it, except that it is exactly what it should be. It’s hard to even think for too long about how purposeful and smart Kristof and WuDunn were in structuring and presenting the information they included here because it obviously represents a lifetime of research and investigation, but it comes off as though they’re telling campfire stories. I don’t mean to be disrespectful in d...moreI think what I want the most this year is for everyone I know to read this book. I don’t really know what to say about it, except that it is exactly what it should be. It’s hard to even think for too long about how purposeful and smart Kristof and WuDunn were in structuring and presenting the information they included here because it obviously represents a lifetime of research and investigation, but it comes off as though they’re telling campfire stories. I don’t mean to be disrespectful in describing it that way, and they certainly weren’t. I just mean that all of the heroes in this book are very vivid to me, and I want to meet them all and do anything I can for them. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say I care about human rights for women and girls more than anything else in the entire world. If nothing else, this book is a wonderful resource for information and direction on these issues, but it really is both a storybook and a guidebook.

The premise of the book is that the great human rights battle of the twenty-first century will be to make women equal around the world. The main problems Kristof and WuDunn focus on are child sex trafficking, lack of education for girls, fistulas, and maternal mortality. Ultimately, they say (**spoiler alert**) that the best ways to fight these injustices are through education, micro-finance loans to women entrepreneurs, and, surprisingly enough, getting TVs into rural areas of developing countries.

They note that typically the mistake activists make, when trying to motivate people, is overwhelming them with statistics by trying to present the big picture of how the cause affects the world. Kristof talks a little bit about this in his article Advice for Saving the World. There is some psychological study where the testers took two groups of people and told one group they could help a thousands of people by giving a dollar and told the other group they could help one person by giving a dollar and described that person’s situation. The test subjects were much more likely to help the one person than the huge number of people. This makes sense to me, because people want to feel successful in helping, not like they’re throwing a bunch of money and effort into something that is too big to be solved. WuDunn and Kristof managed this by discussing the problems in a very specific format. For each issue, they would present the story of one or two women who in some way exemplify the problem, then they would give background information on the problem historically and brief statistics, and then they would tell the story of someone who is successfully fighting the problem. Even though I know they were in some ways spoon-feeding me by being so purposeful, this was a very inspirational way to write the book. They weren’t patronizing, and in many ways it is such a substantial topic that I think I need to be spoon-fed.

All of my stories end up being about Ukraine, probably because the others tend to be boring and depressing. It is difficult to know what to write about Half the Sky, because I loved it so much, but it made me think of this little moment with my ninth-grade students. I used to make my classes write stories together to practice vocabulary, so on Valentine’s Day, I made them write a love story. I gave them a boy character and a girl character and asked them to describe them. They said the girl was tall and strong, had big muscles, short hair, and was very brave. The boy had beautiful hair, was graceful, small, and kind. I was impressed by them going against the usual gender stereotypes, which I found to be extreme in Ukraine. But, then, I thought, they were my favorite class, and always had a good political point or poignant question for me.

At some point, though, one of the students exclaimed, “No! No! Miss Holley! We are wrong. These words, ‘boy’ and ‘girl!’ We are wrong about these words! You must move them!” Then, there was a lot of yelling in Russian, and I laughed pretty hysterically for about 10 minutes at the mistake they had made. Obviously, I refused to switch the words, and we had a nice little lesson about how girls can be very brave and boys can be graceful. If the kids hadn’t been drilled from birth to stay in their seats come hell or high water, I’m sure one of them would have forcibly changed the words.

I guess I’m not telling this story to point out how silly it is that some kids think girls have to have long hair. Teaching moments are important; but, also, I think that really important humanitarian issues can be clouded by the idea that feminism exists because a girl got her feelings hurt. I am not married to the word ‘feminism,’ though I do love it. I think, though, there is almost no real way to discuss this topic using a phrase that doesn’t typically get disregarded as trivial. This book is not about girls opening their own car doors or boys having cooties. This book is about slavery and genocide, perpetrated against the female half of the population, which is globally considered subhuman.

The most difficult part for me about this entire topic is when women themselves don’t want to improve their own lives or the lives of other women. There is a small mention in this book about families who have very little food and allow the men to eat first. The boys in the family will be healthy and strong, and the girls will eventually be taken to hospitals, wasted and malnourished (if they are lucky). The mother of the house herself will eat, and the family gets fat on the starvation of the girls. This is not only a problem in developing nations. Women perpetuating the dehumanizing of other women occurs all over, from West Africa to West Hollywood. It bothers me when I meet men who really hate women or women who really hate men, but then I think the person probably had some kind of traumatic experience with the opposite gender and is over-stereotyping. It seems really disturbing and unnatural to me, however, when women hate other women. I don’t want that to exist.

Now to go uncomfortably personal on y’all. I finished this book last month, a couple of days after my mom died from an eight-year-long, horrible illness. By the end, her illness was sadder than her death, so I am not saying this for sympathy. My mom’s life just seems somehow connected to the topic of this book. I guess, with any discussion of women, our mothers’ lives, our own lives, and our relationships with our mothers are very present. My mother was a very unhappy person. She believed that men should provide and women should be fulfilled by motherhood. I don’t know if she was unhappy because life didn’t live up to that standard, or because she believed women should be unhappy, or maybe even because the universe conspired against her. My mom and I were very different and didn’t communicate very well. There are many things I don’t know about her. I do know, however, that there was more to her than the unhappy woman I grew up with. I believe there is more to any woman who dehumanizes herself, or other women, than only the hopelessness and resignation they show to the world.

I also think it is possible to create a world that is nurturing to both men and women. I don’t even think it should be as difficult as it seems. There are many things to be discouraged about in the fight to give women human rights; but, there are also people who stand up to oppression, helping women around them and women internationally. I do not feel discouraged by my mother’s disappointments, but I decided to go to law school partly because of them. I hope that when I get out I’ll be able to advocate for women and girls and help the heroes Kristof and WuDunn talk about in Half the Sky. In the meantime, you should read this book and do your part, too – even if your part is only hugging your mom and reminding her, if she needs a reminder, that she’s a worthwhile human being.
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Jan 01, 2010

Laurel rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction, history

I found this book to be quite powerful. Pulitzer prize winning journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn vividly describe the brave plights of women in developing nations in ways that were incredibly eye opening to me. While I was aware of the brutal conditions (lack of education, demoralization, rape, beatings, sex trafficking, mutilations, and murder) of women and young girls going on in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, I admit I did not fully realize the immense enormity of it....moreI found this book to be quite powerful. Pulitzer prize winning journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn vividly describe the brave plights of women in developing nations in ways that were incredibly eye opening to me. While I was aware of the brutal conditions (lack of education, demoralization, rape, beatings, sex trafficking, mutilations, and murder) of women and young girls going on in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, I admit I did not fully realize the immense enormity of it. Nor did I fully realize how much all these atrocities can so intricately tie in with such things as the global economy and modern terrorism.

Despite the authors notation that statistics are less effective in inspiring people to take action (personal stories work better), here are some statistics mentioned that I personally found hard to wrap my mind around:

"More girls were killed in the last 50 years, precisely because they were girls, than men killed in all the wars in the 20th century. More girls are killed in this routine gendercide in any one decade than people were slaughtered in all the genocides of the 20th century. "

"The equivalent of 5 jumbo jets worth of women die in labor each day... life time risk of maternal death is 1,000x higher in a poor country than in the west. That should be an international scandal."

While these statistics are disturbing and sobering, to say the least, the book itself is quite empowering and hopeful. The authors introduce us to individual women around the world battling these horrible conditions, and their strength and spirit shine through the pages. It's impossible not to be moved.

The book is also not without interesting suggestions and ideas to help bring about change. And clearly something must be done. As the authors note, "in the 19th century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that, in this century, the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality in the developing world."

This book is a hugely important, shocking, eye opening and thought provoking read. I highly recommend it.(less)

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Jan 10, 2010

Allison rated it

"In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world."

When I first heard Nicholas Kristof make this argument at the PIH symposium in October, I was taken aback. Not because I didn't believe and have a firm understanding that gender discrimination worldwide is shockingly b...more"In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world."

When I first heard Nicholas Kristof make this argument at the PIH symposium in October, I was taken aback. Not because I didn't believe and have a firm understanding that gender discrimination worldwide is shockingly brutal and horrifying. But, at the time, it seemed like a self-serving statement. "Of course you feel that way," I thought. "You have a book on women's issues to sell. Is it really possible that gender equality is the central issue of the twenty-first century? More so than terrorism, poverty, hunger, global warming....?" Then I read this book and I now believe that he is right. In Half the Sky, Kristof and WuDunn compellingly argue that empowering women is not just a moral imperative, but a cause that has great potential to make a significant contribution to reducing other major issues like terrorism, poverty, hunger, and global warming.

This is a bold book that dares to take a stand, political correctness be damned. The discipline and work of human development in the developing world is complicated. Well-meaning people wish to empower women without being culturally intolerant. But how can we tolerate violence like the sex slave trade and genital cutting? Kristof and WuDunn believe that local, grassroots efforts, supported by Western money and human-power, are the real agents of change. Cultural change must come from within, but it needs support. They are also not afraid to point out that a large proportion of countries that systemically discriminate against women are perpredominantly Muslim. They make this claim and then explore why. They are not afraid to point out that some of the most vilified leaders in history have been the most effective at empowering women and reaping the rewards (the title of the book comes from a quote by Mao himself). They know that empowering and emancipating women is a staggeringly worth cause on its own. Yet they know that it will take more than a moral imperative to rally the world behind this issue, and I can only hope that their arguments take hold and begin to inspire the world to care about its women.(less)

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Dec 08, 2009

Choupette marked it as to-read

Recommended to Choupette by: Meredith Holley

Shelves: feminism, history-politics-economics

I'm a little bit concerned when empowerment of women becomes a political tool. It's easier for a masculinised system of power to say that women need to be educated in Afghanistan because it will help reduce terrorism than to say that women need to be educated in Afghanistan because they are, you know, human beings. Domestic violence, rape and general mistreatment or oppression of women can easily be turned into a political symbol that represents nationalistic or other concerns (as is shown very ...more

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Feb 09, 2010

Charlotte rated it

It's eye-opening, sad, bleak and compelling. The abuse and strength of women in developing and third world countries is told through the stories of individual women the authors have met. They plead the case for education and health care to make a difference. Here's a review that says it much better than I can:

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. New York Times columnist Kristof and his wife, WuDunn, a former Times reporter, make a brilliantly argued case for investing in the h...more

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Mar 31, 2010

Elisabeth rated it

Shelves: politics-economics-society, book-club

I agree with other comments about this book. Half the Sky is not meant for those who seek scholarly material about the current state of women throughout the world. The authors use heart wrenching stories to describe the reality millions of women experience each day.

The reason I gave this book two stars is not because I disagree with the premise of the book or the authors' push to radically alter the trajectory of global rights -- sign me up! What frustrated me, and in the end left...more

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Mar 08, 2011

Jeanne rated it

If you can stomach reading about the really horrific lives of women around the world, this book is the one to read. Kristof writes in a very "consumable" way. The book is full of personal anecdotes about the women he has met. Its about active violence against women and also cultural disdain for daughters. Fortunately, it is also about the really brave things that groups and individuals are doing to provide basic human rights to women all around the globe. I confess the book has be...more

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Feb 02, 2010

Becky rated it

Shelves: book-club

I usually trudge slowly through nonfiction books, but I could not put this one down. It tells the stories, intertwined with many statistics, of many women in third world nations who have endured sex slavery, genital mutilation, beatings, rape, and/or lack of education and health care. It's impossible to not be moved by the stories of these women. Bottom line: educating and empowering women in third world countries will solve many of the problems in those areas. And grassroots programs are more e...more

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Mar 01, 2010

Elizabeth rated it

One of the most inspiring books I've ever read and may change what I'd like to do in the future as far as my fundrasing efforts go (would love to perhaps work for one of the orgs profiled in the book).

It's a must read for all my amigas/amigos and for all our politicians, leaders in many fields from military to aid workers, philanthropists, educators, etc!!!

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Feb 01, 2011

John rated it

Important book...too depressing at times but it is information we all need to know...and there are examples and suggestion of steps to take to help.
Kristof and wife keep the pace without getting too detailed or "revolutionary"

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Jan 25, 2012

Ari rated it

Shelves: read-in-2011

I am a sucker for these sort of books, real life tales that both depress and inspire. I enjoy reading these kind of non-fiction books because while all non fiction books teach me something new, I like that these books are told in narrative format, with explanations and history lessons smoothly interspersed. This book literally made me sick to my stomach, even though that is not the point of the book. In one incident in eastern Congo, the Congolese militias use rape as a weapon of war. "In o...moreI am a sucker for these sort of books, real life tales that both depress and inspire. I enjoy reading these kind of non-fiction books because while all non fiction books teach me something new, I like that these books are told in narrative format, with explanations and history lessons smoothly interspersed. This book literally made me sick to my stomach, even though that is not the point of the book. In one incident in eastern Congo, the Congolese militias use rape as a weapon of war. "In one instance, soldiers raped a three-year old girl and their fired their guns into her." All I could think when I read that was 'oh my god.' The story continues "When surgeons saw her, there was no tissue left to repair. The little girl's grief-stricken father then committed suicide." (pg. 84). I do not share the story for the sake of pity, rather I want those two sentences to move people the same way it moved me. While I was reading this book I was infuriated. People not only confuse me, they make me sick, this book really brings home how cruel we humans can be to each other. It's not pretty, it's not pleasant, but it is the truth and it needs to be spread. The book never takes on a self-important tone or becomes too difficult to follow, instead it engages the reader by posing questions, sharing stories, and expanding on shocking statistics (as opposed to simply listing depressing statistics which doesn't do much more than temporarily shock someone).

The most fascinating aspect of this book is when it discusses the importance of Americans not trying to solve the problems of developing countries, but rather provide resources to people within that country so that they can solve their own problems. This idea has slowly been repeated by many but Half the Sky goes a step further in showing how sometimes Americans' ideas of progress may differ from the developing country's idea of progress. We may have different results in mind. Take the organization Tostan, "Tostan sometimes angers feminists for its cautious approach and for its reluctance to use the word 'mutilation' or even say that it is fighting against genital cutting. Instead, it relentlessly tries to stay positive, preparing people to make their own decisions. The curriculum includes a non judgemental discussion of human rights and health issues related to cutting but it never advises parents to stop cutting their daughters. Still, the program broke a taboo by discussing cutting. And once women thought about it and realized that cutting wasn't universal, they began to worry about the health risks" (pg. 226). When I first read about the mission of Tostan even I was baffled at how they didn't openly speak out against genital cutting. But as the authors explain the history of this horrific tradition and why more often than not, its mothers who do this to their daughters, understanding dawned. This organization instead of trying to push their own agenda, listens to the African women it is trying to help and places heavy emphasis on their respective culture. If all non profits did that perhaps we could actually make a difference....

Half the Sky is a siren's song sans the bad result, only good can come out of you heeding the call of this book. There is no way you can read this book without first being heartsick and then resolved to answer the call for action. Women's rights is deemed to be the issue of our generation and while some may debate that, what is not debatable is that we cannot continue to ignore the plight of women around the world. We have to make up for lost time whether by donating to non profits run by native changemakers, providing microfinance loans (the book explains in great detail as to why it is better to loan money to women than men in the developing world), volunteering or a host of other methods. The authors encourage young Americans to travel abroad and volunteer in a hospital, school, etc. run by natives of the respective country or mostly run by the native people. They argue (and I would agree) that this work will have more of an impact on the youth and give them a better understanding of the problems, possible solutions and the culture of the developing country. It may be a shock, but often, the shock factor is the best way to motivate change. This is a book that I think not only everyone should read, but everyone should buy. I certainly intend to, it's a fantastic resource.

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Jan 23, 2012

Marisa rated it

"Women hold up half the sky." --Chinese Proverb

No other book I have ever read has affected me the way this book has. This is a non-fiction book written by two journalists who are married who describe what it is like to grow up as a girl in much of the world. Kristof and WuDunn were journalists covering world events and human rights violations when they discovered that 100 million women are missing from the world. They were covering events like Tiananmen Square and being ...more"Women hold up half the sky." --Chinese Proverb

No other book I have ever read has affected me the way this book has. This is a non-fiction book written by two journalists who are married who describe what it is like to grow up as a girl in much of the world. Kristof and WuDunn were journalists covering world events and human rights violations when they discovered that 100 million women are missing from the world. They were covering events like Tiananmen Square and being outraged that something that horrific could happen to ordinary citizens in China, when they learned that because of gender discrimination as many infant girls die unnecessarily every week in China as protesters who died in Tiananmen. Every year, another 2 million girls disappear because of gender discrimination. Gaining that knowledge led them to a crusade of telling the world these lost girl's stories.

Kristof and DuWunn split up the book into different sections, the first dealing with twenty-first century slavery. There are more slaves in the world in 2012 than there were back during what we commonly think of as the time of slavery during the African slave trades. In these chapters, Kristof and WuDunn recount how common it is for peasant girls in parts of Asia and the Middle East to be kidnapped and sold into brothels. There they are slaves to the brothel owners and are often raped and beaten into submission. They are given drugs to make them compliant, but also far less tempted to run away when they become addicted. Little girls as young as 8 years old are sex slaves in brothels. This happens in 2012, people! How is this acceptable?!

The next few chapters, Kristof and WuDunn talk about mass rape as often a weapon of war against women in places like Africa and the Middle East. There is no faster way to break a civilization than to rape women to show how weak a culture is. Many times these women are gang raped and tortured to bring dishonor to a family. The worst place to be a woman in the world right now is the Congo where it is estimated that 90% of the female population has been raped. Kristof and WuDunn feature the stories of a few women who have spoken out against being raped (often victims of rape are raped again if they go to the police by the police, are shamed into killing themselves to save the family honor, etc.) and have done things to fight back and change their culture and how their culture views rape and women. Rape is more effective in killing a woman than actual poison.

Next Kristof and WuDunn talk about maternal mortality and how common it is for women to die in childbirth around the world. Any American reader should be shocked that our own maternal mortality is much higher than it should be. These chapters were my favorite because the authors discuss different heroes in the world doing something to help women give birth and survive. I've been a huge fan of Dr. Catherine Hamblin and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital since she appeared on the Oprah Show for the first time over a decade ago. We Western women probably have never heard of a fistula, let alone live with something so easily fixable but so debilitating to African women. A fistula is a small hole that is formed in the vagina during obstructed labor that either creates a hole to the bladder wall or rectum, causing the victim to leak urine or feces constantly and uncontrollably. Dr. Hamblin treats fistula patients in Africa giving them back their dignity, their families, and their self-worth. Kristof and WuDunn talk about how easy it is to give women access to good maternal medicine and how it is just not a priority in some countries.

The next section of the book deal with ways to help poverty-stricken countries and women. Micro-lending through organizations like Kiva has done much to improve the quality of life for the women and men mentioned in the book. Kristof and DuWunn do a good job of describing what kind of aid actually helps, and what hurts. This was probably the most inspiring section as the authors chronicle ways that these countries have been helped through charitable entities. It has been proven that when you empower women, give them equal voice and say, that countries and culture profit for the better. You cannot discriminate against half your population and expect your country to succeed.

This book does a fine job of interspersing statistics and facts in with stories of real girls and real women. I found these stories so readable and fascinating that I couldn't help but feel sucked in to their worlds. And I have found a new shero, Dr. Tererai Trent, a one-time victim of domestic violence, poverty, and illiteracy who went from being a cattle-herder in rural Africa to a woman with a doctorate degree. As a reader, I wept with these women, rooted for them, and was immensely humbled by their stories.

I felt my American priviledge just dripping off me with every page I read. Why did I deserve to be born in American? Why aren't I living on the Saharan desert struggling to survive in my mud hut, raising more children than I can handle, being beaten by my husband because that is his right, possibly being infected with AIDs, and not even having the ability to write my own name? This is a reality for millions of women and here I sit on my laptop doing nothing. Until I read this book. Kristof and WuDunn have inspired me to give of my money, time and voice to help change the lives of these women for the better.

In the Appendix of the book, Kristof and WuDunn list organizations that the readers can get involved with to start helping these women change their lives for the better. I love that the book is named after the Chinese proverb, "Women hold up half the sky," because you cannot discriminate, eliminate, silence, rape, and kill, half the population of the world and not have devastating consequences.

I beg, implore, plead with you to read this book. It will change your life. I promise.

The book ends with one of my most favorite quotes:

"You must be THE CHANGE you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Ghandi(less)

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Jan 18, 2012

Dan rated it

This was the second time that I read Half the Sky, having first read it shortly after its release. I first became an admirer of Nick Kristof after reading his columns in the NYT on Darfur. I re-read it as I'm moderating a book discussion for the Humanist Ass'n of CT on Jan. 21. The title comes from a quote by Chairman Mao that women hold up half the sky. No, this isn't Maoist propaganda. It is a call to arms by my favorite columnist and his writing partner and wife Sheryl WuDunn (whose co-a...moreThis was the second time that I read Half the Sky, having first read it shortly after its release. I first became an admirer of Nick Kristof after reading his columns in the NYT on Darfur. I re-read it as I'm moderating a book discussion for the Humanist Ass'n of CT on Jan. 21. The title comes from a quote by Chairman Mao that women hold up half the sky. No, this isn't Maoist propaganda. It is a call to arms by my favorite columnist and his writing partner and wife Sheryl WuDunn (whose co-authorship is not acknowledged by GoodReads). After painting a depressingly vivid portrait of how terribly women are treated in much of the Third World (forced prostitution, genital mutilation, denial of education, healthcare, and dignity, forced marriages that constitute de facto slavery), they make an equally devastatingly argument that the key to many of the world's problems lies in empowering women. No, this isn't liberal pablum; they are completely realistic regarding the obstacles towards achieving this and equally critical of approaches that throw money at the problem and those that are hampered by obsession with abortion or birth control. They argue that a movement to empower women should build coalitions across liberal and conservative lines, avoid exaggerating the problems and effectiveness of solutions, incorporate men into the solutions, and strive to make American feminists more concerned about these international concerns.

This is not an easy book to read - not because it is dense; these are master writers who are accessible to anyone reading at a college level. It is hard because it exposes the reader to uncomfortable truths. And, in this case, the truth is incredibly ugly. They rely heavily on anecdotes; there are some truly amazing women depicted here who not only endured unimaginable horrors but who heroically transcended their past and now make a real difference in their communities. And, the authors acknowledge their purpose in telling these tales, citing studies showing that individuals are more responsive to anecdotal persuasion than to statistics. Yet, they cleverly and mercifully intersperse uplifting stories of success and of volunteers whose lives were enriched by service overseas. Without these islands of hope, some might have difficulty enduring the entire book.

The authors are also honest about their motives in writing the book. They seek to inspire the reader to take action, and they provide many suggestions on ways to do that. It was after reading this the first time that I became a "micro lender" on Kiva. Reading it again makes me want to do more, and I write this review looking forward to the book discussion and the possibility that other readers will be similarly inspired. The book jacket contains a quote from George Clooney: "I think it's impossible to stand by and do nothing after reading Half the Sky." I agree. And, it is impossible to ever view the world the same way again.

Once, about 5 years ago, my mother asked me, if I could pick anyone in the world, who I would most like to meet and have a conversation with. I answered Kristof. This March 1, he is giving a free public lecture in Connecticut. I don't expect to have a conversation with him, but I do look forward to shaking his hand, having him sign my copy of "Half the Sky", and thanking him for all that he does.
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Jan 04, 2012

Leanne rated it

This is by far the book I am most glad that I read during 2011. It was educational, powerful, shocking, challenging, heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. Countless times I stopped reading to absorb what I had just read of what a woman somewhere in the world had lived through - the tragedy and suffering described was so needless. But what makes this book so special is how it is so solutions-focused, I admire that the authors have gone beyond academically approaching a momentous global social,...more

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Dec 28, 2011

Valerie LeComte rated it

Shelves: non-fiction

Half the Sky (Nicholas D. Kristof)
- Highlight on Page 8 | Loc. 121-22 | Added on Saturday, April 16, 2011, 05:44 PM

Yet when the government is not directly involved, people shrug.

- Highlight on Page 8 | Loc. 122-23 | Added on Saturday, April 16, 2011, 05:44 PM

When a prominent dissident was arrested in China, we would write a front-page article; when 100,000 girls were routinely kidnapped and trafficked into brothels, we didn’t even consider it news.

...more

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Nov 25, 2011

Laura rated it

This book is an engaging and inspiring read. I had no idea that Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn had traveled to so many places and investigated so many different issues across the globe. I have a new-found respect for both of them. The language is fairly easy in this book, and I was thinking that it would be a great way to ground a history/geography/community service class in high school on women's rights. The book could be used as the jumping-off point for studying that entire region's h...more

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Sep 12, 2011

Mayday Maddie rated it

Recommends it for: everyone

Incredibly powerful and inspiring.

Despite the depressing tones of the novel, Kristof and WuDunn divide chapters into two sections: the introduction of the problem followed by the introduction of the solution. Many of the issues are gruesome, but more often than not, the solution is simpler than the problem demands -- such as $6 uniforms to keep girls in school. As a feminist, the book was a challenging read, especially to one's beliefs. It puts gender discrimination in the States in ...more

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Aug 27, 2011

LA Carlson rated it

Recommends it for: adults who have a global view

Recommended to LA by: read a review

Shelves: historial-memoir

This book is not for the faint of heart. It explores several stories of women who have been raped and sold into sexual slavery. It explores the customs of Asia and Africa where girls are less valuable than their siblings who are male. The overall impression is often bleak unless the young woman manages to improve her situation; usually with the help of a Western organization. While there is a list in the back of the book of organizations that helps women in these countries it would seem nece...more

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Jul 06, 2011

Hayley rated it

This is a blunt, unflinching and statistically-backed description of how women (mostly in developing nations) face serious problems we can help with.

The authors present individual women who have been sold to brothels, been injured grotesquely by rape or unattended childbirth, been barred from education, and have turned various versions of these problems around.

It's heavy-hitting before it gets to potential solutions (so expect to be depressed), but of course the authors do th...more

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Jun 21, 2011

Shaunna rated it

This has been the most important book I've read in quite some time. It sheds light on the life of women from many other countries/cultures that are a world away from our lives as women here. While the topic is heavy, the books is also filled with inspiring stories of women who have been helped - usually from other women somewhere in another part of the world. The book will touch your heart and should be a call to action for you. It's hard to end the book, set it down and just walk away from it. ...more

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Jun 04, 2011

Di Taylor is currently reading it

I was given this book to read as part of a major upcoming project at work. The book is comprised of a series of short stories from around the world from the points of view of the authors that interviewed women and girls from around the globe. My heart aches at the realization of the oppression these girls and subsequently women find themselves in and must contend to survive and fight for their freedom and in doing, so they choose to LIVE! As an American woman in her mid-40's this book has made m...more

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Jun 03, 2011

Nikitabanana rated it

Women facing poverty, oppression, and violence are usually viewed as victims. When we hear their stories, which is rare, we pity them for the terrible way they are forced to live. But Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn show that sometimes these unimaginable challenges and unendurable pain or often met with strength and courage. The women featured in Half the Sky could give up hope and resign themselves to their sorrow, but they never do. This book highlights the potential of a person’s life ...moreWomen facing poverty, oppression, and violence are usually viewed as victims. When we hear their stories, which is rare, we pity them for the terrible way they are forced to live. But Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn show that sometimes these unimaginable challenges and unendurable pain or often met with strength and courage. The women featured in Half the Sky could give up hope and resign themselves to their sorrow, but they never do. This book highlights the potential of a person’s life and shines a light on the brave women determined to cultivate a bright future.

The stories I read about what these women went through, some trafficked into forced prostitution, some beaten by their husbands and mothers-in-law and many who are denied education are heartbreaking.But most of the stories in the book are those of triumph. They write about Cambodian girls who managed to escape the sex trade to open businesses and support their families about the microfinancing that is allowing some women to own prosperous businesses and about women like Edna Adan, who opened a hospital especially for women in Somaliland. Of course, not all of the stories are upbeat. Some of the girls who managed to escape their brothel ended up returning because they were heavily addicted to drugs. And still women are so undervalued in some societies that even their doctors don’t care if they live or die. But the authors are just trying to express that an individual still has worth and even the smallest, most unassuming soul has the potential to change her life or even her communities.

At the end of the book and on their website, they provide the names of charities dedicated to supporting women in developing countries (http://www.halftheskymovement.org/get-in...). These women have the capacity to enrich their lives and we can help.

I’m sorry this Cannonball review sounds more like a pledge drive than an actual review. But that is the power of Half the Sky; they encourage you to think that you really can make a difference and help people. Everyone should read this ultimately inspiring book, if only to learn about women who are so often ignored.
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May 18, 2011

Jacqie rated it

This was a very ambitious book- it covers women's issues world-wide, with attention paid to sexual trafficking, genital mutilation, maternal mortality and infant homicide, among others. A feel-good book this is not. The information was almost overwhelming, and I wonder if in the author's desire to shed light, they spread their net too wide as far as subject matter goes.
However, they do a good job of going back and forth with (horrifying) statistics and individual stories that put a fac...more

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May 14, 2011

Stephanie I rated it

I read this for a class where we were discussing what women can teach us about freedom and the place of women within the development discourse. This book, though it attempts to do something noble and important (to inform people of sex trafficking, an industry can base one of its biggest "supports" in development) it does it in dangerous ways. Somethings I found: most of the grassroot organizations that are mentioned, that help women and people in developing and underdeveloped countries...moreI read this for a class where we were discussing what women can teach us about freedom and the place of women within the development discourse. This book, though it attempts to do something noble and important (to inform people of sex trafficking, an industry can base one of its biggest "supports" in development) it does it in dangerous ways. Somethings I found: most of the grassroot organizations that are mentioned, that help women and people in developing and underdeveloped countries, are led by Westerners or by Western educated individuals, or backed by Western money. These organizations have so much outside influence, how can they really be called grassroot, despite all the good that they do?

It also attempts to shock people into caring, which is a basic and simple approach. Once they rile people up with these graphic images and stories, how do they get these feelings to last? The authors also tend to simplify very complex ideas in an effort to broaden their audience? That wouldn't be so bad but they claim to do otherwise. On pg. 10 (?) the authors talk about how there are so many divisions and blurred within prostitution, such as willing prostitutes, and state the prostitution they want to target. But throughout the book, they speak as though they're condemning the whole thing. I don't believe in prostitution and I don't want it to be something that people have to turn to. But if they want to turn to it, isn't closing that avenue limiting their capabilities and creating an unfreedom (Sen).

There are other things but lastly: the representation of rape victims within this book. Is it strange how they all seem to discuss their stories with a "monotone"? I feel as though this is an unrealistic representation of rape victims, basically saying they all act this way afterwards, they all recount their experiences this way.

Again, this was a noble endeavor. I just feel as though it could have been done better without criminalizing sexwork, victimizing prostitutes, and oversimplification. (less)

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May 05, 2011

Lubna rated it

A must-read book for all those who care about human rights and the lives of people around the world. Through depressing, touching, and inspirational stories Kristoff and WuDunn encourage the reader to realize that women's issues are something that everyone should be concerned with and that change is indeed possible - you can make a difference and should try to. Quite a few of the stories are hard to read and depressing, but its important to know about the struggles of women around the world esp...more

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Apr 29, 2011

Jack rated it

Shelves: nonfiction

Phenomenal. A bit light on supporting evidence, but powerful anecdotes and helpful discussions of evidence that supports Kristof's and WuDunn's points. The subtitle of this book, as I have mentioned with a few other titles, should be "and if you think your day in America was tough, or you think the grand ol' USA is too mean, unfair, or inconsiderate, shut the hell up!" Probably not a great subtitle, but it would accurately reflect an important point in this book: so many people suff...more

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Apr 28, 2011

Heather rated it

Shelves: non-fiction

Seeing the amount of praise given this book by progressives and conservatives alike, it seems like smug and self-righteous really sells. Or, perhaps it's that whole journalistic idea 'if it bleeds, it leads' that works to capture the reader's attention. Maybe, just maybe, Westerners really know that little about the world outside our borders and the fight for gender equality within and without those borders--and this book actually makes them care.

While as much as I wish that I could ...moreSeeing the amount of praise given this book by progressives and conservatives alike, it seems like smug and self-righteous really sells. Or, perhaps it's that whole journalistic idea 'if it bleeds, it leads' that works to capture the reader's attention. Maybe, just maybe, Westerners really know that little about the world outside our borders and the fight for gender equality within and without those borders--and this book actually makes them care.

While as much as I wish that I could say I liked this book because it brings attention to the war against women the world over, the book is full of 'controlling images' of the poor that are politically useful in a Western context. It's a heavy-handed, exploitative look at the monolithic 'third world woman' (to use Mohanty) through the white/Western male gaze (oh, and the gaze of his WOC wife). Kristof clearly feels for the women he writes about, though it reeks of the 'racist love' that Frank Chin describes. But, the worst part is the way that he naturalizes the oppression of women without historicizing the ways that neoliberal capitalism and development, colonialism, and the political economy of Western imperialism have helped to create these conditions--and not just "out there", but for U.S. third world women, too.

The only reason that this does not get just 1 star is because a) the response that people have had to this book is worth noting--I take some heart in anything that makes people actually care that women are human, too and b) because he does highlight some of the atrocious statistics about women's inequality globally that the (particularly, American) public just never hears.

At best, this book brings light to women's issues and hopefully causes some attention to women's needs in "development," and exposes the misogyny of our social world, which I believe can create change. At worst, it exploits and re-victimizes women by condoning the ideologies of development that often directly result in women's oppression itself. Acknowledging that, it doesn't leave me with a very good taste in my mouth. Instead, I recommend Firth Murray's From Outrage to Courage: The Unjust and Unhealthy Situation of Women in Poor Countries and What They Are Doing About It - this is a well-written, nuanced understanding of global women's health issues and what's being done by women's rights activists to make woman-centered change. (less)

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Jan 09, 2011

Stephanie rated it

“Women hold up half the sky” is a Chinese proverb quoted at the start
by this bestseller, yet women are treated as second-class citizens in
many parts of the developing world, as seen in examples painstakingly
compiled by this Pulitzer-winning husband-and-wife team. Women are
sold into prostitution by kidnappers or, worse, their own relatives;
are denied food and educational opportunities in favour of their
brothers; are victims of rape and “honour” killings; and ar...more

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Jan 08, 2011

Chris rated it

I really enjoyed this book. Kristof and WuDunn take a very pragmatic view on some very difficult, seemingly intractable problems that the world fails to countenance. The issues they highlight (the importance of iodizing salt for consumption during pregnancy to improve child IQ, changing laws that punish or fail to protect children who are trafficked for sex, and building more obstetric fistula clinics, among others) remain woefully underexposed. As somebody frustrated with development campaign...more

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Jan 08, 2011

Danna rated it

Shelves: about-the-world, favorites, recommended

Incredible look at the many women's issues that plague our globe. I could not put this book down. The authors are smart in that, instead of just listing statistics and studies, they introduce the reader to individual women and their awe-inspiring narratives. Kristof and WuDunn travel all over the world and address the issues of sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, lack of education, infanticide, rape as a weapon of war, maternal mortality & morbidity, and more. The message that comes acro...more

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About Nicholas D. Kristof

Nicholas Donabet Kristof is an American journalist, author, op-ed columnist, and a winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. He has written an op-ed column for The New York Times since November 2001 and is widely known for bringing to light human rights abuses in Asia and Africa, such as human trafficking and the Darfur conflict. He has lived on four continents, reported on six, and traveled to 150 countries...more

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“More girls were killed in the last 50 years, precisely because they were girls, than men killed in all the wars in the 20th century. More girls are killed in this routine gendercide in any one decade than people were slaughtered in all the genocides of the 20th century.

The equivalent of 5 jumbo jets worth of women die in labor each day... life time risk of maternal death is 1,000x higher in a poor country than in the west. That should be an international scandal.” — 21 people liked it

“In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world.” — 3 people liked it

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