Waris Dirie ran away from her oppressive life in the African desert when she was barely in her teens, illiterate and impoverished, with nothing... read full description
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Feb 06, 2012
Alicia
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Wow! This is the true story of Waris Dirie. Born as a nomad in Somailia, at age 13 she ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage to a much older man, and she eventually made her way to London, where she was "discovered" after several years and became an international supermodel and even appeared in a James Bond movie.
Her story is unbelievable! I especially loved reading about her life growing up as a nomad - their only nutrition was camel's milk, they slept outsid More...
Her story is unbelievable! I especially loved reading about her life growing up as a nomad - their only nutrition was camel's milk, they slept outsid More...
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Dec 19, 2011
Haja-aivo
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This is a true nonfictional account of coming-of-age. The story begins in a poor pastoral seminomadic family in the middle of Somalian drought. The little girl is already working more than eight hours a day at the age of five and in the same year subject to complete female circumcision. There is a lot of description of making a living out of a barren land just barely managing to stay alive, due to scarce living from the land and also racing for life and death with the African wildebeest such as
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Jan 14, 2009
Kelly
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Waris Dirie is a former supermodel (famous in the 1980's and 1990's) who grew up as a nomad in Somalia. Around age 12 or 13, she ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage to a much older man, and she eventually made her way to London, where she was "discovered" after several years. Soon thereafter, she ended up in a James Bond movie (the terrible one with Timothy Dalton) and appeared in calendars, major magazines, and Revlon ads worldwide.
What is truly impressive a More...
What is truly impressive a More...
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Jul 29, 2011
brilliant book, I could not put it down once I started reading it.
I read it within 24 hours, and found myself mesmerised by this womans story, and how she overcame obstacles that most of us wouldn't dream of, to get to where she is today.
Without going into too much detail, she managed to convey the horror and trauma of being subjected to female genital circumcision, a practise that causes more problems, than it prevents, and convinces you, that as a woman, we have a duty, irregardless of where w More...
I read it within 24 hours, and found myself mesmerised by this womans story, and how she overcame obstacles that most of us wouldn't dream of, to get to where she is today.
Without going into too much detail, she managed to convey the horror and trauma of being subjected to female genital circumcision, a practise that causes more problems, than it prevents, and convinces you, that as a woman, we have a duty, irregardless of where w More...
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Jun 15, 2011
LG
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Anne Russell wrote: “This is an easy read that gives one insight into female circumcision. One finishes the book with an interest to learn more about the issue and how effective the work the UN has done. It also provides an angle on the illegal immigrant story that is not as grim as so many tales are. For those of us living overseas one can appreciate her reflections in the end about being a nomad yet being very loyal to Somalia despite its problems.”
I read this memoir a couple of ye More...
I read this memoir a couple of ye More...
May 21, 2011
purplemagnolia
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Born into a family of Somali desert nomads, world famous model and UN Ambassador Waris Dirie had a different start in life to most. By age six she was tending her family’s animals all day, at 12 her father had arranged her marriage.
At just 12 years old Waris ran away from her home, her family and everything she knew, to escape an arranged marriage to a man much older than her. After travelling for days without water or food, she arrived in the Somali capital Mogadishu. She later made i More...
At just 12 years old Waris ran away from her home, her family and everything she knew, to escape an arranged marriage to a man much older than her. After travelling for days without water or food, she arrived in the Somali capital Mogadishu. She later made i More...
Aug 10, 2011
Jasminka
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"Desert Flower" is a deeply moving, inspiring and incredible true story of a courageous, brave woman born into a Somali desert nomadic family and her development into an international fashion model, a mother and special human rights U.N. ambassador. At the age of 5, she suffered horrifying procedure of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), or circumcision (with a broken razor blade!), which is a common practice in most of the Islamic countries in Africa, but illegal in the rest of the world
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Sep 27, 2010
Justine
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I liked the way the author let us know about her life. This book is very touching. It made me feel for Waris. She was really descriptive in her writing and the way she wrote this book made me think about there culture in a different way. I am proud of her for speaking out about her happenings. The author is also the main character of the book. I believe that is why this book is so moving because it is a true story. I was surprised by many of the things Waris had to do in Somalia. She had to do h
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Sep 27, 2010
Desert Flower is an autobiography about a female desert nomad named Waris Dirie who is the herder of her families livestock. Everyday her routine includes herding all the animals to the nearest watering hole which can be miles and miles away. At the age of 6, Waris was victim to the Somalian tradition of female circumcision. At the shallow age of just 12, Waris was set up to be married to a man that was four times her age and she was not accepting to that fact. Although she knew that by run
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Sep 27, 2010
"You know I can't hold you. I'm on my own here. So try to be a good girl, baby," was a passage from the book I read, "Desert Flower". I think this passage is used throughout the whole book, because she is pretty much on her own through everything she does. I think that's why i like this book so much. I hate going through things on my own and I think that's why everything she goes through just amazes me. If I were to go through something like what she did, I know I probably wo
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Nov 23, 2011
Gabriella
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Outstanding, it may be the true definition for this book. I read it in two days, every page of this book was something new about the fascinating story of Waris Dirie, and how from being an extremely poor somalian girl living in the dessert, she became one of the biggest and most unique models in the model profession. The courage that she has after going through female circumcision, almost getting raped, to survive in the desert of Africa and to then be forced to get married, is unbelievable, to
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Jan 02, 2011
Angelo
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This time I watched the movie and then I read the book. As always the book gives more to understand and it was so interesting what I was reading, that I ended the 375 pages in few days.
It is really amazing how Waris Dirie can explain so easily her history and use this book to share her experience, regarding the brutal female genital mutilation, which is unfortunately still present in several countries in our world.
The tenacity Waris used during her life is impressive. A poor girl who g More...
It is really amazing how Waris Dirie can explain so easily her history and use this book to share her experience, regarding the brutal female genital mutilation, which is unfortunately still present in several countries in our world.
The tenacity Waris used during her life is impressive. A poor girl who g More...
Sep 28, 2010
Jordyn
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Desert Flower is about the struggles of Nomad, Waris, in Siberia. She struggles with everyday life, and fights the culture that she was born into. Every girl has to go to the same thing to become a "woman", circumcision. Waris wanted to go through this, she wanted to be respected, and liked by boys. Boys didn't want anything to do with "girls", they wanted the real "women". Waris eventually watched as her sister goes through the pain, and then is married off to a
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Sep 24, 2010
Allie
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Desert Flower is about a woman, named Waris Dirie, who grew up in Somalia. This book talks about how the tradition of her people, how they circumcize the daughters. She ran away when she was 13, and went to London. This book also talks about her life as a model, and the troubles she has.
I really like this book, because even though it is sick what they do to their daughters, Waris is a very strong woman. She came to London and she doesn't know how to speak English, she can't write, and she More...
I really like this book, because even though it is sick what they do to their daughters, Waris is a very strong woman. She came to London and she doesn't know how to speak English, she can't write, and she More...
Dec 01, 2011
Christina
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Desert Flower is a biography about Waris Dirie. Waris talks about her life growing up as a nomad in Somalia, Africa. At the age of 5, Waris pressures her mother to let her get a female circumsision, because she wanted to be like her two older sisters. Waris ran away from her family and life in Somalia, because her father who wanted to marry her off around 13 years old. The book also describes Waris's life once she left home. Waris lives with several different family members. At one point, Waris
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Mar 15, 2011
Raiya
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انتهيت بالأمس من قراءة رواية زهرة الصحراء. استمتعتُ كثيراً بقراءتها واكتشتفتُ عوالم أخرى جديدة كنت أجهلها. الرواية من نوع الروايات التي ما أن تبداً في قرائتها؛ حتى تجد نفسك وقد أنهيتها في مدة قصيرة لسلاستها و واقعية الأفكار فيها.
الرواية معنونة بـ" ديزرت فلاور" أي زهرة الصحراء. وهي لـ ويريس داير.
الرواية من القطع المتوسطة الحجم، في 430 صفحة.
الرواية بأحداثها وتفاصيلها تعتبر جريئة في الطرح، حيث أن الكاتبة تحكي عن قصة حياتها إبتداء من طفولتها الحزينة في صحراء الصومال More...
الرواية معنونة بـ" ديزرت فلاور" أي زهرة الصحراء. وهي لـ ويريس داير.
الرواية من القطع المتوسطة الحجم، في 430 صفحة.
الرواية بأحداثها وتفاصيلها تعتبر جريئة في الطرح، حيث أن الكاتبة تحكي عن قصة حياتها إبتداء من طفولتها الحزينة في صحراء الصومال More...
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Oct 15, 2011
Susannah
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An inspiration to all women - This is a true story of courage and determination.
Waris Dirie is now a model, but this is a far cry from her childhood. Waris Dirie ran away from her oppressive life in the African desert when she was barely in her teens, illiterate and impoverished, with nothing to her name but a tattered shawl. She traveled alone across the dangerous Somali desert to Mogadishu—the first leg of a remarkable journey that would take her to London, where she worked as a h More...
Waris Dirie is now a model, but this is a far cry from her childhood. Waris Dirie ran away from her oppressive life in the African desert when she was barely in her teens, illiterate and impoverished, with nothing to her name but a tattered shawl. She traveled alone across the dangerous Somali desert to Mogadishu—the first leg of a remarkable journey that would take her to London, where she worked as a h More...
Apr 20, 2011
viktoria
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Jan 03, 2008
Deb
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This is an unbelievable story of a young Somalian woman who escapes a forced marriage to an older man, costing her father several camels in bride price. She tells her own story of how she survived to become a model and eventually a U. N. advocate against the customs of female mutilation to guarantee virginity at marriage.
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Sep 05, 2010
Erin
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Now an international model, Waris Dirie came from humble beginnings in a remote part of the Somali desert. Desert Flower tells of her journey from a nomadic family of sheep and goat herders, through a painful escape from an arranged marriage to an older man. After she finds out her father has essentially sold her to this man, Waris makes the difficult decision to head off in search of an uncle in Mogadishu. Waris's journey continues as she works in London and at last finds a job as a model.
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May 23, 2010
Ali Reza
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بعضي از جاهاي كتاب اينقدر تحت تاثير قرار مي گيري كه دلت مي خواهد گريه كني. خاطرات واريس ديري ، تلخ است و با زبان خود واريس بيان شده . ساده و بي تكلف. مثل زندگي كولي وار خودش. و يكي از تلخ ترين جمله هاي كتاب:" در بخشي از دنيا ما براي غذا تلاش مي كنيم و در طرف ديگر مردم پول مي دهند كه وزن كم كنند." . ما با خاطرات واريس به سومالي به عمق بدويت در دنياي متمدن امروز مي رويم و با او به انگلستان ، ايتاليا ، آمريكا سفر مي كنيم و خاطرات دريچه اي تازه به روي ما باز مي كند.
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Mar 04, 2011
Franzi
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Waris Dirie wuchs in Somalischen Wüste auf. Sie wurde mit 5 Jahren beschnitten, weil es dort so tradition ist.
Als sie etwas älter wurde sollte sie von ihrem Vater aus einen alten Mann heiraten.
Das konnte Waris nicht und haut von zu hause ab. Erst kommt sie bei Verwandten unter und eines Tages wird sie von ihrem Onkel mit nach London genommen.
Sie arbeitet die ersten 4 Jahre als Dienstmädchen und als ihr Onkel und deren Familie wieder nach Somalia zurück wollte ist sie dort gebli More...
Als sie etwas älter wurde sollte sie von ihrem Vater aus einen alten Mann heiraten.
Das konnte Waris nicht und haut von zu hause ab. Erst kommt sie bei Verwandten unter und eines Tages wird sie von ihrem Onkel mit nach London genommen.
Sie arbeitet die ersten 4 Jahre als Dienstmädchen und als ihr Onkel und deren Familie wieder nach Somalia zurück wollte ist sie dort gebli More...
Jan 29, 2012
Alexandra
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Wow! Eine sehr berührende Biografie des berühmten Models und gleichzeitig ein Manifest gegen die Genitalverstümmelung und Unterdrückung von afrikanischen Frauen, weiters aber auch eine Liebeserklärung an Afrika, die Steppe und die Natur.
Hat mich sehr bewegt!
Hat mich sehr bewegt!
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Mar 17, 2008
Heather
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Certainly worth the read. It is a short, easy, and intersting autobiography. I really enjoyed the first 150 ish pages and, despite the human rights issues at the end, I was less impressed with the conclusion. Still, quite good with an important message.
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Oct 29, 2010
Samantha
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Desert Flower is the story of the life of a girl named Waris who lived in Africa. As the book goes on, many things happen to Waris; some things good, but many are bad. I love this book because it makes you realize that in some countries, there are some people who suffer more than you would ever imagine.
When I read this book, I couldn't put it down. It made me angry that these things happened but there is a good ending! This book left me with many questions. Such as, wha More...
When I read this book, I couldn't put it down. It made me angry that these things happened but there is a good ending! This book left me with many questions. Such as, wha More...
Aug 24, 2011
Vikki
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This is an incredible memoir by Waris Dirie that begins with her childhood as a desert nomad in Somalia and ends with tremendous success and respect. Dirie pays a beautiful tribute to the land of her upbringing and the way of life she enjoyed as a young girl, herding goats and camels and learning how to exist with the land. However as a maturing girl she experiences the horrible mutilation of FGM and rebels against family tradition. She leaves her nomad family behind and eventually works as a ma
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Nov 14, 2008
Sandra D
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Interesting, but Born in the Big Rains by Fadumo Korn -- also a survivor of FGM -- was a much better book.
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Apr 24, 2010
Jules
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This book detailing the life of a Somalian girl who becomes a topmodel is quite fascinating. The way she, with her nomadic upbringing, experiences life in the "Western world" offer quite a different view on what, for me, is quite normal: the importance of time, for instance. However the book is not just about that; it also deals with the heavy subject of Female Genital Mutilation, the reasons and effects of it, showing how it has been for her.
Desert Flower is a quick read t More...
Desert Flower is a quick read t More...
Apr 15, 2010
Sanne
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Well, it's actually the third time I read this book and it's still a beautifully written book. This is the book which urged me to study Gender Studies. When I turned the last page I just knew I wanted to study Gender Studies.
In short what this book's about: it's an autobiography in which Dirie writes about her life and how she fled from home at age 13 when she was forced to marry a very old man. A really important topic is the circumcision she experienced when she was just 5 years old More...
In short what this book's about: it's an autobiography in which Dirie writes about her life and how she fled from home at age 13 when she was forced to marry a very old man. A really important topic is the circumcision she experienced when she was just 5 years old More...
Oct 25, 2010
Kellsey
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I thought this book was amazing. Waris defintiely has a unique personality and doesn't take crap from anyone, which I admire. It's crazy how much determination she has also. Leaving her culture in Somalia to New York and London is a pretty big deal. And for her to take a stand about circumcision is awesome. One of the passages that I thought was pretty sweet was when she was going to a casting and thought, "Oh, well, it doesn't matter. I'll be fine because I am one good-looking b*tch!"
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