Katherine Zoepf: Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women who are Transforming the Arab World

Excerpt

In Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women who are Transforming the Arab World, New York Times Reporter, Katherine Zoepf submerges herself in the Arabic culture to learn and understand the traditional and evolving ways of young Arab girls. Originally the New York Times wanted her to report on increasing religiosity among the younger generation in countries that are primarily Muslim. She went above and beyond in the sense that she lived her everyday life with these women, staying in Saudi Arabia for months, sometimes years, at a time talking to the women and getting their stories so their voices can be heard. Through her book, Zoepf hopes to bring awareness to the “love lives” of Arabic women and how they are changing while staying connected to their traditional ties. Zoepf attributes her original interest in the culture to the attacks of 9/11, saying she wanted to make more sense of them, but her interest grew as she found herself oddly charmed by a culture that is seen so negatively on a national stage. Through true stories and interviews of Muslim families, Zoepf is able to shed light on the positive aspect of their ways of life as well as the oppressing parts that brave new women are starting to change. …