Ayesha Mattu

These two editors have pulled together essays by Muslim American women about their love lives, although it is about much more than that. Don't be put off by the subtitle, The Secret Love Lives of Muslim American Women. It is about much more than that, and the contributors are serious authors. A broad range of attitudes and ways of practicing Islam are found here, from conservative to progressive and everything in between. That is what makes this book so heartening. (This is my perspective as a non-Muslim.) Multiple "races" and ethnic backgrounds are included e.g. Pakistani, Indian, African, and others. The issues addressed are finding mates, whether arranged or not. A good understanding is shown regarding abilities to refuse arranged partners and the greater family participation that is common in many cultures, but unseen by those of us unfamiliar with the process. A broad range of success/failure is also shown in these stories. There is quite a bit of info about divorced Muslim women which I found interesting and helpful. One of the most interesting sections to me was the one about couples who meet online. It is an interesting topic to address regarding how the relationships develop with the focus taken off of the physical. I did get a little tired initially as it seemed I was only going to hear a bunch of little love stories, but things deepened as the book progressed and I was glad I stayed with it. Another one of those stories where we can see how much more alike we all are than we are different. Four stars.… (mehr)