Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 774948 times)

JoanK · « **Reply #3800 on:** October 18, 2012, 02:40:24 PM »

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers.

Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader: Judy Laird

Her new one isn't available on kindle, either.

Steph · « **Reply #3801 on:** October 19, 2012, 08:59:42 AM »

I like Shaber very much, but it is hard to find her books..

pedln · « **Reply #3802 on:** October 19, 2012, 10:53:51 AM »

I just finished Louise's War, in the middle of the night last night. It's probably the first time I've heard about a book and immediately downloaded it (cold) to my Kindle. I loved it, she has some surprises there and ties things up very nicely. We lived in DC at the beginning of the war -- I was in first grade when Pearl Harbor was bombed. By the time school was out in June the non-war agencies had been transferred out of the city -- my dad to Chicago with the FDIC and my uncle to Philadelphia with the SEC. My dad died two years later and we never went back there to live. My son has lived there now for over 20 years, and on my next visit I want to go to Union Station. I've never seen it and Shaber gives a wonderful description.

A good friend here left her Missouri home after her sophmore year in high school and went to DC to help the war effort. She was 16 years old and the two friends who went with her were 15. They lived in Ma and Pa Carter's boarding house on Rhode Island Ave.

salan · « **Reply #3803 on:** October 19, 2012, 11:00:38 AM »

Steph, Amazon has a lot of Shaber's books. Many are just $2.99 on Kindle.
Sally

MaryPage · « **Reply #3804 on:** October 19, 2012, 02:11:46 PM »

I have lived near DC and been in and out of it all of my life. I often paid long visits to family who lived there while I was growing up. All of my married life, I lived either in the Maryland or the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.

I was 12 years old when Pearl Harbor was bombed. We had never heard of Pearl Harbor, and Hawaii was a possession then, not a state. We did know where Hawaii was, as we all had yearned to go there. It was news to us that our Navy hung out there. We did not learn until the war was over how bad that day actually was.

I remember most the building of the Pentagon (drove by it often) and the many ghastly temporary buildings all along the Mall.

Everyone and every thing went to war. Today's generations have no idea whatsoever what all out war is.

I was 16 when we celebrated V-J day. I had more kisses from more utterly unknown to me soldiers and sailors on city streets that night than most women get in a lifetime! Well, so did every other female, young and old, who was out on American streets celebrating that night!

Ah, memories!

nlhome · « **Reply #3805 on:** October 19, 2012, 07:46:03 PM »

I really appreciate hearing about those memories!

I liked Louise's War. I have only modern memories of D.C., but the streets, the Foggy Bottom area, all were familiar.

Steph · « **Reply #3806 on:** October 20, 2012, 06:21:35 AM »

I grew up in Delaware, so was always close to D.C. and a lot of people I went to school with ended up working there. My cousin went to U. of Maryland, so when I was a late teen, used to visit her and we always went into D.C. Freer place than anywhere else in the mid 50's. Was there for a week a few years ago 2008.... not a nice place to wander away from the monument area now.. Union Station is glorious.. I have taken the train so many times and sometimes have had a chance to disembark and wander a bit..
Way too many homeless there . They sleep literally everywhere.

Babi · « **Reply #3807 on:** October 20, 2012, 08:59:00 AM »

I've started my first 'Miss Julia' book, 'tho not the first of the series. Which means there are a number of characters
the author reasonably assumes everyone knows about now. These are sorting themselves out now, and the book is
the light reading I want at the moment. I can't really identify with Miss Julia, though. A woman who refuses to travel?
Who would rather stay home and hassle with remodeling the house rather than join her husband for a trip to Israel?
Are there really people like that?

marjifay · « **Reply #3808 on:** October 20, 2012, 01:03:10 PM »

Has anyone read BRICK LANE by Monica Ali? It was recommended to me by a friend, and sounds interesting. I was especially curious after reading about the advice her mother gave her in the Amazon review:

Per Amazon, "Wildly embraced by critics, readers, and contest judges (who put it on the short-list for the 2003 Man Booker Prize), Brick Lane is indeed a rare find: a book that lives up to its hype. Monica Ali's debut novel chronicles the life of Nazneen, a Bangladeshi girl so sickly at birth that the midwife at first declares her stillborn. At 18 her parents arrange a marriage to Chanu, a Bengali immigrant living in England. Although Chanu--who's twice Nazneen's age--turns out to be a foolish blowhard who "had a face like a frog," Nazneen accepts her fate, which seems to be the main life lesson taught by the women in her family. "If God wanted us to ask questions," her mother tells her, "he would have made us men." Over the next decade-and-a-half Nazneen grows into a strong, confident woman who doesn't defy fate so much as bend it to her will."

I have just been reading about the little Pakistani girl who was recently almost killed when she was shot in the head by the Taliban because she spoke out about wanting girls to be able to have an education. The Taliban had ordered the closing of schools for girls. Girls seem to have such an awfully sad life in many of these places.

Marj

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3809 on:** October 20, 2012, 01:40:42 PM »

I have read 'Brick Lane' and seen the film - it was a while ago, and now they seem to be a bit confused in my head! They were both certainly very good, and Monica Ali seems to know her stuff about the life of first and second generation immigrants in the East End of London.

I haven't read 'Small Island', which I think came out at about the same time and with a similar theme.

Rosemary

marjifay · « **Reply #3810 on:** October 20, 2012, 02:14:04 PM »

I haven't read Small Island either, but it sounds interesting. I've put it and Brick Lane on my TBR list.

Thanks, Rosemary.

Marj

pedln · « **Reply #3811 on:** October 20, 2012, 06:31:40 PM »

Brick Lane sounds good, Marjifay, and have added the film to my Netflix queue and the book in my Amazon cart, not necessarily for immediate purchase.

That young Pakistani girl who was shot must have a lot of fortitude. In 2009, at age 11, she was blogging for BBC, about what it was like to live under Taliban rule.

And an article in this week's Time Magazine, that I just finished this afternoon, tells of another Pakistani girl, age 11, taking a physics class on a MOOC (online) a month ago when the government shut down access to YouTube, supposedly because of the protests over the anti-Muslim video. The girl was in the middle of the final exam and was devastated, but she posted in the class discussion, "I am very angry, but I will not quit." Classmates from around the world, adults, provided workarounds so she could finish the exam, which she did with highest distinction. She and her twin brother have now signed up for a computer science class, college level.

I think Pakistan is something of an enigma, and in some aspects untrustworthy, but with such determined young people perhaps there is hope for democracy there.

bellemere · « **Reply #3812 on:** October 20, 2012, 10:26:18 PM »

My granddaug;hter began her first year at University of Virginia and was paired with a second generation Pakistani girl. It was love at first sight, they got along so well they promised toroom toghther next year as well. But Khadeeja's parents have friends with a daughter entering the university next year and want very much for her to have a Muslim roommate. So K. , as a dutiful daughter had to tell my granddaughter their plans would have to change. Granddaughter taking it well, but a little sad. Most American parents would not intervene in their daughter's choice of a college roommate. I wonder when things will finally change for American Mslim girls. Next generation?

Babi · « **Reply #3813 on:** October 21, 2012, 09:46:01 AM »

I'm so glad help was found for that young Pakistani girl, PEDLN. It is such a shame when a
find mind goes to waste for lack of opportunities.

I wonder, BELLEMERE, if the parents are fearful that their daughter would not be treated well
unless she was with someone they could trust? It may be that once the young lady becomes
accustomed to her new situation and makes some friends, she will want a different roommate, too.
College dorm life in the USA can be a difficult adjustment, and doubly so for a young woman from
an Islamic country.

Steph · « **Reply #3814 on:** October 21, 2012, 11:24:29 AM »

Living in Florida where there are a good many Pakistani and Muslims.. the parents want to stay with the old customs and the children dont.. It seems to lend itself to all sorts of complications.. Why do they come to the US if everything that happens in Pakistan is the right way. Wouldnt it make sense to stay there??

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3815 on:** October 21, 2012, 12:26:04 PM »

Oh I am third generation three quarters German and until WWII we still spoke German at home and my mother kept a German kitchen and the talk at the table was often about Kaiser Wilhelm. the boys were educated or if there was a family business they were next in line and and and - I was not alone - not only did I have other friends whose family was German with the same outlook but there were some Italian families in the neighborhood and they also spoke Italian, made their own wine, played boccie in the side yard etc etc Again, the boys were heralded and the girls were expected to marry but with far more restrictive control over their dating life. Everyone was expected to marry within the nationality of the family - and so I do not see this current crop of immigrants any different than previous immigrants.

As to dorm sharing - if she is the eldest daughter than in many families - I know I am an eldest - we are expected from early childhood to look after our younger brothers and sisters who the family sees as more coddled and needing more care - in some ways it is comfortable to room with your kid sister and it is too bad that friends are no longer room mates - but better the breakup is because of a younger sister rather than another girl in the Dorm - sure it hurts but then to wish her ex room-mate well and go on is probably the stronger way.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3816 on:** October 21, 2012, 01:54:41 PM »

Marj.

Glad you ordered "Brick Lane" you will enjoy it. Me being from the North UK where many Pakistan people now live, I am amazed when I go back to watch and see how they still stick to their Muslim ways of life. I t is hard for some of their Teen agers to stick to. They still bring men over from Pakistan to marry their daughters. Many of the girls have been beaten for not agreeing. Some for just being seen talking to a English boy. You will understand a little after reading the book.

bellemere · « **Reply #3817 on:** October 21, 2012, 07:11:38 PM »

Barb, that is actually my granddaughter's pholosophy. She and K. will enjoy sharing this year, and will surely remain good friends. As an only child, my granddaughter is truly delighted to have an "almost sister" . She is also being very mature about the whle thing. Good sign.
who found the funny witch picture?

MaryPage · « **Reply #3818 on:** October 22, 2012, 08:12:26 AM »

It is all typical of ethnic groups that have come here over our whole history. I, too, can remember whole sections of cities that were all Italian, all Irish, all Chinese, and so on and on. Whole towns have been started up and settled by Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Spanish and so on and on. As the original generations die off, the younger generations intermarry and become throughly Americanized. You have to be rigid in your rules to keep your own kind in your own community and others out. The Amish have done this, and health-wise it has been their loss, as there are genetic problems in their communities now. It would seem that Biologically we really should mix it up good.

Steph · « **Reply #3819 on:** October 22, 2012, 09:11:43 AM »

I guess I was lucky.. My paternal line came in the 1600's, so although we knew we were ethnic Dutch and German, it was not important to my parents or grandparents. My Mother was adopted, but by a Norwegan and German, so they made an agreement not to use either culture to raise their daughter.
I still feel that German, Italian, Irish, etch etch came here because they wanted the freedom and opportunity here. Their children assimilated for the most part.. The Muslims wont.. and that is that for them.. I see it here all the time..When I owned the tourist store, I actually had muslim men come in my store to get a job for their wife or daughter. They could not believe that I would not hire anyone that did not speak english or come in in person for a job.. I have had them scream at me.. I was prejudiced. I once went into a little convenience store to get a quart of milk.. I only had a 20.00. gave it to the clerk and he said.. NO CHANGE... and took it. I said. then give it back to me.. He shook his head no.. I got out my cell phone and told him last chance, I was going to call 911... I gave him the milk and he made the ugliest face I have ever seen and gave it back. As I left, I told him , I would never visit his store again and would tell all my neighbors what he had done..And I did.

jeriron · « **Reply #3820 on:** October 22, 2012, 12:47:56 PM »

I think with the Muslims it has to do with their religion. Their religion is the biggest part of their life.

JoanK · « **Reply #3821 on:** October 22, 2012, 05:31:20 PM »

"Their children assimilated for the most part."

As a rule, it took three generations for most immigrant groups to assimilate. The parents didn't: the second generation was in the middle: some assimilated, others didn't. But the third generation was pretty well assimilated. That was certainly true in my father's Italian family: he (second generation) was completely assimilated, but his brothers and sisters whom I met spoke English with an accident and lived in Italian neighborhoods.

It's too early to know how the Muslim immigrants will fit in. The few I know fit in fine, although it's sometimes hard for them. Please don't let one encounter with a nasty person put you off a whole people. Every group has nasty people in it. I cant imagine his fellow immigrants liked dealing with him any more than you did.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3822 on:** October 22, 2012, 05:55:03 PM »

You may want to read While Europe Slept by Bruce Bawer. It is about Muslim immigration into Europe.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3823 on:** October 22, 2012, 07:52:31 PM »

I think I finally got my log-in problem fixed...keep your fingers crossed.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3824 on:** October 23, 2012, 09:44:17 AM »

We should not compare the newly arrived Muslims with ourselves at all, especially the men. We should put ourselves in their shoes and remember they really and truly feel that ANY woman and ALL women are not in any way equal to men. Women are of a lower, stupid order and must be ruled and managed by men. They do not see it as a wrong to take advantage of a stupid female; it is their privilege so to do.

Living in our culture will eventually teach the immigrants what is and is not allowed here. Their children will learn much faster, and I agree, by the third generation they should be pretty well assimilated. As far as the RELIGION itself is concerned, remember we already had EIGHT MILLION American born and raised citizens who belong to the Nation of Islam and attend mosques. They are just as red, white and blue as are we.

I remember when I was a small child, long before any question of Civil Rights was raised, I thought no thoughts at all about the status quo. In my home town, black children went to a different school (and I never even SAW it! Small town, and I never saw it!) and attended different churches (I did know where these were) and could not eat in public with white people. This was our culture, and I never questioned it. It just was. Now, I shudder at how we were.

bellemere · « **Reply #3825 on:** October 23, 2012, 09:45:12 AM »

Redfield Farm is the name of the clunker Boook Club picked for next month,. I missed the meeting since I am recovering from arthrosopy on my knee. I cannot find a lot of fault with it, it is just blah and predictable. Some stupid sex scnes feturing manly chests and rippling muscles. But it does give a picture, highly colored, of the underground reailway in the nineteenth centtury and the work of the Society of Friendsl.

marjifay · « **Reply #3826 on:** October 23, 2012, 10:32:18 AM »

I just finished Hilary Mantel's BRING UP THE BODIES. Wow, can that woman write!
Easier to read than Wolf Hall, but just as good. I now have Alison Weir's THE LADY IN THE TOWER; THE FALL OF ANNE BOLEYN waiting to be read. Weir apparently gives a somewhat different slant on who started the accusations against Boleyn.

Marj

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3827 on:** October 23, 2012, 12:29:30 PM »

I mentioned i'd "join" Artsy.com that sends info about art to your mailbox in order to see what "join" means. It is just a means of their being able to send paintings and info to your mailbox. Open Culture is a creditable site which was why i was willing to try it. Most of the paintings i've seen have appeared to be contempoary, but i know very little about art other than the masters. Some of you who are more knowledgable may appreciate them. Altho today's link was to some Picasso.

http://art.sy/gene/fractured-geometry

This morning's open culture news letter has another "gift" for art lovers - 65 modern art books online.

http://www.openculture.com/2012/01/free_the_guggenheim_puts_65_modern_art_books_online.html

maryz · « **Reply #3828 on:** October 23, 2012, 01:03:24 PM »

The open culture site looks interesting. Thanks, Jean.

JoanP · « **Reply #3829 on:** October 23, 2012, 01:03:52 PM »

Well, we had the vote of the 8 nominated titles for November discussion - and narrowed the list to three. We held a run-off election - only to find the results way to close to call. Here's what we decided to do.

The Hobbit November Book Club Online discussion. Join us today! HERE

*************************************************

Travels with Herodotus January Book Club Online Discussion by Ryszard Kapuscinski

Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof - for consideration in March (if there is still interest)

Steph · « **Reply #3830 on:** October 23, 2012, 01:22:14 PM »

I guess I would be more inclined to give muslims a pass if it were not for the cases of teen daughtesr being murdered for shaming their fathers or brothers.. and female circumsion.. Both things that are against the law and in some areas, they want to called the law Sharia and do it.. Wrong..
Assimilation was slow but sure up to now.. I am not quite sure about the newest immiigration patterns. The original immigrants came to this country to be come citizens and buy land, make money and be free. I dont find this in the recent immigration patterns.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3831 on:** October 23, 2012, 01:42:29 PM »

Its true - few farmers but in the US today hardly anyone can be a farmer - land is mostly owned by large operations - now the Mexican will work the land and do any number of jobs requiring physical labor and they live closer to the profile of past groups that emigrated to the US but I think the only Muslims that can afford to make the trip are city folks but whose education is not acknowledged and they really have to start over.

I know religion is the rational but it drives me up the wall to see all these girls and women in head-coverings - we have not seen Catholic Nuns in the streets wearing their traditional ancient head-covering garb for over 40 years now and so to see a whole female population dress like nuns - I am of the opinion 'When in Rome...' sort of thing and so that, and what it represents, making women a separate class tries my patience.

I also think Muslims would do themselves a huge favor and either video or have a special on PBS filming one of their services - that seems to take away the jaundiced look - as long as a religious service is held private and therefore, secret to the rest of us we can only use our imaginations that adds to a negative viewpoint if we shared a negative experience - I saw that once the Catholic Mass was on TV there was a change in how they were tolerated in those areas of the nation that had a big problem - of course it did help to have John F. Kennedy elected as president.

I want to know where and how do Islamic women worship - from what I observe the Mosque is for men.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3832 on:** October 23, 2012, 02:37:55 PM »

Our conversation about Muslims could have taken place, with almost identical statements, throughout U.S. history just with an exchange of ethnic groups. Ben Franklin was condemning of those gutteral speaking, uncouth Germans who continued to speak German in their churches and fraternal clubs and publish German language papers, and those Grman-related activities continued for many generations. The Irish, starting in the 18th century and continuing through many waves of immigration, were condemned as drinking papists, ruled by Rome, not by the constitution. Similar anger was addressed to Italians and we know many are still being branded at first sight, or hearing of their names, as Mafiosa. There are still many German, Irish and Italian fraternities, clubs and celebrations.

As waves of Eastern European and Russian immigrants began to come at the turn of the 20th century and into the 20th century, their "strange" (different from those people already here) language, clothes, food, religions and religious celebrations etc. made them victims of derision and worse. many were labeled as Socialists or Communists who threatened our capitalism, because some of them were, but more so because countries they emigrated from had become thus. Many of them were actually vehemently against those ideologies.

The trend has continued as there are new immigrants or emigration within the country - Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and now Arabs, Muslims, India-Indians, etc. because they have each been "the other", someone who is different from the general society.

All of us had ancestors who at sometime were "the other", members of the new immigration and not looked on fondly by those already here - even those of us who have ancestors who came in the 17th and 18th centuries.......the Native Americans had many unkind things to say and do about them, including that they were hairy and smelly and knew nothing about how to survive in the wilderness and had only one god!

I just wanted to purport that our conversation is not a new one. It's very typical and should be undrstood from an historical, sociological perspective........... Just the 50 years of being a teacher coming out......

Babi · « **Reply #3833 on:** October 24, 2012, 08:42:18 AM »

You know, I think we should bear in mind that 'freedom of religion' is one of the very
things that have always attracted immigrants to our country. Sure, the traditional Muslim
women dress differently than we do; it's what they are comfortable with. There will naturally
be changes with each new generation. It would be nice if we could stop repeating the same
pattern with each wave of immigration; ie, treating them as lesser beings. They are only
required to obey our laws, not to drastically alter their way of life to something we are
comfortable with.

Well said, JEAN!

Steph · « **Reply #3834 on:** October 24, 2012, 08:58:58 AM »

I find that a good many retail owners that are Korean...IE Oriental and the Indian who own small shops are quite different than the usual store owners. I have also stayed in motels that were Indian all the way through.. I am always disappointed in the motels.. Thin towells, small soap, grudging behaviour and the ability here in Disney land to actually try to charge extra for the TV, mattress. etc. I volunteered for a while with the visiters bureau and the complaints were eye opening.. I also remember in my teeny used book store, we had Korean and VietNamese neighbors store people.. They were quite difficult to be in a small center with. They park directly in front of their stores, since this is customary in their countries, but in the US is a direct NO>. The viet Namese with the food store tried to use our back parking lot as a place to dry and cure vegetables and got really incensed with the association turned them into the board of health, but we talked and talked to them and they would just turn and walk away.. Then we had a vietnamese nail place open. The man who owned it was a village elder in Viet Nam.. He was a horrible old man.. accused my husband of keying his car ... would barge into our store looking for a granddaughter who liked to visit and read and tell me that he would call the police. I finally got mad one day, called the police myself and made a formal complaint.. Then he tried to say we attacked him.. We ended up in court several months later, but he never showed up. It was a serous mess.

pedln · « **Reply #3835 on:** October 24, 2012, 09:15:13 AM »

My DIL has a good friend who is originally from Turkey, married to an American, sons are typical American boys. She dresses like any suburban mom and swims regularly with my DIL. I didn't even know she was Muslim until DIL told me that she wasn't swimming during Ramadan because of the fasting and no food or drink passing her lips. I thought that was real committment.

bellemere · « **Reply #3836 on:** October 24, 2012, 09:26:40 AM »

If a headscarg is worn as a symbol of the value of modesty, I can understand, given some of the outfits I see on our teenagers and een older women. I think we cannot understand the deep revulsion of Muslims at the degree of immodesty in dress that permeates so much of "Western" society . To kids today, the ultimate compliment on appearance is "sexy" . I still cannot get over the thong bathing suit!

Then again, the implication of the full length burkha seems to relate the female body to nothing but a teomptation to sin.
We have a very respected physician in our town, a Muslim, who came years ago and raised a family here. One day he was eating ouch in the hospital cafeteria when his 19 year old daughter came in, looking for him. Even with her headscare, her beauty was so "deop dead" gorgeious that every eye in the place turned to her, and there was an andible "buzz" of admiration. The doctor was furious. I think an American father might have a very different reaction.

The mosque in our town has a women's gallery for worship. A sort of carved screen runs across thfront, protecting the women form looks of the men.
Yes, a huge gap separates us, with regard to the status of women. it will be interesting to watch how the second and third generation of girsl adapt or "submit".

MaryPage · « **Reply #3837 on:** October 24, 2012, 03:57:07 PM »

I object strongly to the burkas, but not to scarves and head coverings. I object to Muslim women feeling they are FORCED to wear headcovering, but not to their WANTING to wear it.

It seems only yesterday we could not go into a church in this country without something on our heads. I can remember grabbing a kleenex out of my purse and sticking that on my head with a bobby pin to enter a church just to see the stained glass during a weekday!

How quickly we forget.

Every mosque has a section for women. Every one of them. Some Christian religions used to separate the sexes; they may still, for all I know. So did the Jews; I think the Orthodox.

All of us People of The Book, i.e., those who descended from Abraham, the Jews, Christians of every stripe, and the Muslims, have a common ancestry and lots of like traditions.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3838 on:** October 24, 2012, 04:38:08 PM »

When you see photos of folks in the street in the middle east back just before WWII through the 50s very very few women have their heads covered and no signs of a burka with almost as many women in the streets many in western clothing as there are men wearing their tunic like shirts over their pants or their long thwab or kandora - and so all this covering from head to foot as well as head scarves as a must for women has emerged in the last 40 to maybe 50 years.

I understand different culture - differences in religion - even differences in dress - what my reaction to the head scarves is about is it represents women who will follow the dictates of men so much that some even revel in choosing to wear them that reminds me of the housewife of the 50s who actually rooted for her place as the doormat for society and her family.

It sounds like some of you have been allowed into a mosque - I was turned away because i was a women and so my assumption has been women are not allowed - I still think seeing a service would allow better understanding.

As to Asians - yes, their ways are different but I notice that there are more differences based on their economic place in their homeland - but listening or rather asking after knowing them a bit about the stories of how they lived and what they had to do to come here - not just those from Viet Nam either - whew - I had spoken with several from Indonesia that are my age and during WWII she and her mother lived off berries etc. hiding in the forests from the soldiers who would only have raped her - and another younger who was the daughter of a women used by our soldiers and the mother begged one of the soldiers to marry the daughter (age 12) to bring her here - he did but when I helped them sell their house there was a secret closet in the brickwork for the fireplace that was where she said she could hide. And a young woman from China who grew up without her mother because she was a Doctor, sent to a labor camp and then to a poor section of China while her father, a professor was sent to jail. These stories go on and on and they must keep learning new ways to survive.

I also found that many cannot read or if they can they cannot read English and everything is coming at them so they easily get angry - it is their only protection - they are trying to exist the only way they know and are angry and confused so they shut down and are not open to learning yet, one more new way. It is a problem but one that I can only imagine takes patience and finding someone who can explain in their language. Someone who they will respect.

maryz · « **Reply #3839 on:** October 24, 2012, 04:53:22 PM »

I confess to knowing very little about Islam. But a couple of years ago, we went to a one-day Elderhostel on learning about Islam at a newly built mosque in Atlanta. The only requirement was that we remove our shoes on entering. There were probably more women than men in the group. None of the group was allowed in the main worship space, but we were allowed to look into the room. We were served a lovely lunch by women of the congregation, although all the program was done by men. Men and women did worship separately. In that short length of time, we really got just a smattering of information, but it was interesting in any case. If anyone was interested enough, those of us in larger cities could probably find a mosque willing to talk to a group about Islam and their mosque/congregation.

One interesting fact we did get was that each mosque is a separate entity, usually initially funded and supported by one or a small group of men wealthy enough to do so. And that group made the decisions for the congregation and decided how the funds were to be spent.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 774948 times)