Scan barcode
A review by erboe501
The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution by Peter Hessler
5.0
I didn't know much about the Arab Spring or recent Egyptian history, and my knowledge of Ancient Egypt was also pretty limited. So, I really enjoyed learning about all three areas in this book, in addition to getting a glimpse into how a foreign correspondent lives and works abroad with a family.
Again and again I was struck by how restrictive women's lives are in Egypt today. Wahiba is one of the standout characters in the book, in my opinion. Her resilience and confidence were all the more impressive given the limited means by which she could voice her convictions. How she considered her niqab wearing, what it meant to those around her in different settings, exemplified the intelligence required of all Egyptian women navigating threatening and restrictive expectations of their movements and bodies. I would be very interested to have also gotten more of Hessler's wife's perspective being a female journalist.
Egyptian's friendliness and ingenuity also featured heavily in Hessler's interactions. He does a good job of creating a vivid landscape of community and events.
Again and again I was struck by how restrictive women's lives are in Egypt today. Wahiba is one of the standout characters in the book, in my opinion. Her resilience and confidence were all the more impressive given the limited means by which she could voice her convictions. How she considered her niqab wearing, what it meant to those around her in different settings, exemplified the intelligence required of all Egyptian women navigating threatening and restrictive expectations of their movements and bodies. I would be very interested to have also gotten more of Hessler's wife's perspective being a female journalist.
Egyptian's friendliness and ingenuity also featured heavily in Hessler's interactions. He does a good job of creating a vivid landscape of community and events.