Heretic

Description

While the world of political Islam continues to be dominated by acts of violence and a separatist agenda, there are signs of reform in the Arab Spring movement. Ayaan Hirsi Ali who has been at the forefront of the reform movement offers an analysis of what's happening and how it could happen faster. Around the world cracks are starting to appear in the world of political Islam. While its leaders remain strong and defiant and while it continues to be characterized by separatism and an agenda of violence, a number of people have questioned its rigid stances - from Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai to Amina Tyler, the activist who posed nude on Facebook to make a point about women's bodies belonging to themselves. Beyond that, political movements across the Middle East - the 'Arab Spring' protests - show that a number of Muslims are increasingly fed up by what they see as a system which is too inflexible, often corrupt and which prevents countries from getting ahead. Author Ayaan Hirsi Ali has long been an outspoken critic of political Islam, specifically its treatment of women. In her books she's told her own story and how she escaped the bonds of a strict Muslim upbringing. In this book she moves beyond the personal story to a more overtly political stance. While women remain her main concern she also addresses Islam's other problems - its emphasis on passivity, its hypocrisy about the modern world, its defensiveness when criticized. Analysing the embryonic protest movements from around the world, she asks what it would take to achieve a reformation - and how long it will take.

Author, activist, academic, original thinker, former MP, Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a polarizing figure who enrages conservatives and liberals alike for her fearless take on political Islam. She is the author of three renowned books, The Caged Virgin, Infidel, her global best-selling autobiography, and Nomad, the sequel. She is in high demand as a speaker - when she toured here in 2010 she appeared on wall to wall media. She is a natural for writer's festival and for tours and as her topic continues to dominate the news she will continue to be in demand for years to come. She lives in the US with her husband, Niall Ferguson, and their son.

Praise for Infidel: "Brave, inspiring, and beautifully written...Narrated in clear, vigorous prose, it traces the author's geographical journey from Mogadishu to Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya, and her desperate flight to the Netherlands to escape an arranged marriage." -- The New York Times "Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of Europe's most controversial political figures and a target for terrorists. A notably enigmatic personality whose fierce criticisms of Islam have made her a darling of...conservatives...and...popular with leftists...Soft-spoken but passionate." -- Boston Globe "Crammed with harrowing details, Hirsi Ali's account is a significant contribution to our times." -- Kirkus (starred review) "A powerful, compelling read...Put simply, this woman is a heroine." -- The Christian Science Monitor "A charismatic figure...of arresting and hypnotizing beauty...[who writes] with quite astonishing humor and restraint." -- Christopher Hitchens "The five areas for Islamic reform highlighted by Ayaan in this book require deep consideration by my fellow Muslims...I thank Ayaan for having the resilience and determination to help in continuing this ongoing conversation." -- Maajid Nawaz, Co-founder and Chair of Quilliam, counter-extremism think-tank "She is absolutely right to raise difficult issues that must be addressed worldwide, especially by Muslims...I hope that this book will help to stimulate vital discussions for the future of Islam, and in fact for the future of humanity." -- Sheikh Dr. Usama Hasan, imam and Islamic scholar "Audacious? Quixotic? Visionary? Necessary? All of the above. This an urgent, complicated, risky subject, and Hirsi Ali, valiant, indomitable, and controversial, offers a potent indictment, idealistic blueprint, and galvanizing appeal to both conscience and reason." -- Donna Seaman, Booklist "Whatever one may think of her solutions, Hirsi Ali should be commended for her unblinking determination to address the problem." -- Andrew Anthony, The Guardian "A book full of compassion." -- Paul Steenhuis, NRC Handelsblad "Surprisingly constructive...[Hirsi Ali] goes to work with much reasonability and significant knowledge of the subject matter" -- Carel Peeters, Vrij Nederland "We ignore her quill to our shame and peril." -- Katherine Ernst, City Journal "Hirsi Ali offers a fine example for the braver souls among us." -- Michael Totten, Commentary