Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women

Brooks discusses Muslim courtship and marriage practices. How does she portray the conception and practice of marriage in the Islamic world? How do marriage practices shape the role of women in Islamic societies?

How does Brooks portrays the complex relationship between artistic expression and religious conservatism in Nine Parts of Desire? How do art forms, such as belly dancing, challenge or conform to societal norms and religious dictates?

Discuss the impact of Geraldine Brooks’s background as a journalist on the narrative structure and storytelling approach of Nine Parts of Desire. What journalistic techniques does she use? How does her journalistic perspective contribute to, or limit, an understanding of women in Islamic societies?

Investigate the role and impact of religious language in political contexts as presented in Nine Parts of Desire. How is religious language used or misused in the exercise of political power?

How do conceptions of modesty and femininity vary across the Islamic world? How do some of Brooks’s case studies illustrate these varied attitudes and practices?

Brooks’s work has attracted some criticism for what some see as her Western-centric perspective (See: Background). How does Brooks challenge or reinforce Western stereotypes about Muslim women? What role, if any, can Nine Parts of Desire play in cross-cultural understanding and dialogue?

Analyze how Nine Parts of Desire portrays the negotiation between traditional roles and modern identities for women in Islamic societies. How do various women conceive of “progress” and “modernity” in the book? How does this compare with Western notions of progress?

Select one of the women Brooks features in her text. What is the wider significance of this woman’s story? How does this individual story illuminate some of the text’s key themes and ideas?