Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women

Geraldine Brook''s Nine Parts of Desire is a fascinatingly rich portrait of a little-known world that lifts the veil on the lives of Islamic women

This is the insightful, thought-provoking and at times humorous story of Geraldine Brooks'' quest to discover the truth about women and Islam.

From adopting a chador as camouflage to taking meetings with Queen Noor of Jordan and former Iranian President Rafsanjani''s daughter, the author and journalist went undercover and deep into the heart of another culture. She met with Palestinians protesting about ''honour killings'' for adultery and sheltered girls transformed into warriors by the Emirates'' armed forces. Throughout the Middle East, Brooks was invited into the homes and lives of these women where she found real stories that overturn western stereotypes.

Fair-minded and often revelatory, Nine Parts of Desire is an extraordinarily rich tapestry of the different lives women lead under Islam, and a captivating and diverse portrait of a little known world. This is reportage at its best.

Geraldine Brooks is an award-winning author and journalist. She has written several books of fiction and non-fiction, including the international bestselling novel Year of Wonders and more recently March, which won the Pulitzer. She lives in rural Virginia.