Half the Sky

Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

Half the Sky

Author: Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Review By: G. Stephen Goode

Half the Sky is a powerful book about women that needs to be read and championed by men. It is written by two Pulitzer Prize winners on China who write for the New York Times. The title is taken from a Chinese proverb, "Women hold up half the sky." This book will change the way that you think about your wife, your daughters, your women neighbors and girls and women around the world and then will move you to do something. You will not be able to walk away and do nothing after reading this book.  

The authors have interviewed women in Africa and Asia and have heard incredible, unimaginable stories of evil, oppression and injustice that will break your heart. These are women with names like Rath, Naeema, Ummi, Meena and many others who have been kidnapped and trafficked, blinded by acid intentionally thrown in the face,  starved and kept as slaves. This is the 21st century and this book was written in 2009 and you will be shocked. 

You will read about honor killings, genital cuttings, rape as a strategy of war to fistula surgeries and the grinding issues of poverty and their impact upon girls, women and families. The authors unashamedly want to recruit you to join a movement that brings transformation to our world through the power of a girl and the impact of a woman on a community. This book will give you opportunity to provide voices to those who have no voice. You will see how you can volunteer, cooperate and partner with those already involved. Half the Sky is full of statistics but this is really about the story of one and how that moves you and me to engage and to act. 

Come join the movement, lend your voice and make a difference.

Purchase Half the Sky at World Christian Bookstore

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