The Wind in My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran

by Masih Alinejad

A photo on Masih's Facebook page: a woman standing proudly, face bare, hair blowing in the wind. Her crime: removing her veil, or hijab, which is compulsory for women in Iran. This is the self-portrait that sparked 'My Stealthy Freedom,' a social media campaign that went viral. Masih is a world-class journalist who grew up in a traditional village where her mother, a tailor and respected figure in the community, was the exception to the rule in a culture where women reside in their husbands' shadows.

As a teenager, Masih was arrested for political activism and was surprised to discover she was pregnant while in police custody. When she was released, she married quickly and followed her young husband to Tehran where she was later served divorce papers to the shame and embarrassment of her religiously conservative family. Masih spent nine years struggling to regain custody of her beloved only son and was forced into exile, leaving her homeland and her heritage. Following Donald Trump's notorious immigration ban, Masih found herself separated from her child, who lives abroad, once again.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Iran, Feminism, Politics, Middle East, Biography

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2018

Reviews

[Tamila · Rating 1 out of 5]

به نظر من نویسنده داستانش را روایت کرده بود که با گروگان گرفتن احساسات کسانیکه از ایران بیشتر از تیتر خبرها نمیدانند فروش موفقی داشته باشد نه اینکه کتابی باشد که برای تاریخ بماند. کتاب بیشتر به میل و انتظار خواننده آمریکایی نوشته شده بود تا واقعیت. که البته نظر شخصی من است

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to The Wind in My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran on audiobook and I highly recommend it! Author, Masih Alinejad, is a journalist and activist who led a campaign to stop the compulsory requirement for women to wear a hijab in Iran. She advocates for women to have a choice whether or not to wear a hijab.

She has been arrested, jailed, and threatened with her life. Her husband divorced her and received custody of their son. She utilized Facebook to create My Stealthy Freedom. It is a social media campaign that shows women not wearing a hijab. Sheryl Sandberg mentioned My Stealthy Freedom at a women's conference and how much it meant to her to see women being empowered.

Alinejad's grit, courage, determination, vision, and persistence is powerful!

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"“The Iran government thinks I have too much hair, too much voice, and I am too much of a woman.”

Picture yourself on a warm, sunny day. You are standing on a hill, gazing at a blue sky, watching soft, fluffy clouds drift by. You feel the sun warm your head, the breeze tousle your hair. It's one of the joys of summer. If you are a woman in Iran and some other countries, you do not have the right to enjoy this pleasure. You can only savour the memory of this from when you were a child. Masih Alinejad is an Iranian woman who has fought back against the Islamic Republic, fought for the right to feel the wind in her hair. Fought for the right to choose for herself whether or not to cover her head. This is her story.

The Wind in My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran
begins with Masih's childhood in a rural village in northern Iran. From a young age, she felt the injustice against females, wishing she could play freely like the boys did, wondering why she needed to be quiet and stay indoors when the boys could be free. In Iran today, females over the age of 7 are forced to wear the hijab when they go outside or are around males who are not their close relatives. In Masih's conservative family, the women even wore hijab to sleep. It was part of their identity... or rather, it hid part of their identity. As she writes, "Throughout my life I had been told that my virtue, my chastity, my self-worth, all were wrapped up in my head scarf..... If I went out bareheaded in public, then I was not a moral person."

As a teenager, Masih was arrested and thrown in prison for being part of a small group that published a pamphlet speaking out against the Islamic Republic. As an adult, she was forced into exile when she refused to back down and continued speaking out. She has incurred the wrath of the Islamic Republic and will probably never be allowed to return to Iran, and yet she refuses to be silent. She speaks out in every way she can for the rights of women everywhere. The book is interesting and informative but could use a bit of editing because parts of it are repetitive. The book could perhaps be 100 pages shorter without taking away much in the way of content.

This is a book that will interest anyone who cares about the rights of women in the Muslim world. Masih is a strong woman, a rebel, a fighter for all women but especially women in the Middle east where, as she says, "In the Islamic Republic, being born a woman is like having a disability." Women's rights are human rights and women should be treated equally everywhere on earth.

"If you are a feminist, then you care about women's rights all over the world and not just where its safe."

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook... read by Linda Henning...
EXCELLENT voice & story!!!!

Masih Alinejad stands for freedom of choice - basic human rights - and a leader for women’s rights in Iran.

Iran has continually reasserted its national identity throughout the centuries. Today - modern Iran is still suppressing freedom for women.

Masih grew up during the Islamic/ Iranian revolution.
We get a very personal story about her as a child from an elite family to a rebel teenager - ( frightening and inspiring) - to the very strong voice she became as an adult. ( also frightening for the safety of her life - to a genuine brave heroine)...

Masih grew up in a small village in Iran.. later became a journalist. She became well known for her online protest against compulsory head scarf: hijab.

Masih clearly remembers her parents beliefs when she was a small child.
Her dad, like many others in the country was very ‘pro’ revolution. He said - he’d rather give up his money - his freedom- his ‘life’ to support the revolution.
With the fall of the Shah,
and Ayatullah Khamenei as the country’s ‘supreme leader’...( a man who thought democracy was like prostitution), promised Iranians that no one should remain homeless - that everyone would have free telephone, electricity, heating, bus services, and free oil at their doorstop.
Under Khamenei’s rule came the new required dress code. Women were required to cover their hair - at all times - even to bed each night.
In the beginning Khamenei had many supporters.... Opponents were warned that if they tried to bring corruption and destruction to their country in the name of democracy, they would be oppressed.

As more and more opponents stepped forward- becoming clear that human rights were demolished- horrific political turmoil - riots - protests - and deaths - were happening—
the only possibility for freedom... especially for women was banning the Islamic culture.

Masih stepped forward- spent time in jail...
She now lives in New York, living in exile.

The Audiobook is completely engaging. Even for those who are well- read on the political history of Iran...Mashid’s story is ‘gripping’. From
an adorable’ wild child - wanting to do everything her brothers did ( knew she wasn’t allowed)...
to a marriage & pregnancy- to her ongoing voice that oppression is a disgrace, and unacceptable.....
this book was addicting - very personal - informative - and definitely worth listening to or reading.

I was lucky enough to have been in Iran just 2 years before the revolution.... in better years of freedom.
I often thought -
what would have happened to me had I been in Iran during the peek of the revolution-
I could have been thrown in jail myself.
I have several Iranian friends who live near me.
Two are lawyers also fighting for women’s rights in Iran.
The fight continues -
and Masid Alinejad continues to help thousands of women

A resilient woman!
She also has a personality that’s contagious to enjoy!!!

[Zsa Zsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masih’s life story from her rural home in North of Iran to New York, the city that never sleeps.
Her journey from the troublemaker child to troublemaker women’s advocate.
I always wonder at the women who live under the circumstances that we do and yet don’t turn feminists. Maybe this book could show them a little on resilience.

[MiNa Sal · Rating 3 out of 5]

موضوعات زیادی دربارۀ کتاب به ذهنم خطور کرده که چند مورد را بشکل خیلی مختصری با شما درمیان میگذارم.
1- شاید برای همنسلان من که پیگیر موضوعات مربوط به حقوق زنان و حجاب بودند و با فعالیتهای این خانم _یا به دلیل علاقه شخصی و یا به علت حضور موثر و قوی رسانه در زندگی مان_ آشنا هستند، مطالب مطرح شده در کتاب تکراری و بیهوده بنظر برسد اما مطلب اصلی و قابل تامل کتاب که میتواند دلیل قانع کننده¬ای برای خواندن کتاب باشد و در نمایش رسانه ای از زندگی و فعالیت نویسنده کم رنگ و گاهی غایب است، با خواندن کتاب روشن خواهد شد مخصوصا برای جوانان - کسانی که احساس موثر نبودن و بیهودگی میکنند حتی با داشتن شغل، مدرک دانشگاهی، سلامت و... که تجربه شخصی من میگوید اصلا تعدادشان در بین دختران و زنان جوان در جامعه امروز ایران کم نیست- کتاب به این دسته افراد متذکر میشود انچه در زندگی فاقد ان هستند نداشتن هدف وبه طبع دستاورد شخصی است. بین همه انچه شما با خود دارید که حاصل شرایط اجتماعی و یا ژنتیک یا ... بوده چند درصد ان حاصل تلاش و خواست خودتان بوده است؟ اگر برای فرار از ترسهایتان در مسیر از پیش تعیین شده زندگی روانه اینده شدید چقدر میتوانید ان را حاصل انتخاب و خواست خود بدانید؟ چند درصد از انها نتیجه تعیین اهداف شخصی با توجه دغدغه هایتان بوده و برای رسیدن به آنها چند ساعت و روز و سال وقت صرف کرده اید و با چه مقدار از نیروی بدنی و ذهنی تان؟ مطمئنا خانم نویسنده به عنوان فعال اجتماعی، منتقدان و مخالفان سرسخت و طرفداران سینه چاک بسیاری دارند اما در راهی که برگزیدند(ونه لزوما در حوزه ای که مشغول فعالیت در ان هستند) موفق بودند. موفقیتی که پرهزینه بوده اما با ممارست و پیگیری در هر دوره پوست انداخته و بالغ تر شده است. چطور زنی برخاسته از یک روستا همه موانع سر راه خود را کنار زده، ان هم در راهی که در هر قدمش صفی از مخالفان -از خانواده تا حکومت- منتظر متوقف کردن ایشان بوده اند با تهدید، توهین و تخریب... . گمانم دیدن این مسیر دختران جوان را کمی از غرزدنهای هرروزه دور و انها را متوجه نقش خودشان در تعیین سرنوشتشان خواهد کرد.
2- خانواده و مخصوصا مادر. کتاب نمایش مادرانگیست. مادری با تمام اختلاف عقیده ها دخترش را "غیر" و "دیگری" نمیداند و فرزندش پاره ای از اوست و او هیچ گاه دست از این پاره تن نمیکشد وحامی اوست در برابر هر کسی که سرراه فرزندش قرار بگیرد. با تمام نقدها، مخالفتها، با تمام تناقضهای موجود بین این دو که گاهی دختر را دشمن مادر و باورهایش نشان میدهد مادر وفادار است نه به فرزندش که به مادرانگی خویش است. در ان سو زنیست که با تمام مادری ندانستن و صرف همه وجود برای هدفش میخواهد مادر "هم" باشد... نکته ای که میتواند قابل توجه و حتی اموزنده باشد برای مادران جوان.
3- سوای زندگی شخصی نویسنده کتاب حاوی مطالبی از تاریخ معاصر و تاریخ سیاسی است. تاریخی که گاهی تکرار میشود در دوره های 4 یا 8ساله و گاهی این فکر به ذهن انسان خطور میکند که ما در حال تجربه سیستمی هستیم که هیچ راه برون رفتی برای مشکلات نداشته و ندارد. میان سیاستمداران مان کسانی که حل کننده مسائل باشند(problem solver) نداریم و حتی انها که نگاه فرهنگی به امور دارند به اندازه دیگران راهکارهایشان دلالانه و ضربتی است. حرف زیاد است و من قصد پرداختن به امور سیا��ی مطرح شده در کتاب وهمچنین نقش نویسنده در اگاهی بخشی به جامعه یا مبارزه با قوانین ناعادلانه را ندارم.
پ.ن: کتاب به دلیل روایت سرراست و گزارش گونه نویسنده از حوادث یک رمان خوب نبود برایم هر چند کتاب خوبی بود. مطمئنا انگیزه های نویسنده و نوشتن کتاب به زبان دیگر میتواند دلیل انتخاب این نوع روایت باشد.

[Yasmin M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful story.
Couple facts before I write my review about this book:
I was raised in the same small town that Masih is from. I know her campaign and I know all the feelings she describes, about being a girl in Iran. I don’t always agree with her but I admire her courage.

I think the book started off as an exciting story, and the more we got closer to her adulthood the less exciting the story became. Towards the very end I mostly felt like she is defending all her choices to the people who have attacked her, or just trying to list all her achievements , which is probably why she wrote this book, but I preferred the theme of the first part.

I read this book immediately after I finished Michelle Obama’s “becoming “, and I was touched by it. She has tried so hard in the world to achieve what she thinks is right.

This book is a first in the genre.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC radio 4 - Book of the week:
Masih Alinejad is a journalist and activist from a small village in Iran. In 2014 she sparked a social media movement when she posted a picture of her curly hair blowing in the wind without her veil or hijab. Across Iran, women started sharing pictures of their uncovered hair on Masih's Facebook page in open defiance of the strict religious beliefs of their country - and often, their families.

With the creation of My Stealthy Freedom Masih gained over one million supporters and inspired women everywhere to take a stand against the compulsory wearing of the hijab.

But behind the scenes of this movement, Masih has been fighting a painful personal battle. She is a divorcee - a sin equivalent to prostitution in Iranian culture. As a political reporter, Masih has been actively speaking out against the government's corrupt policies for more than a decade and this has led to her expulsion from Iran and separation from her son.

In this first episode of her memoir, she remembers her childhood in a village in Iran and how, although only a child, she began to rebel against the standards of behaviour that she and other girls were expected to follow.

Read by Nathalie Armin
Abridged by Elizabeth Burke
Produced by Alexandra Quinn
A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b5...

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

After getting placed in a taxi by the morality police that just assaulted her as she walked home with her friend... The taxi driver said, "Please, ladies, fix your head scarves. I need you to respect the hijab laws. We had just been brutally assaulted, and this driver's only concern was about our loose head scarves. We meekly obeyed him as we cried quietly in the backseat. Perhaps he thought we really were call girls. But there is something wrong with a country where people are more concerned about a few loose strands of hair than a brutal assault on defenseless citizens."

Really good book, unfortunately the fight continues for women the world over to have a say in what they wear and how they govern their own bodies. What we achieved in this country up to a year ago has begun to slide backwards as we too lose our rights to dress ourselves and govern our own bodies. The archaic dress codes for girls all across the nation are teaching our young that "boys" can't control themselves if they see a collarbone. The ERA may need another vote, but the "old boys" network that we have all bought into will still be around, just as "Jim Crow" has continued to flourish and now blossom in our nation.

[zo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really eager to read this book and when I finally bought it I didn’t want to finish reading it. Loved every bit if it. Masih’s autobiography really captivated me and taught me so much. I could relate to Masih’s anger towards the compulsory hijab law as I am myself a citizen of a country (Afghanistan) where hijab is a vital part of the society even though there is no compulsory hijab law as such like there is in Iran (Pheww! Thank God !) but still 90% of women and girls wear it as it have become a norm in last few decades.I grew up in another country and whenever I go back to Afghanistan and visit public places I wear it and I really detest it. No offence to women wearing hijab, I get it why they wear it as I myself have friends and relatives who wear it but still it’s like as soon as you enter Afghanistan you grow a third boob on your head which you need to cover it up because people keep staring at you if you don’t. I really don’t get it what is up with the society...Women also have hair on their head just like men there is nothing else... no third boob or a second vagina which they need to cover up. Enough of venting now, now getting back to the book review.. It was amazing and I support her My stealthy Freedom Campaign and I really hope that one day women in Iran,Afghanistan and all over the world will finally have the right to choose and to dress up as they want whether they want to wear a hijab, dress or a short skirt etc without being harassed and judged by society.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely spectacular book. The author is by far one of the bravest women I have ever encountered in my life.

Taking on the power in Iran is difficult for a male but darn near impossible for a female. She soon becomes a worldwide phenomena and opens the doors to all the mistreatment of women in Iran.

This is an important book one that I recommend people to take time to read and think about

[Yalman Onaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a powerful story of a woman who wouldn’t bow to her country’s non-stop pressure to silence her! Although I’ve known and felt terrible for the oppression of women in Iran for decades, this book jolted me once again to the harsh reality and the injustice. And it gave me hope, once again, that change can come for this wonderfully rich culture of people one day.

[Niloufar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s difficult to critique a memoir without critiquing the author and their story. You become so entangled in their experience that separating the writing technique and overall reading experience from the author’s life becomes impossible.
However, I’ll try.
The book is well chronicled, with clear descriptions of events and their historical background as well as explanations of laws, regulations, customs and the Iranian culture. I doubt that this was written by Alinejad herself, at least not the English version. Which is understandable. However the ghostwriter and editor needed to do a far better job. You can have a drinking game with the word “incredulous”. It is used several times in each chapter. Don’t they know of Thesaurus?
I’ve lived in Iran but in bigger cities and have no idea what life is like in small villages. I am aware of the limitations and stronger traditions but since I’ve never experienced it first hand I do not want to judge the validity of her stories of life in Ghomikolah. Also I’ve not lived in Iran in the 90s. And during the 80s I was too young to remember anything. So I won’t judge what she says about then either. I’ll take her word for it. Reluctantly.
HOWEVER, I’ve lived in England and America and am quite up do date with American and European politics, matters of popular culture and life as an expat and immigrant. Her stories are exaggerated fabrications of a much simpler event. She’s intent on portraying herself as a clumsy, forgetful, all-over-the-place, messy journalist who has better things to worry about than, well everything.
At a Vogue shoot she throws a tantrum because she doesn’t want to wear the outfit the stylist pulls for her and recounts a phone conversation the stylist has where Anna Wintour (who she has never heard of) is mentioned several times. Firstly, you are not a celebrity. You are not a fashion icon. Anna Wintour won’t be concerning herself with your little toddler tantrum. Secondly, you’re a journalist and reporter. Research is an essential part of your job. Especially when it comes to other media outlets. And Vogue is one of the most important magazines in the fashion realm. So how on earth did you show up for an interview at an empire without doing a simple Google search on its editor-in-chief? And we get it you love Zara. You enjoy inexpensive clothing made by children in South East Asian countries to be used a few times and dumped due to their terrible quality. Your enthusiasm for the likes of Zara does not make you down to earth.
Everything is a drama with her. From her move to England to getting engaged (or not getting engaged) to reluctantly moving to New York to buying a wedding dress and then getting married, she has to make a big deal of how reluctant she was and how she hoped for something to happen to delay the events. She portrays her husband as a guy that puts up with her childish behaviour and adores her no matter what, even if she refuses to marry him for years.
Instances like this are not few. At some point it becomes so predictable and boring.
I’ve known of Masih Alinejad and her campaigns and although I admire her bravery and enthusiasm for fighting for women’s rights I find her methods too exhausting. She does not pick her battles and ends up kicking and screaming for causes that could be dealt with in a more diplomatic and educated way.
I’m a firm believer of reading a variety of authors to expand my knowledge of life on the other side, but I do not believe that I have to agree with everything said in the book. Read this with a pinch of salt and beware that many of her anecdotes are exaggerated versions of what actually happened or daydreams of what she wanted to happen.
I listened to the audible version and it was quite uncomfortable to listen to Linda Henning struggle her way through Farsi phrase and sentences. If you’re going to have another language injected into your English book wouldn’t it be better to have someone who is familiar with if not native in both languages read it?

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an advanced reader's copy as well and the story Masih has told through this book is inspiring on all levels. Masih tells the story of her family and its involvement in crime and how she broke free and started a brand-new life. I requested this book because patrons at my library are looking for more inspirational stories and with a good diverse patron population over 50% Muslim, our patrons can closely relate to Masih and the story she has to tell. A well-rounded book that EVERYONE should read. 5 stars!

[Aygün Ismayilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed every page of Masih’s memoirs. She is a voice of millions of Iranian women who rightfully demand a freedom of choice.

[Wendelle]

This is the autobiography of Masih Alinejad, a brave and outspoken journalist from Iran. Through her life experiences, she demonstrates and explores the multidimensional facets of Iran, and provides the context for current events.

Masih was born in Ghomikola, a small rural village in the outskirts of Iran that is the area of the Mazandarani people of Iran. Her family's finances were modest, and they could not afford new clothes, but Masih had a treasure in her mother, who was endlessly supportive and understanding of her. Meanwhile, her father was a village elder who was zealously devoted to the current regime, going so far as to disown Masih when she did not align to traditionalist interpretations of theology. During her childhood and young adulthood, the impact of the political regime was omnipresent. Dinners at the kitchen table were sharply marked by heated debates by different sides of her extended family, who were aligned differently, either preferring the previous more secular Pahlavi dynasty or the current Ayatollah government. Before she was born, the liberal forces who wanted more political liberty, the communists that supported workers, and the clerics who wanted to involve more religion in governance joined forces to overthrow the modernizing but rather corrupt Shah. However, the dreams of a more open democracy, of the more liberal factions, were shattered as the Shah's replacement actually became a more authoritarian, religious regime.

Women became subjugated. Wearing the hijab became a compulsory requirement, instead of a personal choice. In the new regime, a woman's life and testimony were worth exactly one half the value of a man's. They couldn't work as judges-- meaning their rights in court were subject to a man's decision. Segregation by gender was laid down with a heavy fist. In cinemas, parks and stadiums, women cannot comingle with men. Women cannot divorce men and they cannot retain custody of their children.

Human rights in Iran was also severely hampered. They did not have a lot of freedom to gather-- the morality police was constantly out and about, stopping and questioning pairs or couples to see if the man and woman were related or married. They did not have a lot of freedom of speech or press-- words or publications that criticized the Ayatollah's government were considered sedition and punishable in terrifying ways. They did not have fair rights to trial-- political dissidents, numbering tens of thousands, were disappeared and summarily executed. They did not have a right to protest-- protesters were visited and taken away by the fearsome security apparatus, notorious for torture. They did not have a right to free thought-- education was very much ideological. There was a lot of theological and political orthodoxy injected into the curriculum: education was very much religion-based, and as for politics every day schoolchildren had to chant 'Death to America, Death to Israel, Death to England,' a litany of wished-for deaths. If one refused, like Masid, to tow the line with these propaganda, one was expelled from education and had no prospects.

In a formidable oppressive environment like this, someone more meek might choose to kowtow to the laws despite what they resolve in their hearts. However, Masih could never submit to a bully who would not let her think for herself or remove her autonomy.

This book is important, because the headlines in the news, both past and present, involving thousands of deaths or protests, can reduce the situation of people to a statistic. But with Masih's lively, engrossing story, we are made to feel and inhabit the reality of this daily situation for Iranians. We learn of Masih's friends and family, intelligent reformists, suffering in real detail: they are bruised and beaten, interrogated repeatedly and scared. They are chained to filthy jails, and sentenced to lashes for not observing separation of genders during their book readings or political meetings. They are kicked in the ribs by morality police if they walk alone at night as women. We also learn of the rich culture of Iran, a country with places as varied as Tehran, Bobol, and Ghomikola, each with different neighborhoods and outlooks on the world.

This book is a significant reminder of the continuing struggle for gender equality and human rights.

------------
I also have to register my admiration for Masih's brother, Ali, and his friends. Rationally, it must be easier, in any social conditions of grave injustice, to tow the line and uphold the status quo when it is designed to benefit you, and ignore that there are others who will pay the price. Here, in this situation, men enjoyed more freedoms. Men like Ali could have coasted on their privilege and assuaged their hearts that there was really nothing that could be done. Instead he strove to participate in politically active reformist activities, even if that exacted a heavy toll on him, his years in life (spent in jail), his comforts, and his life opportunities. It's a lesson on the nobility of standing up for the oppressed when we find ourselves the ones who are relatively privileged.

[Clay Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiography has important details about Pershian history.

[JoJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I ope never to have to live in a culture that treats women so poorly, but I am grateful for the telling of the author's story and how she overcame the prejudices. I felt immersed in land, politica and life so well described.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the Goodreads giveaway program. A wonderfully written book. Very interesting. I wish the author would have said a bit more about her life in the United States.

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really love her personality. Fierce bravery in journalism. She lays out in detail a section of the most critical 30 years in recent Iranian history very well.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. She's scrappy and smart like my big sister. I especially enjoyed her adventures as a journalist in the Iranian parliament. After Shirn Ebadi was awarded a Noble Prize for her legal defense of womens' and childrens' rights, Alinejad covered the government's response. Hardline conservative newspapers declared that Ebadi’s prize was part of an anti-Islamic American conspiracy, with one paper warning, “Don’t think that by getting that $1.1 million prize, like the pro-democracy spinster of Burma, you are now invulnerable.” Alinejad confronted President Khatami, demanding his response to these attacks. He tried to sound even-handed by saying that the Nobel Peace Prize was of little importance, and “it was awarded to her on the basis of totally political criteria.” After reporting caused a firestorm of protest, Alinejad was summoned to the president’s office to account for her rudeness. Her seven-year-old son told her, “You should slap him” (pp. 178–179).

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. The author has a beautiful straightforward writing style and knows how to tell a story. Her struggle to oppose mandatory hijab in Iran, and what she had to suffer as a consequence was beautifully laid out in the book. It is a story of an extraordinary woman who has had to sacrifice a lot to stand up for women's dignity. I admire Ms. Alinejad very much and have followed her groundbreaking movement My Stealthy Freedom. After reading her book, my respect for her has increased manifold. If you want a story about a courageous person who struggles against an oppressive regime, this is an excellent read.

[Willa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first 5 star review.

Incredible book! Masih Alinejad's strength and power are amazing. I've gone through life busy with my day-to-day and the problems I deal with at work and home. I've not paid nearly as much attention to the rest of the world. Ms Alinejad has given me a history lesson and a lesson in freedoms, I as an American simply take for granted. Much of what she says about Iran frightens me as I'm beginning to see our freedoms here, while not exactly being taken away, at least highly criticized in the past couple of years by the very ones who should be protecting them.

This is the best Goodreads wins ever!

[Atefeh Eghbali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate what Masih Alinejad is doing so with my positive background my review may not be the best to take judgement from.
About the book, what I liked the most was description the periods which I had memory of myself. Not to spoil much, she goes through the political events in Iran mainly which can be interesting for a non-Iranian. However in general I would have expected this book to be published in farsi first.
Overall, interesting book as it is actual life of a human-being :)

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb memoir. I feel lucky to be able to afford a cut and color of my hair each month, and the Iranian women aren't even able to show theirs. But this is about so much more than hair. It's about being able to choose what is important, esp to the oppressed women in Iran. Masih is a most admirable woman who has sacrificed unbelievably to fight for what is right for all women. She also has written an exceptional book!

[Leanne Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent account of the difficult life in modern Iran. I loved how Alinejad sticks to her convictions and calls out the hypocrisy of Western feminists who refuse to break with leftist orthodoxy, even if it means criticizing non-Western countries, cultures, and religion. Women should be able to wear whatever they want as a rule of law!

[Terri Gulyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and relevant book for anyone who advocates for equality and freedom to choose your destiny. Especially important in light of current US politics and erosion of basic human rights. Such courage showed by women who have suffered oppression under a brutal regime. Couldn't put this one down.

[Georgia Herod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't give five stars easily and when I do, the word "amazing" keeps running through my mind. Is it the story that is amazing (and not necessarily the writing) or the person in the story? In this case, I do think it is Masih Alinejad, a young woman from Ghomikola, a rural village in Iran, from a very strict Islamic family. She shares her "fight for freedom in modern Iran," beginning with her strongmindedness at an early age growing into outright rebelliousness, and then eventually becoming an activist for women's rights, particularly in their freedom to choose whether or not to cover their heads by wearing a hijab.

In sharing her story, which includes imprisonment and physical abuse, readers learn much about the Islamic Republic and Islamic customs and culture. Though Alinejad had no formal training in journalism, she became a journalist, giving voice to women and those who were opposing national leadership.

She becomes a fugitive and must leave Iran--but she doesn't stop her writing. After making contact with Sheryl Sandberg, she goes to Menlo Park, CA, to Facebook headquarters. The Islamic Republic views Facebook as a "tool of regime changers, spies, and other deviant characters" (344). What she encountered was a complete surprise: bright, intelligent, creative young people. Sandberg tells her, "You are one of my personal heroes because you have managed through your page to create a platform for Iranian women--for their voices to be heard and for the rest of us, the people around the world to get a chance to learn about a different Iran" (345). While there is little if any TV news coverage in Iran, there is Facebook. By using Facebook (her page: My Stealthy Freedom), Alinejad has been able to stir women to action and bring about a "white revolution" (women choosing to wear white scarves and then remove them in public). A grandmother has written this post: "I wanted my granddaughter to feel the wind through her hair before it goes gray."

The Bible says a woman's hair is her glory (I Cor.11:15)--but in Islamic Iran it must be completely covered. The book title and the photo with Alinejad's hair blowing in the wind beautifully symbolizes freedom.

We in the US know the power of Facebook because we've seen the impact social media has had on our politics and elections. It will become only more powerful in the future. Fascinating to see how Alinejad has been able to impact her homeland though she's not able to enter that country.

I'd recommend this book especially to women. I'm planning to attempt a conversation with the next woman I see wearing a hijab. I want to know those women.

[Thomas Keech · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book follows the life story of Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and human rights activist, from her beginnings in an impoverished agricultural village in northern Iran through her career as a journalist in Teheran to her meteoric rise as a human rights activist based in London and New York. Without the benefit of a high school degree, and forbidden by law from qualifying for a press pass, she talked her way into becoming a reporter and journalist covering political events in the Iranian parliament and the theocratic hierarchy that controlled it.

Her press pass was revoked after she exposed a widespread scheme of corruption, but she continued as a journalist and columnist, escaping the later brutal crackdown of the Ahmadinejad regime which closed most opposition papers and jailed, beat and killed scores of other journalists. She then successfully crusaded to memorialize the grief and loss of the many victims of the brutal repression by the regime. Masih herself had been brutally detained while in high school after posting placards advocating for a more free and open society.

Her courage and determination are extraordinary, as she keeps telling us. Her personal history is quirky and fascinating by any standards. The story of her marriage and pregnancy hardly fits into any cultural construct. She makes an understandable and compelling case for the inhumanity of the forced wearing of the hijab by all girls and women – and the complicity of foreign diplomats who cover their heads while visiting Iran. The story lags somewhat near the end as she details her encounters with movers and shakers of the media. I ended up admiring her body of work without feeling any great fondness for the person behind it. But hey, we've never met.

[Mehrsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fascinating story--from small town in Iran to international activist. The book is dry at times and I thought the story at the end dragged on from one social media protest to another, but the early sections were really fascinating to me. Alinejad is an inspiration--but I do wonder whether any of her activism on forced hijab or human rights has been effective. I think she's done more than anyone to place this issue in the public dialogue, but is there any progress? I hope there will be soon.