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The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage, and Justice
The extraordinary story of the women who took on the Islamic State and won
"One of America's premier storytellers has risked her life to research perhaps the most important subject of our the empowerment of women and the establishment of a truly egalitarian society. Documenting the extraordinary struggles of a small group of women battling ISIS, Lemmon has shown us unequivocally what female leadership can do for a society. It is breathtaking to behold." --Sebastian Junger, author of Tribe and War
In 2014, northeastern Syria might have been the last place you would expect to find a revolution centered on women's rights. But that year, an all-female militia faced off against ISIS in a little town few had ever heard Kobani. By then, the Islamic State had swept across vast swaths of the country, taking town after town and spreading terror as the civil war burned all around it. From that unlikely showdown in Kobani emerged a fighting force that would wage war against ISIS across northern Syria alongside the United States. In the process, these women would spread their own political vision, determined to make women's equality a reality by fighting--house by house, street by street, city by city--the men who bought and sold women.
Based on years of on-the-ground reporting, The Daughters of Kobani is the unforgettable story of the women of the Kurdish militia that improbably became part of the world's best hope for stopping ISIS in Syria. Drawing from hundreds of hours of interviews, bestselling author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon introduces us to the women fighting on the front lines, determined to not only extinguish the terror of ISIS but also prove that women could lead in war and must enjoy equal rights come the peace. In helping to cement the territorial defeat of ISIS, whose savagery toward women astounded the world, these women played a central role in neutralizing the threat the group posed worldwide. In the process they earned the respect--and significant military support--of U.S. Special Operations Forces.
Rigorously reported and powerfully told, The Daughters of Kobani shines a light on a group of women intent on not only defeating the Islamic State on the battlefield but also changing women's lives in their corner of the Middle East and beyond.
"One of America's premier storytellers has risked her life to research perhaps the most important subject of our the empowerment of women and the establishment of a truly egalitarian society. Documenting the extraordinary struggles of a small group of women battling ISIS, Lemmon has shown us unequivocally what female leadership can do for a society. It is breathtaking to behold." --Sebastian Junger, author of Tribe and War
In 2014, northeastern Syria might have been the last place you would expect to find a revolution centered on women's rights. But that year, an all-female militia faced off against ISIS in a little town few had ever heard Kobani. By then, the Islamic State had swept across vast swaths of the country, taking town after town and spreading terror as the civil war burned all around it. From that unlikely showdown in Kobani emerged a fighting force that would wage war against ISIS across northern Syria alongside the United States. In the process, these women would spread their own political vision, determined to make women's equality a reality by fighting--house by house, street by street, city by city--the men who bought and sold women.
Based on years of on-the-ground reporting, The Daughters of Kobani is the unforgettable story of the women of the Kurdish militia that improbably became part of the world's best hope for stopping ISIS in Syria. Drawing from hundreds of hours of interviews, bestselling author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon introduces us to the women fighting on the front lines, determined to not only extinguish the terror of ISIS but also prove that women could lead in war and must enjoy equal rights come the peace. In helping to cement the territorial defeat of ISIS, whose savagery toward women astounded the world, these women played a central role in neutralizing the threat the group posed worldwide. In the process they earned the respect--and significant military support--of U.S. Special Operations Forces.
Rigorously reported and powerfully told, The Daughters of Kobani shines a light on a group of women intent on not only defeating the Islamic State on the battlefield but also changing women's lives in their corner of the Middle East and beyond.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 447 reviews
June 3, 2021
This is my second book by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon and both have been well researched and very good. The Daughters of Kobani tells the stories of female fighters, YPJ, the Kurdish Women's Protection Unit. I love that her books shine light on courageous women. It is very powerful.
Kobani, a Kurdish majority city is located in northern Syria with its border to Turkey. In September 2014, ISIS seized parts of Kobani. I recall reading this in the news and wonder why didn't they just leave. Some did. As a matter of fact hundreds of thousands did cross into Turkey. Some who didn't make it out were stuck. ISIS snipers were on rooftops, and IED were hidden in the streets. People were stopped from fleeing and used as human shield against US airstrikes. Women were caged and sold at a market as brides. One woman was sold ten times after the man dies fighting she would be resold again. Innocent people were burned alive in cages. Beheaded. This were ISIS recruitment campaign. Then there are those who stayed and fought for freedom and retake their cities, including Raqqa.
The YPJ are frontline combat fighters as they have no regulation to have women serve in a particular unit. They fought for women's equality, rights and freedom. They were not going to wait until the war ended. The situation was tragic and heartbreaking, at the same time I truly admire their strength, resilience and bravery. YPJ and allies took back Kobani in January 2015.
Kobani, a Kurdish majority city is located in northern Syria with its border to Turkey. In September 2014, ISIS seized parts of Kobani. I recall reading this in the news and wonder why didn't they just leave. Some did. As a matter of fact hundreds of thousands did cross into Turkey. Some who didn't make it out were stuck. ISIS snipers were on rooftops, and IED were hidden in the streets. People were stopped from fleeing and used as human shield against US airstrikes. Women were caged and sold at a market as brides. One woman was sold ten times after the man dies fighting she would be resold again. Innocent people were burned alive in cages. Beheaded. This were ISIS recruitment campaign. Then there are those who stayed and fought for freedom and retake their cities, including Raqqa.
The YPJ are frontline combat fighters as they have no regulation to have women serve in a particular unit. They fought for women's equality, rights and freedom. They were not going to wait until the war ended. The situation was tragic and heartbreaking, at the same time I truly admire their strength, resilience and bravery. YPJ and allies took back Kobani in January 2015.
April 27, 2021
This is the story of Kurdish women who fought ISIS mainly as snipers. They did this while fighting for equal rights in Kurdish society. They are called Kurdish Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) fighters. There were outnumbered and under-equipped, but they won the battle for Kobani and later Ragga.
The book is well written and researched. The author spent many hours interviewing the women fighters in Kobani. My only complaint is I wished Lemmon had spent more time on the stories of the women fighters and less about the Syrian Civil War. I highly recommend this book.
Gayle Tzemach Lemon (1973- ) was an ABC journalist who became a best-selling author. Her first book was “The Dressmaker of Khain Khana” (2011). She then went on to earn an MBA from Harvard University.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book was six hours and forty-nine minutes. Gayle Lemmon does a good job narrating her book.
The book is well written and researched. The author spent many hours interviewing the women fighters in Kobani. My only complaint is I wished Lemmon had spent more time on the stories of the women fighters and less about the Syrian Civil War. I highly recommend this book.
Gayle Tzemach Lemon (1973- ) was an ABC journalist who became a best-selling author. Her first book was “The Dressmaker of Khain Khana” (2011). She then went on to earn an MBA from Harvard University.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book was six hours and forty-nine minutes. Gayle Lemmon does a good job narrating her book.
March 2, 2021
Listen to the full review at: https://bookclubbed.buzzsprout.com/
Gayle Lemmon details the efforts of the YPG--comprised of Kurdish women shirking their traditional roles and picking up guns to blast away some ISIS asshats—to secure some strip of land they can live peacefully on, fighting off waves of ISIS that no one else bothered resisting.
This is the closest we can get to a “good vs evil” story in modern times, which we love as an audience. The trope can be simple and inspiring. We can’t have good vs. evil with American soldiers anymore because we all know what they have been complicit in, so it’s refreshing to have moral clarity still exists somewhere in the world.
Unfortunately, we try to cover too much in 212 pages, including: the history of the Kurdish party, the many enemies they have, how they established themselves as a progressive group, the rise of ISIS, the backgrounds of these particular women, what inspired them, scattered battle scenes, and the negotiations and collaboration with the waffling US government.
In short, a history book, when we are supposed to be reading creative nonfiction.
Honestly, I just want to hear the stories of the female soldiers. Let them speak, Gayle. The author is clearly a journalist, not a writer. The prose is competent, but it doesn’t have the textured details, the little unimpeachable moments and scenes that transport us there. It’s a travelogue during a war.
Really, they should have skipped the book release and made it straight into a movie, as that is undoubtedly what they are aiming for anyways.
Gayle Lemmon details the efforts of the YPG--comprised of Kurdish women shirking their traditional roles and picking up guns to blast away some ISIS asshats—to secure some strip of land they can live peacefully on, fighting off waves of ISIS that no one else bothered resisting.
This is the closest we can get to a “good vs evil” story in modern times, which we love as an audience. The trope can be simple and inspiring. We can’t have good vs. evil with American soldiers anymore because we all know what they have been complicit in, so it’s refreshing to have moral clarity still exists somewhere in the world.
Unfortunately, we try to cover too much in 212 pages, including: the history of the Kurdish party, the many enemies they have, how they established themselves as a progressive group, the rise of ISIS, the backgrounds of these particular women, what inspired them, scattered battle scenes, and the negotiations and collaboration with the waffling US government.
In short, a history book, when we are supposed to be reading creative nonfiction.
Honestly, I just want to hear the stories of the female soldiers. Let them speak, Gayle. The author is clearly a journalist, not a writer. The prose is competent, but it doesn’t have the textured details, the little unimpeachable moments and scenes that transport us there. It’s a travelogue during a war.
Really, they should have skipped the book release and made it straight into a movie, as that is undoubtedly what they are aiming for anyways.
November 4, 2022
یکی دیگر از کتاب هایی که با حال و هوای این روزهای ما همخوانی دارد این کتاب است، کتابی که مبارزه دختران شجاع کوبانی با داعش را به تصویر کشیده است.
یاد عزیزانی که در این دوماه از میانمان پرکشیدند گرامی باد
یاد عزیزانی که در این دوماه از میانمان پرکشیدند گرامی باد
January 27, 2021
US KURDS SAY NO. A white woman making a book about us and then allowing the Clintons to make a show about it?! Profiting off the Kurdish struggle when they wouldn’t know the first thing about it! When THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SOLD WEAPONS TO TURKEY TO KILL KURDS AND NOW THEY WANT TO MAKE A SHOW ABOUT OUR FIGHTERS! NO, WHAT A SICK JOKE. At least allow Kurds to tell their own stories, not some white woman!
November 4, 2023
A remarkable account about the courageous young Kurdish women who fought and commanded forces of soldiers and were instrumental in defeating the ISIS army who had taken control of large parts of northern Syria. These young women continue to fight for women's rights in a part of the world where women have little control over their own lives. They have given hope to a new generation of women.
August 4, 2021
This book centres on the story of the YPJ or the Women’s Protection Units, the Kurdish women’s military force that was so vital in driving ISIS out of Northern Syria.
The author tells us how the YPJ came into existence and the historical/ideological basis that led to the creation of a women’s militia that played such a significant part in the fight against ISIS.
We are given a quick history of Ocalan, his influences and how he has influenced his Kurdish followers.
I remember Ocalan and the PKK from the late 1970s. Even then, while I supported their cause I was less enthusiastic about their methods. In addition, a lifelong interest in history and current affairs has taught me to be cautious about movements with a Marxist-Leninist ideology.
However, the views that Ocalan and his followers adhere to concerning the equality of women are quite stunning.
We also learn how all Kurds, adherents of Ocalan’s beliefs or not, have been oppressed and discriminated against, often violently, by Syria’s Ba’ath regime and other regimes in the region.
This book follows the women of the YPJ as they fight to regain their country from ISIS. The fighting is dangerous and difficult, sometimes progress is made inch by inch, frequently they face booby-traps and car bombs, with ISIS fighters hiding behind human shields. The description of life under the black flag of ISIS sounds like a medieval dystopia, the accounts of their actions make me feel physically sick.
Despite the dangers, particularly as women fighting ISIS, the YPJ display courage, determination and skill. They earn the respect shown them by male colleagues and stand up for their belief in women’s right to equality even when the fighting is done.
This book also reminded me of my sense of desperate futility when hearing news reports about the Yazidi trapped on Mount Sinjar, starving to death in the freezing cold while the ‘super-powers’ looked on, incapable of offering anything more than a few blankets and basic rations. It was the brave Kurds who stepped in and rescued these poor people from the ravages of the mountaintop and the savagery of ISIS.
The US security personnel on the ground recognise the strengths of this military force and how essential they are to the fight against ISIS but the governmental support is hesitant and equivocal.
It is infuriating to comprehend that the US constantly refrains from showing full support for the Kurds at Turkey’s insistence. Turkey, a country that has a problematic record for its treatment of minorities and in recent years has shown little respect for free speech and other democratic values yet are given a free hand in trying to destroy a usefully ally simply because they are a member of NATO.
The writing is clear and mostly concise. A couple of times it became bogged down in the minutiae of house to house fighting but I felt that this gave me an understanding of the frustration and stress of waging a battle in such circumstances.
I enjoyed learning about these women and found them warm, admirable and inspiring.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Swift Press in exchange for an honest review.
The author tells us how the YPJ came into existence and the historical/ideological basis that led to the creation of a women’s militia that played such a significant part in the fight against ISIS.
We are given a quick history of Ocalan, his influences and how he has influenced his Kurdish followers.
I remember Ocalan and the PKK from the late 1970s. Even then, while I supported their cause I was less enthusiastic about their methods. In addition, a lifelong interest in history and current affairs has taught me to be cautious about movements with a Marxist-Leninist ideology.
However, the views that Ocalan and his followers adhere to concerning the equality of women are quite stunning.
We also learn how all Kurds, adherents of Ocalan’s beliefs or not, have been oppressed and discriminated against, often violently, by Syria’s Ba’ath regime and other regimes in the region.
This book follows the women of the YPJ as they fight to regain their country from ISIS. The fighting is dangerous and difficult, sometimes progress is made inch by inch, frequently they face booby-traps and car bombs, with ISIS fighters hiding behind human shields. The description of life under the black flag of ISIS sounds like a medieval dystopia, the accounts of their actions make me feel physically sick.
Despite the dangers, particularly as women fighting ISIS, the YPJ display courage, determination and skill. They earn the respect shown them by male colleagues and stand up for their belief in women’s right to equality even when the fighting is done.
This book also reminded me of my sense of desperate futility when hearing news reports about the Yazidi trapped on Mount Sinjar, starving to death in the freezing cold while the ‘super-powers’ looked on, incapable of offering anything more than a few blankets and basic rations. It was the brave Kurds who stepped in and rescued these poor people from the ravages of the mountaintop and the savagery of ISIS.
The US security personnel on the ground recognise the strengths of this military force and how essential they are to the fight against ISIS but the governmental support is hesitant and equivocal.
It is infuriating to comprehend that the US constantly refrains from showing full support for the Kurds at Turkey’s insistence. Turkey, a country that has a problematic record for its treatment of minorities and in recent years has shown little respect for free speech and other democratic values yet are given a free hand in trying to destroy a usefully ally simply because they are a member of NATO.
The writing is clear and mostly concise. A couple of times it became bogged down in the minutiae of house to house fighting but I felt that this gave me an understanding of the frustration and stress of waging a battle in such circumstances.
I enjoyed learning about these women and found them warm, admirable and inspiring.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Swift Press in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2024
اولش که اومدم شروعش کردم فکر میکردم منظورش از مبارزه خانم ها به فرم ایدئولوژیک و تغییر تو ساختار و نگرش به خانم و یه جورایی فمنیست طور باشه ، ولی این آدم ها لیترالی تفنگ به دست وسط جنگ بودند.
باعث شد بفهمم یکی از چیزهایی که فکر میکردم از دنیای این طرف ما دور باشه ، زیاد هم دور نیست و رخ میده.
دمشون گرم؛ آدم های خفنی بودن.
حقیقتش کتاب این مدلی زیاد نخوندم نمیتونم بگم نویسنده مدل روایتش چطور بود، ولی من دوستش داشتم.(البته اودیوبوک گوش دادم ، و حالا خیلی هم ریز نشدم برا قسمت هاش.)
باعث شد بفهمم یکی از چیزهایی که فکر میکردم از دنیای این طرف ما دور باشه ، زیاد هم دور نیست و رخ میده.
دمشون گرم؛ آدم های خفنی بودن.
حقیقتش کتاب این مدلی زیاد نخوندم نمیتونم بگم نویسنده مدل روایتش چطور بود، ولی من دوستش داشتم.(البته اودیوبوک گوش دادم ، و حالا خیلی هم ریز نشدم برا قسمت هاش.)
October 30, 2021
Author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon tells the story of how brave women fought to drive ISIS from Kobani, their home town. As they gained sniper and military experience they were critical in driving ISIS from their headquarters in Raqqa.
Lemmon outlines the complex and precarious position of the Kurds and how the war in Iraq and the Syrian Civil War presented new challenges for this stateless ethnic group.
She shows how the writings of Abdullah Ocalan, branded a terrorist by Turkey, spoke to the Kurdish women. Ocalan wrote that to progress the Kurds needed to educate and allow participation of women along with men in all endeavors. His view was that the best situation for the Kurds is to attain autonomy within the countries where they live.
There is focus on the battles and military operations. You learn how the US became involved and how and why the US left the mission.
I appreciated the clarity this book gives to the situation of the Kurds and the role of women in the demise of ISIS but disappoints in its presentation of the women.
Lemmon outlines the complex and precarious position of the Kurds and how the war in Iraq and the Syrian Civil War presented new challenges for this stateless ethnic group.
She shows how the writings of Abdullah Ocalan, branded a terrorist by Turkey, spoke to the Kurdish women. Ocalan wrote that to progress the Kurds needed to educate and allow participation of women along with men in all endeavors. His view was that the best situation for the Kurds is to attain autonomy within the countries where they live.
There is focus on the battles and military operations. You learn how the US became involved and how and why the US left the mission.
I appreciated the clarity this book gives to the situation of the Kurds and the role of women in the demise of ISIS but disappoints in its presentation of the women.
April 1, 2021
It brings tears to your eyes to read this historically important book documents one aspect of a very tragic development In the middle east. It is a story of women’s emancipation, of contemporary politics and of the age old betrayal of people And their ideals. As all of this happened so recently one is left with unsettling thought that there should’ve been more that we should have done as these terrible things happened while we were busy following the latest self-absorbed tweets of a narcissistic president..
March 24, 2021
The women whose stories fill this book are amazing and badass and more than deserving of having their stories on record and in the annals of history. I commend Gayle Tzemach Lemmon for wanting to bring these stories to light. However, I couldn't help but feel throughout this book that I wanted less of her pov and more of the story from the perspective of the women themselves. I wanted a deeper dive into their lives and thoughts and motivations - what made Azeema, a soldier and leader twice wounded in battle, defy the life she was meant to lead beyond the love of country and people? The question, I felt, was only answered at a surface level because the women's voices were not put front and center throughout.
In many ways, I think this would have worked better as serialised magazine piece than a book.
I want these stories, but deeper and from own voices.
In many ways, I think this would have worked better as serialised magazine piece than a book.
I want these stories, but deeper and from own voices.
January 24, 2021
I'm a big fan of strong female protagonists in thriller novels, but nothing beats the real thing. The Daughters of Kobani is an impressive tale featuring incredible Kurdish women commanding and fighting alongside their male counterparts to evict ISIS from their homeland. These women warriors displayed as much bravery, courage, tenacity, cunning, intelligence and righteousness on the field of battle as anyone I've ever read about throughout the history of armed conflicts. It's one thing to support the war efforts of your people, it's quite another thing to lead from the front and dispel the myth that women aren't equal to men in the military. These amazing women challenged conventional wisdom and went against their male-dominated society to simultaneously fight an armed, determined enemy and the just cause of equal rights for women. After years of horrible war with many losses, they reigned victorious in battle and in the politics of gaining rights for women. I salute these real life heroines and recommend everyone read this book. We all have a lot to learn from these incredible women.
December 14, 2021
https://sarahsdeepdives.blogspot.com/...
I have recently become extremely frustrated by a whole lot of people having a lot of very loud opinions about stuff they don’t know anything about, and so I’ve decided to make a concentrated effort to not be like that. When an issue arises that a lot of people are yelling about, rather than shouting along with them, I go to my local library and find some books about the issue/region/people and read them. Then, I form my opinions.
Due to recent events, the Middle East has been (I think it always kind of is) a hot-button topic. I started out reading a bunch of books about Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda, but one thing leads to another and that particular rabbit hole lead to the book Black Flags, which is about Isis, which lead here, to The Daughters of Kobani.
The Daughters of Kobani is a sweeping journalistic endeavor focusing on a few brave Kurdish women in war-stricken Syria in a town called Kobani, which was near the Turkish border but fell within Isis control. In 2014, women in this town in northeastern Syria waged a war against their occupiers, fighting alongside Kurdish men.
When one considers the patriarchal society under Isis control, one realizes just how brave and determined these women must have been to stand and fight. Cornered, surrounded by misery and war on all sides, and being regarded basically sub-human under Isis, they still stood and fought. Without training, without a lot of equipment, at extreme risk to themselves, alongside men who often saw them more as a joke than a threat, they fought. If you want a story about people facing down long, impossible odds, I really don't think you can do better than reading about the Kurdish women who fought against Isis.
The book is set against a backdrop that is so dramatic, it almost doesn’t seem real. On the one hand, you have Isis, this sweeping fundamentalist group that was so radical even Al Qaeda wanted nothing to do with them. On the other hand, you have the dictator of Syria himself killing his own people, tearing his own nation apart in an effort to retain control. Civil war on the left and a fundamentalist militia on the right. The people of Kobani were stuck in a terrible situation, with no relief and no way out.
When Isis swept into Kobani, many people fled. Anyone who could, basically did. Soon, however, it became impossible and those who didn’t leave as soon as they saw trouble brewing were stuck. Isis had snipers on the rooftops, IEDs in the streets. People who were caught trying to flee were captured. Some were used as human shields against US strikes. Some details of Isis slavery are woven throughout this book, including stories of slave markets, women in cages, brides being bought and sold, sex slaves, as well as public executions and the like. The people in Isis-occupied territory faced situations I cannot even begin to imagine.
The women in this book ended up doing what they could, how they could. They were outnumbered and underequipped, but despite that, those who could, fought, not only against Isis, but eventually ended up gaining massive toeholds in the women's rights movement as well. Many of them functioned as snipers. Many of them subverted authority where and how they could when they were capable of doing so. The bravery that must have been involved in these actions is staggering, especially considering the situations encroaching from all sides. Despite the odds, however, these women ended up forming the YPJ, or the Kurdish Women’s Protection Unit, and ultimately ended up being one of the deciding factors that turned the tide of Isis, being instrumental in driving them out of Syria and breaking their control over several important cities in the region.
The Daughters of Kobani is a short book, clocking in at just under 300 pages, and perhaps this is both its greatest strength and it’s downfall. On the one hand, the length of the book makes it easy to get through. It's not overly long, so it doesn't walk that line between interest and emotional exhaustion. On the other hand, I felt like there was too much packed into these pages. The author was both trying to tell the stories of the fighters and trying to give a detailed history of the region and conflict as well. This made me feel, at times, like too much attention was being put on one thing and not enough on the other. Occasionally, I was so desperate to get back to the stories of the women, I skimmed information.
One thing I will say, is that "Kurdish" is a term that gets thrown around a lot on the news when I hear stories regarding this region, and yet I never quite understood what it meant. A nationality? A cultural group? Something else? Due to the fact that these women are Kurdish, I feel like this book informed me quite a bit about what being Kurdish actually means and how it fits into the tapestry of conflict in the region, something I truly appreciate and plan on reading more about so I can better understand.
The Daughters of Kobani is a powerful journalistic work telling the stories of the women who became a defining force in a very painful, brutal, bloody conflict. This is a book about good vs. evil, only instead of being on the silver screen, some made up action movie, this is real life. These are real living, breathing people who acted despite all their fear, and anger, and the extremely high risk to themselves. Most of these women lost absolutely everything, things I can’t even imagine losing, and still they fought.
Is the book perfect? No, but this is a story that needs to be told. The Daughters of Kobani is a sweeping narrative about the power of women. Ultimately, it’s a story about heroes.
I have recently become extremely frustrated by a whole lot of people having a lot of very loud opinions about stuff they don’t know anything about, and so I’ve decided to make a concentrated effort to not be like that. When an issue arises that a lot of people are yelling about, rather than shouting along with them, I go to my local library and find some books about the issue/region/people and read them. Then, I form my opinions.
Due to recent events, the Middle East has been (I think it always kind of is) a hot-button topic. I started out reading a bunch of books about Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda, but one thing leads to another and that particular rabbit hole lead to the book Black Flags, which is about Isis, which lead here, to The Daughters of Kobani.
The Daughters of Kobani is a sweeping journalistic endeavor focusing on a few brave Kurdish women in war-stricken Syria in a town called Kobani, which was near the Turkish border but fell within Isis control. In 2014, women in this town in northeastern Syria waged a war against their occupiers, fighting alongside Kurdish men.
When one considers the patriarchal society under Isis control, one realizes just how brave and determined these women must have been to stand and fight. Cornered, surrounded by misery and war on all sides, and being regarded basically sub-human under Isis, they still stood and fought. Without training, without a lot of equipment, at extreme risk to themselves, alongside men who often saw them more as a joke than a threat, they fought. If you want a story about people facing down long, impossible odds, I really don't think you can do better than reading about the Kurdish women who fought against Isis.
The book is set against a backdrop that is so dramatic, it almost doesn’t seem real. On the one hand, you have Isis, this sweeping fundamentalist group that was so radical even Al Qaeda wanted nothing to do with them. On the other hand, you have the dictator of Syria himself killing his own people, tearing his own nation apart in an effort to retain control. Civil war on the left and a fundamentalist militia on the right. The people of Kobani were stuck in a terrible situation, with no relief and no way out.
When Isis swept into Kobani, many people fled. Anyone who could, basically did. Soon, however, it became impossible and those who didn’t leave as soon as they saw trouble brewing were stuck. Isis had snipers on the rooftops, IEDs in the streets. People who were caught trying to flee were captured. Some were used as human shields against US strikes. Some details of Isis slavery are woven throughout this book, including stories of slave markets, women in cages, brides being bought and sold, sex slaves, as well as public executions and the like. The people in Isis-occupied territory faced situations I cannot even begin to imagine.
The women in this book ended up doing what they could, how they could. They were outnumbered and underequipped, but despite that, those who could, fought, not only against Isis, but eventually ended up gaining massive toeholds in the women's rights movement as well. Many of them functioned as snipers. Many of them subverted authority where and how they could when they were capable of doing so. The bravery that must have been involved in these actions is staggering, especially considering the situations encroaching from all sides. Despite the odds, however, these women ended up forming the YPJ, or the Kurdish Women’s Protection Unit, and ultimately ended up being one of the deciding factors that turned the tide of Isis, being instrumental in driving them out of Syria and breaking their control over several important cities in the region.
The Daughters of Kobani is a short book, clocking in at just under 300 pages, and perhaps this is both its greatest strength and it’s downfall. On the one hand, the length of the book makes it easy to get through. It's not overly long, so it doesn't walk that line between interest and emotional exhaustion. On the other hand, I felt like there was too much packed into these pages. The author was both trying to tell the stories of the fighters and trying to give a detailed history of the region and conflict as well. This made me feel, at times, like too much attention was being put on one thing and not enough on the other. Occasionally, I was so desperate to get back to the stories of the women, I skimmed information.
One thing I will say, is that "Kurdish" is a term that gets thrown around a lot on the news when I hear stories regarding this region, and yet I never quite understood what it meant. A nationality? A cultural group? Something else? Due to the fact that these women are Kurdish, I feel like this book informed me quite a bit about what being Kurdish actually means and how it fits into the tapestry of conflict in the region, something I truly appreciate and plan on reading more about so I can better understand.
The Daughters of Kobani is a powerful journalistic work telling the stories of the women who became a defining force in a very painful, brutal, bloody conflict. This is a book about good vs. evil, only instead of being on the silver screen, some made up action movie, this is real life. These are real living, breathing people who acted despite all their fear, and anger, and the extremely high risk to themselves. Most of these women lost absolutely everything, things I can’t even imagine losing, and still they fought.
Is the book perfect? No, but this is a story that needs to be told. The Daughters of Kobani is a sweeping narrative about the power of women. Ultimately, it’s a story about heroes.
February 7, 2021
I became familiar with the YPJ (the women's unit of the Kurdish People's Protection Units) a few years ago and was fascinated by the news reports and documentaries about these women fighting for their homeland and, by extent, the Kurdish culture which has so often been oppressed by majority governments. This book gives a good overview of the conflict in Syria, the various opponents, and the intervention (or lack thereof) by foreign powers.
I was expecting to hear a bit from the YPJ women themselves, but the author focuses on four characters and the chapters detailing their backgrounds and actions during the war take on a third-person narrative style. There are also extensive passages about American agents liaising with Kurdish forces that -- while part of the overall story about fighting ISIS -- were not as interesting to me as the sections about the YPJ fighters. Overall I found this book good but I was hoping for more about the lives, thoughts, and dreams of the YPJ women and material that delved deeper than the mythical Amazon mantle their stories are so often shrouded in.
I was expecting to hear a bit from the YPJ women themselves, but the author focuses on four characters and the chapters detailing their backgrounds and actions during the war take on a third-person narrative style. There are also extensive passages about American agents liaising with Kurdish forces that -- while part of the overall story about fighting ISIS -- were not as interesting to me as the sections about the YPJ fighters. Overall I found this book good but I was hoping for more about the lives, thoughts, and dreams of the YPJ women and material that delved deeper than the mythical Amazon mantle their stories are so often shrouded in.
April 19, 2021
What began as the Arab Spring in early 2010, spread to country after country, in a region known as the Middle East. What began in Syria as a minor protest, devolved into a major catastrophic war that has not ended, and has had major effects worldwide. Caught up in all of this were the Kurds, an ethnic group native to Western Asia, with many of them living in parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. The complex intricacies of their cultures, values, religions (groups and sub-groups)and political ideas are delineated as clearly as possible by journalist Lemmon. Theirs is a history that has numerous twists and turns, and at times is difficult to absorb. Her journalistic skills and analysis shine a light on the fact that newsworthy events and catastrophes portraying events in terms of friends and foes could not be further from reality.
Globally, modern women have been fighting to get into the fight, to be legally admitted to governmental armed forces. There is nothing new about the history of women warriors, in fact and myth, going back centuries, e.g., Queen Boudica of the Celts; the Amazons; Diana the Huntress; and women bandits and pirates. For the most part, what is significant about the women who fought in Kobani is that many of them were not clamoring to be warriors, but events, the desire for freedom and equality, the anger over the brutal savagery of ISIS proved to be decisive factors. Added to these motivating elements was the modern ideology of the imprisoned Kurdish leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who espoused that "women must be equal for society to be truly free." A fateful phone call to Lemmon called her back to a war, to witness, report and research the YPG, the Kurdish Women's Protection Units that were partners to U.S. forces in the region. These women were well-trained, highly motivated, careful and calculating fighters who led both women and men into battle. In numerous instances, the YPG women were in the lead in these battles, crossing the Euphrates River to liberate Manbij, and in the final liberation of Raqqa that was a major defeat for ISIS. Lemmon takes readers to the battlefronts with individual women who fought for territory and for ideals.
Kobani, Syria is located at the border with Turkey, and it is where the YPG hit ISIS with a major clear loss. Part of the complex history of the Kurds is that the Turks had been fighting for many years with what they deemed to be Kurdish extremists. At a decisive time during the fighting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was about to deny access to Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base, which was used by the US Air Force. The YPG was part of a coalition that included US forces that depended upon support from the US Air Force. What ensued were alternating and confusing decisions by both the Obama and Trump administrations, and ended with an armed expansion of forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. This resulted in great victories over ISIS, but tragic and unjust results for the Kurds, as President Trump withdrew US troops from the region, which gave the green light for Turkish forces to lead an offensive against Kurdish-led northeastern Syria. The women of YPG were shocked but not deterred. In 2019, when Lemmon last visited the area, the women's councils, that were part of the overall plan for justice, were still in existence and there were towns in northeastern Syria that Turkey had not captured. As one of the women stated, "It is really painful to have to fight Turkey in the same places we liberated from ISIS." These women have not given up and know, " … it is so very difficult to build something in the middle of destruction." There is nothing certain about how this will be resolved. The only certainty is that the women, who fought for justice, remain dedicated to that cause and are encouraging others to do the same.
Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Literature & Fiction
Globally, modern women have been fighting to get into the fight, to be legally admitted to governmental armed forces. There is nothing new about the history of women warriors, in fact and myth, going back centuries, e.g., Queen Boudica of the Celts; the Amazons; Diana the Huntress; and women bandits and pirates. For the most part, what is significant about the women who fought in Kobani is that many of them were not clamoring to be warriors, but events, the desire for freedom and equality, the anger over the brutal savagery of ISIS proved to be decisive factors. Added to these motivating elements was the modern ideology of the imprisoned Kurdish leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who espoused that "women must be equal for society to be truly free." A fateful phone call to Lemmon called her back to a war, to witness, report and research the YPG, the Kurdish Women's Protection Units that were partners to U.S. forces in the region. These women were well-trained, highly motivated, careful and calculating fighters who led both women and men into battle. In numerous instances, the YPG women were in the lead in these battles, crossing the Euphrates River to liberate Manbij, and in the final liberation of Raqqa that was a major defeat for ISIS. Lemmon takes readers to the battlefronts with individual women who fought for territory and for ideals.
Kobani, Syria is located at the border with Turkey, and it is where the YPG hit ISIS with a major clear loss. Part of the complex history of the Kurds is that the Turks had been fighting for many years with what they deemed to be Kurdish extremists. At a decisive time during the fighting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was about to deny access to Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base, which was used by the US Air Force. The YPG was part of a coalition that included US forces that depended upon support from the US Air Force. What ensued were alternating and confusing decisions by both the Obama and Trump administrations, and ended with an armed expansion of forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. This resulted in great victories over ISIS, but tragic and unjust results for the Kurds, as President Trump withdrew US troops from the region, which gave the green light for Turkish forces to lead an offensive against Kurdish-led northeastern Syria. The women of YPG were shocked but not deterred. In 2019, when Lemmon last visited the area, the women's councils, that were part of the overall plan for justice, were still in existence and there were towns in northeastern Syria that Turkey had not captured. As one of the women stated, "It is really painful to have to fight Turkey in the same places we liberated from ISIS." These women have not given up and know, " … it is so very difficult to build something in the middle of destruction." There is nothing certain about how this will be resolved. The only certainty is that the women, who fought for justice, remain dedicated to that cause and are encouraging others to do the same.
Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Literature & Fiction
January 24, 2022
Informative audible about women resistance fighters in Syria. The audible was narrated by the author that has ties to the region. I have a better understanding of the different factions involved in battle for Syria. Listening to individual lives impacted by oppression made the struggle more real.
This was an Honorable Mention by World Magazine for the category of Understanding the World (2021).
This was an Honorable Mention by World Magazine for the category of Understanding the World (2021).
January 25, 2021
Take one war. Combine with women's oppression. Mix with inestimable courage and bravery. The final product...the daughters of Kobani, Syria. Four major female characters are highlighted to illuminate the tenacity and heroism of the Kurdish women who became an all female militia and helped direct men in battle to take back their land against ISIS and other geopolitical forces. In a world where women are expected to be more docile, these rising warriors sacrificed much in the inhumanity of war. The author, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, spent several years researching and traveling to Syria to explore the history of the war and to observe this group of dedicated women fighting not only for their land and tribe but also for women's rights and long term political and social change. Kobani is pressed right up against the Turkish border along with nearby Iraq ,and the people experienced minimal rights within their own country being essentially stateless, with Arab families living on the land owned by the Kurds. The author, with painfully exhaustive research becomes a guide to the history of the war while giving tribute to the women. This non fiction piece is a testimony to accomplishing a goal with grit and boldness. Hillary Clinton thought so. Along with Chelsea, they are adapting this book as a TV series. May we all be so lucky to view both.
March 25, 2021
This was a really good read which I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the middle east. This is not only a good history of the Syrian crisis and the war against Isis. But it is a good introduction to some of the major kurdish issues and the struggle of kurdish women to achieve independence and women's rights. This book had a very personal note as it followed the lives a few kurdish soldiers during the battles against Isis.
This book is very current and really does not have an ending, as these brave men and women are still fighting. Isis may be gone, but there are other forces out there that see the Kurds of North eastern Syria as a great threat.
I've read a few books on the kurdish people and find this experiment of communal democracy very interesting. This book gave a very small introduction into this project and would recommend anyways one to read about it.
If you don't know anything about the Kurds this is a good book to get an introduction.
This book is very current and really does not have an ending, as these brave men and women are still fighting. Isis may be gone, but there are other forces out there that see the Kurds of North eastern Syria as a great threat.
I've read a few books on the kurdish people and find this experiment of communal democracy very interesting. This book gave a very small introduction into this project and would recommend anyways one to read about it.
If you don't know anything about the Kurds this is a good book to get an introduction.
February 10, 2021
"الشجاعه قدر، ومن قُدِّرت عليه الشجاعه حمل بين ضلوعه جمرة لا يطفئها إلا الموت".
الابطال الخالدون لاينسلون الا نساء حرائر
ليست اتراح انها عوده ابو صلاح
بنات جدهم صلاح الدين
تحيه الي النساء بالطبيعه الربانيه الرجال الافاضل الشجعان بمنطق الواقع والتضحيات بنات الاكراد في عين العرب كوباني
عين العرب كوباني
عندما تقاتل النساء في اروع ملحمه نسائيه في التاريخ الحديث
بنات كوباني هي القصة التي لا تُنسى لنساء القوات الكردية اللواتي أصبحن على الأرجح جزءًا من أفضل أمل في العالم لوقف تنظيم داعش في سوريا. فمن خلال المساعدة في ترسيخ الهزيمة الإقليمية لداعش، الذي صدمت وحشيته تجاه النساء، العالم، لعبت تلك النساء دوراً رئيساً في تحييد التهديد الذي يمثله التنظيم في جميع أنحاء العالم". وأضافت أنه "في هذه العملية، حصلت تلك النساء على احترام العالم اجمع ".
"من منزل إلى منزل وشارع إلى شارع ومدينة تلو الأخرى، أصرّت تلك النساء على جعل مساواة المرأة حقيقة واقعة بقتال الرجال الذين اشتروا وباعوا النساء. وبالاعتماد على مئات الساعات من المقابلات، تقدّم الكاتبة النساء اللواتي يقاتلن في الخطوط الأمامية، مصممات ليس فقط على إخماد إرهاب داعش ولكن أيضاً على إثبات أن المرأة يمكن أن تخوض الحرب ويجب أن تتمتع بحقوق متساوية عند السلام".
الابطال الخالدون لاينسلون الا نساء حرائر
ليست اتراح انها عوده ابو صلاح
بنات جدهم صلاح الدين
تحيه الي النساء بالطبيعه الربانيه الرجال الافاضل الشجعان بمنطق الواقع والتضحيات بنات الاكراد في عين العرب كوباني
عين العرب كوباني
عندما تقاتل النساء في اروع ملحمه نسائيه في التاريخ الحديث
بنات كوباني هي القصة التي لا تُنسى لنساء القوات الكردية اللواتي أصبحن على الأرجح جزءًا من أفضل أمل في العالم لوقف تنظيم داعش في سوريا. فمن خلال المساعدة في ترسيخ الهزيمة الإقليمية لداعش، الذي صدمت وحشيته تجاه النساء، العالم، لعبت تلك النساء دوراً رئيساً في تحييد التهديد الذي يمثله التنظيم في جميع أنحاء العالم". وأضافت أنه "في هذه العملية، حصلت تلك النساء على احترام العالم اجمع ".
"من منزل إلى منزل وشارع إلى شارع ومدينة تلو الأخرى، أصرّت تلك النساء على جعل مساواة المرأة حقيقة واقعة بقتال الرجال الذين اشتروا وباعوا النساء. وبالاعتماد على مئات الساعات من المقابلات، تقدّم الكاتبة النساء اللواتي يقاتلن في الخطوط الأمامية، مصممات ليس فقط على إخماد إرهاب داعش ولكن أيضاً على إثبات أن المرأة يمكن أن تخوض الحرب ويجب أن تتمتع بحقوق متساوية عند السلام".
June 17, 2021
I really wanted to like this book. The topic is crucially important, relevant, and fascinating. The profiles of these incredible woman would make a superb, long Atlantic article. There's probably 5-6k strong words in there, but as a book it really falls short. Lots of filler that feels ghost-written and is down-right boring. Some of my specific qualms:
- It's very 'these women knew they were different' and 'they stood up for themselves and women everywhere.' Which is great, of course! But that's about the depth of the author's intellectual dive into their feminism. I wanted to know much more.
- There's not nearly enough about the politics and feminism that define the YPJ. Ocalan is mentioned, but there's a huge gap in exploring his ideas. Basically reports that Turkey and USA think he and the PKK are terrorists (hmmmnn I wonder why?), but the USA softened up on that because the Kurds could help them fight ISIS.
-cont re politics: Murray Bookchin, the political philosopher and anarchist, who greatly influenced Ocalan, is barely mentioned. He's called 'left of Bernie Sanders.' How do you not discuss his politics in more depth?? Argubly these women wouldn't be there if it wasn't for his writings. She doesn't list Ocalan nor Bookchin's books in the further reading section. Glaring omission.
-It's super pro US military. There's possibly as many details on the army dudes as there are on the profiled women. Hundreds of words spent that basically say: US want peace, ISIS bad.
Obviously ISIS is terrible, but the level of discussion in the book would be boring for a 9th grade English class since it's so basic. Maybe from her other books army people are big fans so she wants to make them happy? Idk. I never heard of her or her books before this one.
- It's very 'these women knew they were different' and 'they stood up for themselves and women everywhere.' Which is great, of course! But that's about the depth of the author's intellectual dive into their feminism. I wanted to know much more.
- There's not nearly enough about the politics and feminism that define the YPJ. Ocalan is mentioned, but there's a huge gap in exploring his ideas. Basically reports that Turkey and USA think he and the PKK are terrorists (hmmmnn I wonder why?), but the USA softened up on that because the Kurds could help them fight ISIS.
-cont re politics: Murray Bookchin, the political philosopher and anarchist, who greatly influenced Ocalan, is barely mentioned. He's called 'left of Bernie Sanders.' How do you not discuss his politics in more depth?? Argubly these women wouldn't be there if it wasn't for his writings. She doesn't list Ocalan nor Bookchin's books in the further reading section. Glaring omission.
-It's super pro US military. There's possibly as many details on the army dudes as there are on the profiled women. Hundreds of words spent that basically say: US want peace, ISIS bad.
Obviously ISIS is terrible, but the level of discussion in the book would be boring for a 9th grade English class since it's so basic. Maybe from her other books army people are big fans so she wants to make them happy? Idk. I never heard of her or her books before this one.
April 6, 2021
I gave this book 5 stars because Goodreads says that means I thought it was "amazing," and it was. What an incredible account of women who defied their families, their traditions, and the unmitigated evil of ISIS to fight for themselves and their nationality. Truly amazing.
America's role in the conflict is elucidated in some detail, with a balanced and neutral tone. The author does a good job with the daunting task of identifying and explaining the positions of the different groups, factions, sects, and ethnic minorities that are endemic to Middle Eastern politics. I understand why she resorted to acronyms to designate the various fighting units, but as a Westerner I still found it difficult to keep everything straight. Our State Department has had the same issue for decades.
America's role in the conflict is elucidated in some detail, with a balanced and neutral tone. The author does a good job with the daunting task of identifying and explaining the positions of the different groups, factions, sects, and ethnic minorities that are endemic to Middle Eastern politics. I understand why she resorted to acronyms to designate the various fighting units, but as a Westerner I still found it difficult to keep everything straight. Our State Department has had the same issue for decades.
January 14, 2026
This is the second book by this author that I happened to read. The title and the story again is food for thought about disparities, gender equality, courage and resilience. Kobani, a small Kurdish town near the Turkish border, came under brutal siege by ISIS in 2014. The militants expected an easy victory. What they did not expect was fierce resistance led not only by men, but by young women—teachers, students, villagers,who took up arms to defend their land, dignity, and people.
These women were members of the YPJ (Women’s Protection Units), an all-female Kurdish militia. Many were in their late teens and twenties. They fought alongside male fighters of the YPG but maintained their own command structures, ideology, and identity. They were driven not only by survival, but by a deep belief in equality, inspired by Kurdish political thought that emphasized women’s rights, education, and shared leadership. ISIS viewed women as property. The sight of armed women fighters shattered their propaganda. ISIS militants believed being killed by a woman denied them martyrdom,making the YPJ psychologically powerful. Women had no equal rights or voice which I feel is very unfortunate ! Among these women Many survived, some were martyred, but their story reshaped how the world saw Muslim and Middle Eastern women—not as victims alone, but as leaders and defenders. I have a little mixed feelings about this book as about 36 years ago I recalled how the Kurds were mistreated and misplaced and some fled because of fear of prosecution and punishment. A lot had happened since then and then the ISIS came into being striking terror and forming their own rules to suit their own convenience and convictions which is not a part of Islam in anyway. My rating would be 4 stars
Dr. Javed Rasheed
These women were members of the YPJ (Women’s Protection Units), an all-female Kurdish militia. Many were in their late teens and twenties. They fought alongside male fighters of the YPG but maintained their own command structures, ideology, and identity. They were driven not only by survival, but by a deep belief in equality, inspired by Kurdish political thought that emphasized women’s rights, education, and shared leadership. ISIS viewed women as property. The sight of armed women fighters shattered their propaganda. ISIS militants believed being killed by a woman denied them martyrdom,making the YPJ psychologically powerful. Women had no equal rights or voice which I feel is very unfortunate ! Among these women Many survived, some were martyred, but their story reshaped how the world saw Muslim and Middle Eastern women—not as victims alone, but as leaders and defenders. I have a little mixed feelings about this book as about 36 years ago I recalled how the Kurds were mistreated and misplaced and some fled because of fear of prosecution and punishment. A lot had happened since then and then the ISIS came into being striking terror and forming their own rules to suit their own convenience and convictions which is not a part of Islam in anyway. My rating would be 4 stars
Dr. Javed Rasheed
April 27, 2025
Wat vreemd dat er in de huidige tijd zo weinig bekend is over deze vrouwen. Koerdische vrouwen die leiding geven in het leger en die na de overwinning op gelijkwaardig niveau met mannen leiding blijven geven in de steden die zij heroverden op Isis.
Dit boek gaat over een Koerdische beweging waarbij gendergelijkheid en gezonde natuur gezien worden als de basis voor een vreedzame samenleving in een gebied waarin deze waarden werkelijk vanuit alle hoeken bedreigd worden.
Dit boek gaat over een Koerdische beweging waarbij gendergelijkheid en gezonde natuur gezien worden als de basis voor een vreedzame samenleving in een gebied waarin deze waarden werkelijk vanuit alle hoeken bedreigd worden.
March 10, 2021
When I first learned in the news that Kurdish women were instrumental in fighting ISIS in Syria, I couldn't believe it. How did women from such a patriarchal and traditional society find the courage to do this? Well, this book explains why a woman would be attracted to the life of a soldier, and rise to be a commander of large numbers of troops, both male and female -- and be instrumental in the defeat of ISIS.
The book is very well-written, and documents in great detail the lives of several Syrian Kurds who left dead-end lives and became female heroes. The author spent time behind battle lines, and knows what she's talking about. Also, her father was Kurdish, and she therefore has an understandable compassion for her subjects.
She also provides a great explanation of the political situation, especially the different factions fighting ISIS, and shows why the US and Turkey have had such baffling positions. She does not sugar-coat the situation, and is not all that supportive of Obama's or Trump's decisions. I will use this book as a reference in the future for trying to sort out the alphabet soup of Kurdish militant and political groups.
I did not enjoy reading this book. It's a war book, filled with battles and strategy, explosions and anguish. This is not the type of thing I like to spend time with. However, I considered it important to learn about these amazing women, and knew that the book would be an essential part of my library on Kurds and women's rights in general.
The book is very well-written, and documents in great detail the lives of several Syrian Kurds who left dead-end lives and became female heroes. The author spent time behind battle lines, and knows what she's talking about. Also, her father was Kurdish, and she therefore has an understandable compassion for her subjects.
She also provides a great explanation of the political situation, especially the different factions fighting ISIS, and shows why the US and Turkey have had such baffling positions. She does not sugar-coat the situation, and is not all that supportive of Obama's or Trump's decisions. I will use this book as a reference in the future for trying to sort out the alphabet soup of Kurdish militant and political groups.
I did not enjoy reading this book. It's a war book, filled with battles and strategy, explosions and anguish. This is not the type of thing I like to spend time with. However, I considered it important to learn about these amazing women, and knew that the book would be an essential part of my library on Kurds and women's rights in general.
September 1, 2021
I learned a lot with this book about Northern Syria, the Kurds and their fight against ISIS. I was embarrassed to realize how little I know about them. It is so impressive what the YPJ fighters accomplished, but what impressed me the most was their true focus on women's liberation! Their fight for equity and their ideals are a lot more progressive than many western countries'.
August 21, 2025
I wish Goodreads would update their reviews to allow for .5 stars, because I would put this at a 3.5 star read. I felt myself lagging in some places, not wanting to continue because Lemmon's narrative voice is somewhat repetitive, but holy shit was this an interesting story (narrative style aside).
Like many of my white friends growing up in CA, I lived a life half-listening to the politics my parents discussed in our house. Obama's presidency lasted from the time I was six until I was fourteen, when we then watched Trump get elected for the first time. The vast majority of this book describes the years-long fight between ISIS and, namely, a female-led military group out of Northern Syria, whose ideals and convictions were inspired by Abdullah Ocalan (seems like a fascinating fellow, I'll be reading more about him for sure). Lemmon follows three female commanders as they lead the offensive against ISIS's forces, detailing the specifics of the group's creation, its rise in international legitimacy, and its current obstacles after losing US backing and thus facing Turkey's full military might.
The most striking part of the story, and something which I wish Lemmon had taken more time exploring, was the depth of emotion those women must have felt, and still feel. Many of the female fighters who joined early in the YPG's days sought an outlet for their frustration toward their respective societies; not only did they face daily threats on the basis of their ethnicity (being part of the Kurdish minority in Syria), they faced daily discrimination and oppression on the basis of being women. Joining the YPG gave them a chance to alter their own futures and the futures of women to come after them, despite the sociopolitical climate toward both Kurds and women at the time.
Azeema, a female commander, is shot during one of the last offensive pushes in the city of Kobani by an ISIS soldier--a bald man whom Azeema makes eye contact with moments before being shot in the chest. She shoots him in return, and she survives. The bullet is lodged mere inches from her heart, but she survives. Lemmon describes briefly how often Azeema thinks of that man, sees him in her dreams, and I find myself stuck on that relationship above all others in this book. These women knew how ISIS soldiers operated on an intimate level. They had to, otherwise they would have died trying to defend against an enemy they didn't understand. But Azeema recognized, in the bald man who shot her and in the other soldiers they encountered, the force of their hatred. She knew they wanted her dead because she was a woman, and she returned her rage to them tenfold. I marvel now at the fact that while I was growing up in (all things considered) my safe neighborhood in Los Angeles, these women endured war to secure the same social privileges I walked around with, completely unaware.
While I whined about Trump coming into office and sullying the good name of American politics, worked on my college applications, and tried to acknowledge the privilege of having a safe home during the pandemic, the Kurdish women in the SDF fought to retain American support against a country that wanted them eradicated, and an ideology that would not soon be erased despite facing military defeat.
Now, I look at the state of the US under Trump's second term, and I wonder if American women, specifically white women, will be able to nurture that kind of resolution within ourselves to keep each other safe and ensure that safety for generations to come. If you've read this far, know I'm considering moving this to a Substack post, lol.
Like many of my white friends growing up in CA, I lived a life half-listening to the politics my parents discussed in our house. Obama's presidency lasted from the time I was six until I was fourteen, when we then watched Trump get elected for the first time. The vast majority of this book describes the years-long fight between ISIS and, namely, a female-led military group out of Northern Syria, whose ideals and convictions were inspired by Abdullah Ocalan (seems like a fascinating fellow, I'll be reading more about him for sure). Lemmon follows three female commanders as they lead the offensive against ISIS's forces, detailing the specifics of the group's creation, its rise in international legitimacy, and its current obstacles after losing US backing and thus facing Turkey's full military might.
The most striking part of the story, and something which I wish Lemmon had taken more time exploring, was the depth of emotion those women must have felt, and still feel. Many of the female fighters who joined early in the YPG's days sought an outlet for their frustration toward their respective societies; not only did they face daily threats on the basis of their ethnicity (being part of the Kurdish minority in Syria), they faced daily discrimination and oppression on the basis of being women. Joining the YPG gave them a chance to alter their own futures and the futures of women to come after them, despite the sociopolitical climate toward both Kurds and women at the time.
Azeema, a female commander, is shot during one of the last offensive pushes in the city of Kobani by an ISIS soldier--a bald man whom Azeema makes eye contact with moments before being shot in the chest. She shoots him in return, and she survives. The bullet is lodged mere inches from her heart, but she survives. Lemmon describes briefly how often Azeema thinks of that man, sees him in her dreams, and I find myself stuck on that relationship above all others in this book. These women knew how ISIS soldiers operated on an intimate level. They had to, otherwise they would have died trying to defend against an enemy they didn't understand. But Azeema recognized, in the bald man who shot her and in the other soldiers they encountered, the force of their hatred. She knew they wanted her dead because she was a woman, and she returned her rage to them tenfold. I marvel now at the fact that while I was growing up in (all things considered) my safe neighborhood in Los Angeles, these women endured war to secure the same social privileges I walked around with, completely unaware.
While I whined about Trump coming into office and sullying the good name of American politics, worked on my college applications, and tried to acknowledge the privilege of having a safe home during the pandemic, the Kurdish women in the SDF fought to retain American support against a country that wanted them eradicated, and an ideology that would not soon be erased despite facing military defeat.
Now, I look at the state of the US under Trump's second term, and I wonder if American women, specifically white women, will be able to nurture that kind of resolution within ourselves to keep each other safe and ensure that safety for generations to come. If you've read this far, know I'm considering moving this to a Substack post, lol.
February 20, 2022
“What I know is that the young women I met across northeastern Syria, from all its communities—Arab, Kurd, Christian—want the same things from their lives as thousands of girls I have met every other place in the world, including the United States: a chance to go to school and an opportunity to forge their own future. The world has a way of telling girls and young women what they should want from their lives, and of telling them not to ask for too much.”~ Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
'The Daughters of Kobani' is the incredible story about the all-women grassroots army of Kobani, Syria that fought against ISIS trying to take over their city with the intentions of committing the same atrocities they inflicted on Sinjar. In 2014 ISIS took over the city of Sinjar in Iraq that led to the killing of over 10,000 Yazidis, mostly men and the elderly, and the enslavement and trafficking of the Yazidi girls and women. When the Kurdish town of Kobani heard that ISIS was on their way to inflict the same horrors on them, the women took action and stood their ground. The young girls and women faced great horrors once ISIS figured out they were in combat with women and stood to risk so much if they were captured as prisoners of war.
With on-the-ground reporting and interviews with the women who fought on the front lines for three years in the battle against ISIS Gayle tells the amazing story of these incredible women. These women won far more than just the battle against ISIS, they won hope for their people and the ability to create a brighter future for their city. This book is incredible, and I know I'll be thinking about the daughters of Kobani a lot.
'The Daughters of Kobani' is the incredible story about the all-women grassroots army of Kobani, Syria that fought against ISIS trying to take over their city with the intentions of committing the same atrocities they inflicted on Sinjar. In 2014 ISIS took over the city of Sinjar in Iraq that led to the killing of over 10,000 Yazidis, mostly men and the elderly, and the enslavement and trafficking of the Yazidi girls and women. When the Kurdish town of Kobani heard that ISIS was on their way to inflict the same horrors on them, the women took action and stood their ground. The young girls and women faced great horrors once ISIS figured out they were in combat with women and stood to risk so much if they were captured as prisoners of war.
With on-the-ground reporting and interviews with the women who fought on the front lines for three years in the battle against ISIS Gayle tells the amazing story of these incredible women. These women won far more than just the battle against ISIS, they won hope for their people and the ability to create a brighter future for their city. This book is incredible, and I know I'll be thinking about the daughters of Kobani a lot.
December 28, 2022
Introduced to this book via Robert Evans podcast The Women's War by IHeartRadio.
October 14, 2025
Super książka. Miała trochę osobistych historii, dzięki którym można było się zbliżyć do bohaterek. Nie brakowało też szerokiego kontekst politycznego i historycznego, można więc było przeczytać to bez wcześniejszej znajomości tematu, ponieważ autorka wszystko wyjaśniała. co prawda było przez to dużo dat, nazwisk, nazw, wydarzeń, polityki itp, jednak uważam, że było to potrzebne
August 8, 2021
So much the media never reports to us about the rest of the world. The book details the heroism of the Kurdish Syrian women in driving ISIS out of Northern Syria only to be ultimately abandoned by the US to genocide efforts by Turkey in the end.
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