Through The Veil

by Lisa Ohlen Harris

In Damascus a Muslim woman rises before dawn and makes ritual washing before covering her head in prayer. A Kurdish man smiles with interest at the American researcher visiting his niece, but over time his smile turns to disapproval. A student from Damascus University invites her American friend home to break the fast and stay overnight in the village. As part of an ethnographic research team, Lisa Ohlen Harris was able to see the true face of Damascus. A few years later, she returned to live in Jordan with her husband and small child. In Through the Veil, Harris provides a long and honest look at scenes usually hidden from Western eyes. The essays collected here dispel stereotypes, focusing on the real people of the Middle East. Captivating. "Through" is the operative word in Through the Veil as Lisa Ohlen Harris-with curiosity and compassion-chronicles her unique contact with women of the Middle East. Beautifully orchestrated with honesty, insight, and humor, this book penetrates another culture and, at the same time, helps us understand what it is to be American, in the best sense of that word. -Judith Kitchen, author of Distance & Direction

Genres: Memoir

228 pages, Paperback

First published June 29, 2010

Reviews

[Bridgette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s beautifully and poetically written and very engaging. I have quite a few Syrian friends and it gave me different insights into their lives. If interested at all in life in Syria I would recommend.

[Susan Abraham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply personal, poetic and poignant. An interesting look at everyday life in old Damascus - especially on intriguing themes attributed to traditional Syrian women, before the start of the civil war

[Ruth Everhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for something accessible about Middle East culture, especially from a woman's point of view, consider this book. I actually finished reading it some time ago, but neglected to write the review. With all the focus on the Middle East, I was reminded to close this loop.

I enjoyed Lisa Harris' book very much. Her writing style is easy to read and doesn't belabor a point, which I especially appreciate. She brings the reader with her to places we might not otherwise have access. Some sentences are sheer poetry.

Because the book is a collection of essays rather than one long piece, the reader sometimes has to "relocate" herself in relationship to the author, or go over a bit of ground again, which is perhaps the work's biggest drawback. Also, I don't think the cover does the book justice! So don't let that sway you.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this essay collection about the author's time living in the Middle East. I was wowed by Lisa's editing skills on an essay I wrote for Relief a few years ago and so I was eager to read her own writing. I love the way she imbues her essays with symbolism and meaning and connects layers of stories together. My favorite essay was one about the Middle Eastern concept of the evil eye, something I have always heard about but never entirely understood. It was interesting to read this book after Bread of Angels by Stephanie Saldana. They are good companion pieces; Through the Veil is refreshingly shorter and more concise than the Bread of Angels.

[Bev Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Forgot to review when it was fresh in my mind). This book was a good overview of living in a new culture and seeing it through American eyes. She paints clear pictures of life in the cities she lived and gives warm personality to the people in Jordan.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating peek at life in the middle east through the eyes of an American woman.

[Jill Kandel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely book and an interesting read! I love books that I put down and I feel like I've learned something, seen another life, been a part of another part of this world.