A Story of Rebellion, Courage, and Justice.
Author: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Released: February 2021
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 288
Audiobook Length: 7 hours (approx.)
Awards/Acclaim
New York Times Bestseller
Review
A thoughtful telling of a female Kurdish militia (YPJ) that stood up against ISIS and won.
It created great value, by teaching me post-WW1 Kurdish history and about its people's long oppression. Kurdish culture was effectively banned under the Syrian government.
However, this wasn't a dry telling of geopolitics.
Several resolute young women are highlighted in the book. Readers are first presented with their many struggles, for personal autonomy, while living in a male-dominated society and family structure. However, the Syrian civil war soon follows. And, an imported radical ideology of equal rights for women begins to spread throughout Syrian-Kurdish cities.
Within the power vacuum created by the weakened Assad regime, ISIS filled the void by marching across Syria and occupying cities in its wake. The Kurds arm themselves to protect their community within the aforementioned political upheavals. Kurdish fighters, both women and men, are the first group to hand ISIS a defeat in the city of Kobani.
It is something to behold. Women who choose to take up arms against ISIS men who aim to destroy their lives by bullet or via auction to the highest male bidder.
After the success at Kobani, the group continues to other locations within Syria. They destroy ISIS strongholds in other cities and free women held captive by the Islamic State (ISIS).
Additional Comments
The author covers in detail a moment in time of the fight for Kurdish dignity, rights, and self-rule. You'll find intimate details about battles against ISIS and be inspired by the resolve of the women leading the charge. This is an impactful story and its effects in the region will ripple into the future.
About the Author
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon is an adjunct senior fellow for women and foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the author of three New York Times bestsellers.
She regularly appears on CNN, PBS, MSNBC, and NPR, and frequently speaks on topics of national security.
You can also listen to her on one of my favorite podcasts Deep State Radio. Gayle and the host talk in-depth about the book, US/Kurdish policy, ISIS, and much more. This is a great podcast for wonks.
Content Warnings
Violence
Verdict
Score: 9/10
The Daughters of Kobani is a fantastic book on the will of a people and the women who led the fight against the Islamic State.
Yes, get it! Pick it up at your library, local bookstore, or favorite online retailer.
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