‎'‎‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎ a fine piece of scholarly work in the field of feminist studies‎.‎‎'‎ Asian and African Studies ‎'‎‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎ Nadje Al‎-Ali study of Middle Eastern women breaks new ground and points to a future programme of original and refreshing research‎.‎‎'‎ Journal of Contemporary History ‎'‎This book presents and analyses the author‎'‎s interviews with selected activists in the women‎'‎s movement in Egypt‎,‎ highlighting their extensive struggles to achieve political and civil rights‎.‎ The work as a whole should help to undermine further the old stereotype of the passive‎,‎ submissive creature of the ‎'‎harem‎'‎‎.‎ It will also help to promote a better understanding of the great similarities among women activists regardless of birthplace‎,‎ and the alliances that have existed and continue to be made between them across nations‎,‎ faiths‎,‎ and colours‎.‎ ‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎ In this well‎-researched and well‎-written book‎,‎ Al‎-Ali has brought a difficult subject to life and produced a work that will be of great interest to all readers‎,‎ specialist and non‎-specialist alike‎.‎‎'‎ Haleh Afshar‎,‎ University of York ‎'‎An attractive title promises an exciting book‎,‎ and the expectations are entirely fulfilled‎.‎‎'‎ Studia Orientalia