Fadumo Korn

Somalia

Fadumo Korn (her German husband's surname imposed on her by the German government) has written an engaging and unsentimental account of her experiences as a child in Somalia. She lived in a nomadic family whose city connections in Mogadishu turn out to be close relatives associated with the dictatorship. These relationships become important when Fadumo almost dies from infibulation (euphemistically called "female circumcision," though it is much more extreme than that). Fadumo's father brings her to the city to live with relatives; from there, she travels to Europe for medical treatment and, as time goes on, her family's fortunes change. An excellent and candid self-portrait of the making of an activist.… (altro)

This was a fancinating memoir from the female voice of a Somali nomad. From the details of the nomadic family structure and traditions, to clan politics, to the African immigrant story, I could not put this book down. Often, I wished that there was more detail, and I felt like there were pretty large gaps of time that were skipped or just mentioned in passing. The author managed, in very few words, to help me see the landscape, and feel her emotions, and to imagine what that way of life might be like. She also discribed the horror of the process and aftermath of female genital mutilation without being overly lurid and sensational. I would love to hear more about her life as she developed into an advocate for the women still facing mutilation.… (altro)