Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof

First, let me apologize to those readers who are on the waiting list for Half the Sky. While certainly compelling, it is not a quick read, and I took more than my fair check out period. As a conscientious borrower, let my overdue status serve as a testament to the weight of this book. According to the accompanying website www.halftheskymovement.org “Half the Sky lays out an agenda for the world's women and three major abuses: sex trafficking and forced prostitution; gender-based violence including honor killings and mass rape; maternal mortality, which needlessly claims one woman a minute”. Personal stories clearly illustrate the cultural norms that allow such unimaginable abuses to occur. The abuses described are unimaginable and not easy to read about.The book’s strength lies in its examination of successful aid organizations and illustrates how grass-roots, native-led efforts have thrived where government interventions have failed. Be warned. On www.halftheskymovement.org the authors wish to “be clear up front: [they] hope to recruit you to join an incipient movement to emancipate women and fight global poverty by unlocking women's power as economic catalysts. It is a process that transforms bubbly teenage girls from brothel slaves into successful businesswomen. You can help accelerate change if you'll just open your heart and join in.”