On Thursday, Jan 11th, 2024, eight “Pageturners”, including two new members,
Tracy Horsman and Diane Gillis, met at Fairfield Centre to discuss “ Infidel”
a memoir by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Wendy Edgett led the review.
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Infidel is a New York Times best seller. It is the 2006 autobiography of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-Dutch activist and politician.
The life that Ayaan Hirsi Ali describes, were it fiction, would likely be considered far-fetched, or impossible.
Her early childhood was spent in the desert in Somalia, moving with her family to Mogadishu, Saudi Arabia and Kenya.
To avoid an arranged marriage, she claimed refugee status in the Netherlands,
earned a degree, was elected to the Netherlands parliament, where she focused
on the lack of adaptation and assimilation of immigrants from Muslim countries,
especially the continuing subjugation of women and girls.
Her life was threatened following her relinquishing of the Muslim faith and becoming an atheist. The government therefore provided her with 24 hour bodyguards.
An invitation from The American Enterprise Institute resulted in her moving to the U.S.A.
She was designated “ one of the most influential persons in the world” by Time magazine. Ayan Hirsi Ali continues to have bodyguards.
The members of the Book Club also discussed her more recent achievements which include three more books, and many speaking engagements ( some can be seen on YouTube).
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 