<p>I read this on an airplane...</p>

<p>... which, I know, has seemingly nothing to do with the book in question, but it was a book I read, on an airplane, and being on an airplane (especially ones without any in-flight entertainment) are times where I feel sort of removed from reality, or in stasis. So I read <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20419782/book/158579202">Veil</a> while in stasis and it feels that way when I think about it: I read about an experience removed from me (I am neither Muslim nor do I wear a head scarf) while I was removed from everything else.
It was like listening to a friend tell you about their experiences. It was soothing. It didn't offer solutions or force opinions. </p>

<p>A friend. Talking to you on an airplane. Passing the time. How the veil may be liberating. How the veil may not be liberating. What it means to her.</p>

<p><A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20419782/book/158579202">Veil</a> by Rafia Zakaria went on sale September 7, 2017.</p>

<p><small>I received a copy free from <a href="https://www.netgalley.com/">Netgalley</a> in exchange for an honest review.</small></p>

I am obsessed with the object lesson series because I'm a sucker for a focused, linear discussion about one thing and only one thing. While I think the Shopping Mall book is my favorite, I did think that Veil is a great book to educate the reader about what makes veils in all their forms so significant.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could give an honest review of this book!

What a short, concise little book! I wanted to learn more about Muslim culture, especially female Muslim culture, so this was the perfect read for me, and it was helpful in teaching me about the different sorts of dress women wear and what it signifies.

A tedious and long read with the author expressing very generic and western influenced views which aren't really applicable to the audience this is aimed at. It tried to be relatable but failed at it and the long narrative wasn't a great addition to the novel as a whole.

Another volume in the wonderful Object Lessons series. In this one the author, a young Muslim lawyer, explores the veil in all its manifestations and in all its varied meanings and significance throughout history. It’s a personal view but a balanced one and I found the book enlightening and thought-provoking.

I love reading about veiling, especially when it includes first hand accounts. Veiling is a personal and, unfortunately, political choice, which this short work demonstrates well.

I have to say that I expected something else from the Object Lessons...this is not so much about the object veil but rather about the personal ideas of the author in regards to veils. And I mean this in a pure matter of fact way. I thought I'd get information an out the history, the material and the ways to wear a veil and got personal memories and beliefs instead. While I did find it very interesting to read about the author's choice not to wear a veil although being a female Moslem and having her share some experiences and perceptions she made, I still believe the book was lacking a bit of connection and logical next steps. Yes, the veil does offer a personal space, does provide a shelter and can also mean strength but the author makes it all sound like strength in a world dominated by males, shelter from males in situations in which a mere glance in the face of a man can be interpreted as showing romantic interest. Still, I enjoyed to learn more about veils from the perspective of a Moslem woman living in the Western world. I especially liked the passage about Western Christian feminists fighting for "freeing" Afgan women and therefore supporting the war in Afghanistan not bringing anything similar to freedom but only pain and a new level of imperialism.

I did enjoy this book. There’s a few things that I didn’t agree with, and I think the book, overall, could have used more focus. As it stands, the chapters often seem disconnected from each other. I would recommend reading this if you are interested in learning about the veil in the context of Muslim women.

The author chooses to center the book on an object - and a theme - relevant nowadays: the veil and everything it implies in two opposed cultures.

The book opens on the life of Rafia Zakaria and her memories about a couple of moment when the veil was central and had a particular cultural significance. Veil that for a culture is protection, while in the other, the occidental one, it does the opposite, and makes evident who is wearing it.

During the time the veil acquired different meanings - also negative - that in origin it did not have. To point this out, the author presents some legal procedures where the presence of veils (wear by testimony or accused) was greatly discussed.

An interesting reading that provides a broader perspective on an object now so bivalent.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me the copy necessary to write this review.

The author is a young lawyer who was born in Pakistan but now lives and works in the US representing Muslim victims of domestic violence. She has been heavily criticised in the US, and in Egypt while on a cultural exchange, for not wearing a veil or headscarf, accused by other Muslims of not therefore being a true Muslim. She responds that her interpretation of her faith does not consider the practice necessary.

Zakaria argues that the two entities, the veil and its wearer, have become synonymous, have morphed into one object that has become permissible or impermissible. The veil has consequently become more than an item of clothing. It can be seen as a partition, a boundary between the woman and the public sphere, or its wearing can be seen as a rebellion, a reclamation or choice, to retreat into a feminine space. <i>The fissure created by the veil, by the moral scale attached to its avowal and disavowal, is the core obstacle that confronts Muslim feminism...". </i>

The author cites a few of the many court cases where an argument has arisen over a witness or defendant being allowed to appear veiled. The conclusion is generally that if a court cannot see a person's face, they cannot tell if they are being truthful or not. Veils become barriers to the truth. Research has shown that the opposite holds true, however. Someone listening to a woman who is veiled will concentrate on the facts and substance of what is being said which, the author argues, is surely a better indicator of truthfulness than facial expressions or demeanour.

Many countries (e.g. France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria) have imposed a ban on wearing full face veils in public. In Switzerland, where this became law in 2016, anyone flouting this ban will be fined the huge sum of €9200. The arguments there and elsewhere range from security issues, to the right of others to see with whom they are sharing the public sphere, to the argument that the burka is not a requirement of Islam. In Switzerland, there is a particular aversion to <i>"the aesthetic transformation of the public sphere"</i> by the wearing of such a garment. This is also demonstrated by the 2009 ban on the future construction of minarets in Switzerland. It is not only in Europe that legislation has been implemented. In 2017, Morocco enforced a ban on the manufacture, sale and wearing of full face veils in public and the Egyptian parliament is currently debating it.

Latterly, particularly in light of Trump's anti Muslim rhetoric and actions, the veiled woman may be seen not as submissive but subversive. There is no interest in the West in the ambiguities of the veil. <i>"The refusal of the veiled woman to be visible is poised again security imperatives delineated by the Western state to protect its citizens"</i>, with the veiled woman's reconstruction as <i>"the subversive, the potential or actual terrorist"</i> serving to justify surveillance regimes.

<i>"The veil as object appears now accompanied and offset by other veils: the veils of ignorance and bigotry, the veils of prejudice and hatred, of xenophobia and racism. These veils cannot be seen as easily as the veil that is the subject of this book, but they enable their own subterfuge, taking from all those caught in their folds the ability to see."</i>

This is a timely, if not altogether original, work. I found it interesting to look at the veil from many different perspectives, aesthetic, social, political and religious. At times, the tone is angry rather than measured and it may be that a little editing would be wise. I was always taught that the one to lose his temper was the one to lose the argument. It's easy to understand why this is such an emotive subject however, and Zakaria's arguments have given me a lot to ponder.

Publishers love creating series and Bloomsbury not only came up with the brilliant ‘Thirty Three and a Third’ one, where authors enthuse about their favourite album, but also, more recently, hit upon the even more versatile ‘Object Lessons’ series where everyday objects - anything from a remote control to a shipping container or an egg – is presented in a new light. Rafia Zakaria’s ‘Veil’ is a welcome addition to this burgeoning brand.

Zakaria considers the West’s “preoccupation with the veil”, as manifested by the burka bans in various European countries and incidents such as the Dawson case in 2012, when Judge Murphy ruled that although a full face veil may be worn in English courts, it must be removed before an individual takes the stand.

Her inquiry into what it means to wear the veil was not, however, motivated by any such high profile public case but rather inspired by the personal experience of observing the interactions between a fully veiled woman and a man in a Karachi hospital waiting room. Her reflections are also informed by her own experiences at different stages of her life of sometimes wearing a headscarf or a veil and sometimes electing to wear neither.

Although she states that no universal lessons should be drawn from her own decisions after grappling with these choices, Zakaria clearly laments the way in which the wearing of the veil is regarded by many – Muslim and non-Muslim alike – as being integral to a Muslim woman’s faith, and deeply regrets the way in which this issue has become the greatest obstacle to unity amongst Muslim feminists.

Having said all that, Zakaria’s analysis challenges the false binary whereby veiled is equated with a state of oppression and unveiled with liberation by, for example, confirming that in certain circumstances the veil can be empowering for women, as when the masculine gaze is particularly insistent and imperious.

By the time the reader has finished the book they’ll undoubtedly have a much better understanding of the issues surrounding the veil but without the satisfaction of feeling that one response to the veil fits all situations.

Veil by Rafia Zakaria is a study of one of the more controversial cross-cultural issues of the day. Zakaria is an attorney and political philosopher. She is a regular columnist for Al Jazeera America and Dawn Pakistan and has written for many publications around the world including The Hindu, The Calcutta Stateman, China Daily The Korea Herald and Le Monde. She is the first Muslim American woman to serve on the Board of Directors of Amnesty International USA for two consecutive terms.

The object lessons presented by Bloomsbury Academic are usually mundane and ordinary item we see in our daily life like bread, golf balls, hair, and phone booths. This edition contains a more controversial issue of the veil and its connection with repression. Countries have tried to ban the wearing of a veil or niqab -- the full head covering. It is a mixed subject and speaks to both repression and religious freedom. Just because some people in the West see it as a repressive symbol does not mean that the women who wear the veil see it that way.

I grew up in an ethnic Polish neighborhood and headscarves or "babushkas" were worn by many women outside of the house and especially in church.  Historically, through the Renessiance, European women wore head coverings out of modesty.   Even in the traditional marriage ceremony, the bride wears a veil that only the groom can remove.  In religious texts, the veil is brought up:

"For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head."

“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers...

The first quote defining the covering of a woman's hair is from 1 Corinthians.  The second is from the Koran.  While Paul tells women to cover their heads, the Koran simply states they must guard their modesty.  What it boils down to is interpretation and in many Muslim countries where women do not have a voice, the interpretation comes down to men's interpretations.  Telling a Muslim woman residing in a Western country that she cannot wear a head scarf contradicts one of the key Western aspect of freedom of religion. Banning it merely reinforces others to wear it.  

Zakaria does present some Western concerns, not so much for a head scarf but for the niqab.  Security and identification in travel present one issue.  We are a culture that focuses on the face -- "Look at me when I am talking to you.", selfies, portraits, and Skype.  We identify by face.  In a lesser degree, the same was said about wearing a hoody -- you have something to hide, you are a thug,  you are up to no good.  Zakaria also presents some interesting court cases on the matter of the veil and how it is used and possibly abused.  

Veil is different from other object studies because it is controversial and not really something we take for granted.  Dust, eggs, and cigarette lighters of previous object studies do not touch on deeply held beliefs or fears.  This is one that will create some controversy in what was until now a level and secular series.  Like it or hate it, it will give the reader something to think about.

This is a great primer for those people who don't understand much about the veil as worn in the Middle East or by Muslims in the West. This book offers a lot of non biased and well written information on the many reasons why women wear the veil, religious and cultural. What I found most interesting was the way the author discusses how flawed the western discourse on the veil is and how leaders have used this before biased interpretation to manipulate public opinion regarding policies which directly affect the Middle East. The author does a very good job of elucidating the many problems that the West have with the veil in language that is not intimidating to the non specialist.

3.5 stars.

With this book, I was expecting less memoir, and more hard facts; instead, this is a strong blend of both. Zakaria addresses a variety of paradigms and stereotypes, both in support of and against wearing a veil, showing how the incredibly wide varieties of interpretations and enforcements of the veil only create more confusion about its place.

I was disappointed that there was never a proper introduction to the veil--it delves into the paradigms and biases right away, without any neutral chapter defining the various types of veils and perhaps a brief history of the veil as an object proper. While it didn't make any of the arguments less convincing, it did create a bit of disconnect--what exactly is the official description of a full-face veil as you are referring to it in the book?

All the points made really made me think about the issue, and how there really isn't any definitive "good vs. bad" when it comes to the freedoms, feminism, or stereotypes regarding the veil. The one thing that still strongly resonates is how many feminist groups see the veil as something oppressive and deeply un-feminist, suggesting that veil-wearing women cannot be feminists at all; they would have to ditch the veil permanently to be considered a feminist. This seemed to be deeply unfeminist, at least in my views, as feminists can be of any race or religion, and should be able to express themselves anyway they choose to without fear of oppression because of that expression.

Although this was an ARC copy and I cannot quote directly from this just yet, I do want to end on a thought that Zakaria pointed out, that pretty much sums up the reason for this controversy--if the veil didn't have any religious link/connotations, it would likely be ignored and rarely mentioned.

Dnf at 48%

Tossing for personal reasons. I felt this book was a lecture against something that many women (including myself) CHOOSE to wear. If someone feels differently about it, that's fine, but I'm not interested in reading about it.

We're told that the issue of the Muslim full veil is down to one Saudi cult, and that it's really not necessary, not prescribed, and just an unfortunate circumstance of male choice. Well, this book knocks that on the head – it's down to sexism. Yes, the book starts in a Karachi hospital waiting room, where the women shrink and cower from the men, in their sexism laying that same charge upon those awful gazing males. The author herself proves her milieu to be sexist – the school girls she once counted herself among deeming males to be so wicked because they want to look, while females want to pretend they can't look.

As regards proving its subject is a worthy entry to the Cultural Objects series, this book hits the nail right on the head. In a world with so-called World Hijab Day, of all things, and increased Islamic terrorism despite it, the veil is definitely a charged article, as an alleged visual signifier of a religion. But I felt the book was still a little awkward – it's the smaller picture. Surely the discussion about the veil being, for want of a better word, stupid is but a small part of the greater truth, that which declares Islam is stupid. Religion is stupid. Obviously our Muslim author is not going to say that, but it's the case – a cheese-seller should not complain about the odour of his stock. The hawks who wanted a post-9/11 war on Afghanistan, alleging it would remove the burka and liberate the women, were equally armed only with are-fresheners. This eratically-edited series (sometimes perfect, some unreadably bad) has a peculiar entrant here, one that's very loaded but doesn't quite completely pin the subject down.

Usually, Bloomsbury's series of object books deal with everyday things and examine their meaning--like toasters, socks or eye charts, and wrings unexpected weight from them. Zakaria's take on veils, though, is an immensely personal reflection on the niqab, which she has chosen to wear or not, in Pakistan, London and America, responding to different audiences, interacting with and observing women with and without them, and men's responses, working as a domestic violence lawyer in the US and explaining British, US and Canadian cases of veiling in those legal systems, looking at it generationally and in the course of her own life. This is a complex and thoughtful discussion, sure to deepen the conversation about this practice and its both personal and social meaning in diverse contexts.