This is the story of the author's journey toward an understanding of islamic women, and of often contradictory political, religious and cultural forces that shape their lives. This journey takes her to Iran, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to Jordan and throughout the Middle East. She does find feminism, and makes other startling discoveries that defy our stereotypes about the Muslim world. Brooks offers an analysis of the world's fastest growing religion, and illustrates how Islam's holiest texts have been used to justify the repression of women.