120 Books: An Update

110 Down, 10 to Go!

COMPLETED:
1.  Lipstick Jihad:  A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America by Azadeh Moaveni (Recommend- great exploration of being bi-cultural, not quite fitting in anywhere, and all the issues that plague Iran.)
5.   The Things They Cannot Say by Kevin Sites (Thanks Paul)
6.   The Hiding Place by Elizabeth & John Sherrill (highly recommend)
7.   The Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff & Alex Tresniowski (Thanks Mom)
8.  Sweden- Culture Smart! by Charlotte DeWitt
9.  The Swedish Secret: What the United States Can Learn from Sweden's Story by Earl Gustafson
10.  Culture Shock! Sweden by Charlotte Svensson
11.  Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley (good info, but painfully slow-moving.  First 50 pages were not easy to push through, but it picks up now and again the further along I read.)
12.  What Happened to Sweden?  While American Became the Only Superpower by Ulf Nilson (highly recommend.  honest commentary, great voice- really a pleasant read in terms of a history book.  short, sweet, and informative).
13.  Swedish Lessons:  A Memoir of Sects, Love, and Indentured Servitude. Sort of.  by Natalie Burg (a bit crass, but a funny story)
14.  In Honor of Fadime: Murder and Shame by Unni Wikan (HIGHLY recommend.  Very nice compliment to this book).
15.  Of Swedish Ways by Lily Lorenzen (includes some folk songs and proverbs- nice)
16.  Drinking Camel's Milk in the Yurt: Expat Stories from Kazakhstan by Monica Neboli
17.  Kids of Kabul by Deborah Ellis  (I didn't like this compilation of stories as much as the volume she did for Iraqi children, but still worth reading).
18.  Untold:  A History of the Wives of the Prophet Mohammed by Tamam Kahn (interesting, but a little annoying- includes poetry the author wrote in addition to the biographies of the women)

19.  Favorite Wife: Escape from Polygamy by Susan Ray Schmidt

20.  My Estonia: Passport Forgery, Meat Jelly Eaters, and Other Stories by Justin Petrone

22.  100 Letters Home: My Two Years in Kyrgystan by Emily Ross
23.  Cannibals and Kings: The Origins of Cultures by Marvin Harris (feels a bit preachy- some interesting ideas but feels very much like an agenda and not so much an honest discussion- Harris is a cultural determinist and makes little effort to balance perspectives)
24.  The Crisis of Zionism by Peter Beinart  (Thanks Yvonne!- Recommend- very clear and thoughtful)

25.  Polish Customs, Traditions, & Folklore by Knab (Thanks Paul!)
26. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

27.  The Silk Route: 7,000 Miles of History by John S. Major (Thanks Susan & Bri)

28.  Culture Shock!  Belgium by Mark Elliott
29.  Stories from the Silk Road by Cherry Gilcrest (really lovely illustrations, recommend for children)
30.  I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity by Izzeldin Abuelaish (highly recommend for all people)

31.  Quran and Woman: Rereading the Scared Text from a Woman's Perspective by  Amina Wadud (highly recommend for all Mulisms)

32.  Religions of the Silk Road by Richard Foltz (HIGHLY recommend for those interested in the ebb and flow of various religious traditions- Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity)

33.  Culture Smart!  Belgium Customs & Culture by Mandy MacDonald

34.  Strong was her Faith! Women of the New Testament by J. E. Kalas (recommend)
35.  Women in Islam by Nicholas Awade (highly recommend- nicely organized by topic)
36.  The Alevis in Turkey by David Shankland (academic reading,  very  information dense)

37.  Allah's Garden: A True Story of Forgotten War in the Sahara Desert of Morocco by Thomas Hollowell

38.  The Road From Morocco by Wafa Faith Hallam
39.  Stolen Lives: 20 Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir (recommend)

40.  Journey to Freedom: Moroccan Stories by Sascha von Bornhiem (do not recommend)

41.  Paradise Beneath Her Feet: How Women are Transforming the Middle East by Isobel Coleman (Thanks Amy!- HIGHLY recommend, very informative and compelling)

42.  Culture Shock!  Morocco by Orin Hargraves

43.  Moon Over Marrekech: A Memoir of Loving Too Deeply in a Foreign Land by  Nazneen Shiekh
44.  Hussein & The Nomad by Rahal Eks (very interesting story- slightly graphic- about the gay male experience in Morocco).  

45.  The Harem Within: Tales of a Moroccan Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi

47. The land of Veiled Women: Some Wandering in Algeria, Tunisia, & Morocco by John Foster Fraser

48.  A Year in Marrakesh by Peter Mayne

49.  White Cargo:  The Forgotten History of Britain's White Slaves in America by Don Jordan and Michael Walsh

50.  In Arabian Nights:  A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams by Tahir Shah (recommend- i love both of his books they include pen-sketches he does.  great story teller and amazing life- survived torture in a Pakistani prison and bought/renovated a villa in Morocco.)
51.  Culture Smart! Morocco: The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture by Jillian York
53.  Nobel Laureates in Search of Identity & Integrity by Hallengren  (nice overview of this selection of Laureates I mostly knew nothing about, but a bit dry)
54.  Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz by Olga Lengyel  (very highly recommend)

55.  American Sniper by Chris Kyle (recommend)

56.  The Couscous Genie: 3 Tunisian Stories by Mohamed Bacha (interesting folk tales, but poorly translated)

57.  Four Fantastic Tales from Tunisia by Mohamed Bacha (similar to his other book, including some errors-it is a shame, these would make lovely children's books).
58.  Silencing the Past:  The Arab Spring , Israel, & the Tunisian Jews by Rob Boublil (recommend.  informative)

59.  Dreaming of a Mail-Order Husband by Ericka Johnson (recommend- compelling perspectives)

60.  The Light Between Oceans: A Novel by M. L. Stedman (thanks mom!)

61.  Cairo: Memoir of a City Transformed by Ahdaf Soueif (recommend- the history at the end is honest and helpful)
63.  Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here: Untold Stories from the Fight Against Muslim Fundamentalism by Karima Bennoune (Highly recommend-insightful)
64.  A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story by Qais Akbar Omar (highly recommend)

65. 3.096 Days in Captivity: The True Story of my Abduction, Eight Years of Enslavement, and Escape by Natascha Kampusch

67.  The Darkest Corner of the World by Urve Tamberg
68.  Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera (highly recommend)
70. The Wisdom of Big Bird by Caroll Spinney (thanks mom!)

71.  Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets, & Songs by David Borgenicht (thanks Mom!)
72.  Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis (thanks mom!)

73.  Hindu Wisdom for All God's Children by Francis X. Clooney, S.J.  (thanks Donna!)

75.  Fearless:  The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown by Eric Blehm

76.  The Six Great Ideas by Mortimer Adler (layman's philosophy)

77. Night Draws Near:  Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War by Anthony Shadid (recommend- valuable insight into the Iraqi experience of the war)
78.  Eleni by Nicholas Gage (highly recommend- wartime account in the modern history of Greece)

79.  Culture Shock! Greece by Clive L. Rawlins
80.  Bones Washed in Water and Wine by Sydney 

Marangou-White (recommend, short read)

81.  Falling in Honey by Jennifer Barclay (ok, nothing special BUT recipes in the back! )
82.  The Feasts of Memory by Elias Kulikundis

83.  I Was a Child Spy by constantine bouboulis
84.  Culture Smart!  Greece by Constantine Buhayer
85.  After the Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Memoir of Greece by John Walters (A bit chatty)
86.  Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd (very boring)
87.  Only the Birds are Free: The Story of a War Child in Greeceby Anna Christake Cornwell (worth reading)
88.  North of Ithaka by Eleni Gage
89.  Harlot's Sauce: A Memior of Food, Family, Love, Loss, and Greece by Patricia Volonakis (also worth reading)

90.  Things of the Hidden God by Christopher Merrill

91.  Culture Smart! UAE by John Walsh

97.  Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas (highly recommend- funny and fun)
99. White Gold: The Extrodinary History of Thomas Pellow and Islam's One Million White Slaves by Giles Milton
100.  Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russel Hochschild
101.   Imagining Arab Womanhood: The Cultural Mythology of Veils, Harems, and Belly Dancers in the U.S.by Amira Karmakni
102.   The Cave Painters: Probing the Mysteries of the World's First Artists by  Gregory Curtis (highly recommend.  Very pleasant and engaging presentation, builds anticipation of seeing the caves).  

103.  Xenophobe's Guide to the French by Nick Yapp & Michel Syrett
104. Dubai Dreams: Inside the Kingdom of Bling by Raymond Barrett

106.   Sectarian Gulf by Toby Matthiesen (highly recommend for those interested in understanding straightforward Gulf dynamics post Arab Spring).
107.  Burqalicious: The Dubai Dairies, A True Story of Sun, Sand, Sex, and Secrecy by Becky Wicks

110.  Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
111.  Rape in Antiquity: Sexual Violence in the Greek & Roman Worlds by Deacy & Pierce
112.  The Wizard of Oz and Philosophy by Auxier & Seng (recommend)
113.  Church of Lies by Flora Jessop
114.  No Touch Monkey!  And Other Travel Lessons Learned Too Late by Ayun  Halliday
115.   The Xenophobe's Guide to the Greeks by Alexandra Fiada

116.   Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

117. Playing with Words (Greek Idioms) by AIOLOS

118. Greek Proverbs By AIOLOS
119.  Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis & Larry Sloman (honest, raw, but mostly about drugs)
120.  The Holy Quran (in support of my friends during the holy month of Ramadan/fasting)

121.  The Caliphs of Prophet Muhammad by Dr. Muhammad Ali Kossaibati (Thanks Youssra!)
122. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen (Recommend.  Includes recipes and a section after the memoir about the history of Mennonites)

123.  Farewell to Dejla: Stories of Iraqi Jews at Home and in Exile by Tova Murad Sadka
124.  Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katharine Boo (very highly recommend!)
125.  Disgraced by Saira Ahmed (recommend)
126.   Stalked by Alison Hewitt (only available via amazon.co.uk)
127.  Princess: More Tears to Cry By Jean Sasson
129. Trash by Britney Fuller

130. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

CURRENTLY UNDERWAY:

3.   A-Z Guide to the Hadith by Mokhtar Stork (Thanks Faisal!! informative, but so hard to stay awake!)

46.  Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges by Marivne Howe

52.  Moroccan Arabic by Aaron Sakulich

96.   The History of God: The 4,000-year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by Karen Armstrong
92.  No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan

128. House of Stone by Anthony Shadid
74.  Essential Judaism:  A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals by George Robinson (thanks Donna!)
69. Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About  the Jewish Religion, its People, and its History by Telushkin (Thanks Donna!)4.   The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett (fiction)
98.  The Wearing of the Green:  The History of St. Patrick's Day by Mike Cronin and Daryl Adair
93. The Secret History of the Mongol Queens:  How the Daughters of Genghis Kahn Rescued his Empire by Jack Weatherford(Thanks Donna!)



UP NEXT:
2.   The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin
21.  Kazakhstan: Surprises and Stereotypes 20 Years After Independence by Jonathan Aitken
62.  State of Failure by Jonathan Schanzer
66.  Bush Wives and Girl Soldiers by Chris Coulter

94.   Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict by Janie L. Leatherman

95.  Lucky in Cyprus: A true story about a boy, a teacher, an earthquake, some terrorists, and the CIA by Allan Lucky Cole

105.   Sheikhs, Lies, & Real Estate: The Untold Story of Dubai by Roth

108.  A Diamond in the Desert: Behind the Scenes in Abu Dhabi, the World's Richest City by Jo Tatchell

109.  Gridlock: Labor, Immigration, and Human Trafficking in Dubai by Pardis Mahdavi

UAE Day 166: Annual Banquet (hails & farewells)

UAE Day 164: Posers

Out of sheer desperation, I cajoled myself into trying to be open minded and try "other" cheerios besides the real deal.  In short: they were gross.   Fruity cheerios are just fruit loops.  

UAE Day 163: conversation class

I finally found a class for Arabic in my city.  The 3 out of the first 4 lessons were cancelled.  Not giving me much hope.  Still, the area is decorated nicely.

UAE Day 162: a soapbox on harsh realties of expatriate-ism

This weekend (Friday night, which is our "Sunday") I had a bit of an existential crisis as an American expat abroad.  In a mixed group, a series of propagandy-conspiracy theory-y anti-american/anti-western comments were made by someone I considered to be a lovely person and friend prior to these comments.  The individual has no relevant experience, education, or knowledge beyond media exposure and directed some sharp comments at me and then after raising the subject and throwing out insults, just as abruptly refused to let me respond or continue the conversation.  I found this to be both mean and cowardly.    I really felt sour and thought "how convenient a world where only the United States has power, an agenda, or responsibility".

Specifically, there was support of the Charlie Hebdo attacks expressed by someone with no religious inclinations who then suggested that the West deserves whatever it gets since Americans control everything anyway and kill people in other countries (referring to war-this individual is aware that I was in war for a year of my life and have that first-hand experience that person doesn't).  After I returned home I felt profoundly disturbed by the whole situation.


The freedom of expression is integral not just to French identity, being founded on civil war and revolution resulting in loss-of-life to protect and defend that freedom against the religi-political establishments (did I just make up a word?  if I did, it's ok, teachers are allowed to do that according to the rules I've just made up).  It is also a universal, protected, innate human right.  We all have the right to express our thoughts and feelings.  There is only one limitation on that freedom of expression- and that is the right to express the threat or intent to commit violence on self or others.  All humans get that right just for being alive.  No religion, no leader, and no culture can obliterate that right legitimately.  To see the complete list of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, click here.   I can tolerate that my friends, family, and colleagues don't have identical feelings and opinions to mine and separate their ideas and perspectives from what country they come from.  Is it really that hard for others to do the same?

After sleeping badly and waking up still upset, I brooded all yesterday over what this mean for me, for my friendship, for expats, and for the world.  Was i just a handy token American to take out mis-placed frustrations on (wrong place, wrong time type incident)?  Do otherwise kind and educated people secretly harbor hatred for anyone that is different from them but just cover it up everyday with superficial politeness?  Is it possible for people to have the maturity and awareness to disagree with a policy, approach, or ideology without hating people associated with it?  Why would someone want me to feel guilty, ashamed, and otherwise awful about my homeland, my heritage, and my lack of personal influence to affect global change?  I mean, I do try, in my apolitical way to contribute authentically to increasing understanding by language acquisition to create a platform for exchange and understanding and to level the playing field in terms of access to the global economy via English.  I'm a serious person, an introvert by nature, and an idealist.  If there was ever a person committed to reaching out in love and hope to try to connect and understand, it would be me.  I have a rich mixed heritage culturally, religiously, and ethnically.  Life is hard.  Let's not make it harder than needs be.

I am not ashamed of my country even when we have imperfect policies or imperfect approaches (in a word of defense- often the choices of avenues forward aren't ideal to begin with).  I don't agree with all of the cultural and political attitudes and beliefs that are popular among some in the U.S.
I am not scared of difficult subjects or listening to others' viewpoints.  I want to understand and I hope to be understood.  I am committed to doing what I can to make positive and authentic contributions domestically and abroad.  I do my best to do what I think and feel is right, to the fullest extent available to me.  I fiercely believe in the universal human rights and that we ALL need to be kinder to ourselves and each other.  We are human.  I am allowed to be me, and I am not not ashamed to be American.

But, while on the theme of "America controls everything, anyway and that's lark's fault",  I tried to envision a world where that would actually be true- not in the we-are-all-connected-via-interdepency-in-a-global-economy-frenemies-kind-of-way but America-the-dictator-kind-of-way.  The first change which would be immediately and strictly implemented would be the institution of copious quantities of hand sanitizer because even developed nations don't wash their hands properly and it makes me need to hide in bed when I consider all the bacteria spread by those who don't have clean water, soap, or never wash their hands.  Must.not.vomit.  Next on the list would be the permanent elimination of 1-ply toilet paper. Seriously.  That's been a LONG time coming.  After that would be to cease all panty hose- they just get banned.  THAT is what dictator America looks like- larkstyle at least.  And if I had a sphere of influence powerful enough to implement global policy, those items, would top the priority list in all honesty.  After that I could focus properly on human rights enforcement/compliance, but who can concentrate on that with all the germs, insufficient toilet paper, and torture devices in the way?  

America has more military power than all the other nations of the world combined.  if we wanted it to just be us, just be our way, or to do things for the wrong reason just to be extra powerful, we could eliminate the rest of the world in the span of an hour.  Be real.  No one wants to manage other countries social problems or economic problems.  Other people only get involved when a problem threatens regional stability- and even then there is great reluctance.  Normal people do NOT want blood on their hands or staining their hearts.

I still feel upset.  Not sure how I will proceed.  But I have a renewed gratitude for those who love me in spite of my national origin, ethnic heritage, religious observances, and opinions.  Thanks for reading.

UAE Day 156: drip drop drown

makin' waves

On campus

Wondering what would happen if the water is deep enough to flood the interior of my rental car...

2014 Books

108 DOWN, 12 TO GO.

COMPLETED:
1.  Lipstick Jihad:  A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America by Azadeh Moaveni (Recommend- great exploration of being bi-cultural, not quite fitting in anywhere, and all the issues that plague Iran.)
5.   The Things They Cannot Say by Kevin Sites (Thanks Paul)
6.   The Hiding Place by Elizabeth & John Sherrill (highly recommend)
7.   The Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff & Alex Tresniowski (Thanks Mom)
8.  Sweden- Culture Smart! by Charlotte DeWitt
9.  The Swedish Secret: What the United States Can Learn from Sweden's Story by Earl Gustafson
10.  Culture Shock! Sweden by Charlotte Svensson
11.  Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley (good info, but painfully slow-moving.  First 50 pages were not easy to push through, but it picks up now and again the further along I read.)
12.  What Happened to Sweden?  While American Became the Only Superpower by Ulf Nilson (highly recommend.  honest commentary, great voice- really a pleasant read in terms of a history book.  short, sweet, and informative).
13.  Swedish Lessons:  A Memoir of Sects, Love, and Indentured Servitude. Sort of.  by Natalie Burg (a bit crass, but a funny story)
14.  In Honor of Fadime: Murder and Shame by Unni Wikan (HIGHLY recommend.  Very nice compliment to this book).
15.  Of Swedish Ways by Lily Lorenzen (includes some folk songs and proverbs- nice)
16.  Drinking Camel's Milk in the Yurt: Expat Stories from Kazakhstan by Monica Neboli
17.  Kids of Kabul by Deborah Ellis  (I didn't like this compilation of stories as much as the volume she did for Iraqi children, but still worth reading).
18.  Untold:  A History of the Wives of the Prophet Mohammed by Tamam Kahn (interesting, but a little annoying- includes poetry the author wrote in addition to the biographies of the women)

19.  Favorite Wife: Escape from Polygamy by Susan Ray Schmidt

20.  My Estonia: Passport Forgery, Meat Jelly Eaters, and Other Stories by Justin Petrone

22.  100 Letters Home: My Two Years in Kyrgystan by Emily Ross
23.  Cannibals and Kings: The Origins of Cultures by Marvin Harris (feels a bit preachy- some interesting ideas but feels very much like an agenda and not so much an honest discussion- Harris is a cultural determinist and makes little effort to balance perspectives)
24.  The Crisis of Zionism by Peter Beinart  (Thanks Yvonne!- Recommend- very clear and thoughtful)
26. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

27.  The Silk Route: 7,000 Miles of History by John S. Major (Thanks Susan & Bri)

28.  Culture Shock!  Belgium by Mark Elliott
29.  Stories from the Silk Road by Cherry Gilcrest (really lovely illustrations, recommend for children)
30.  I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity by Izzeldin Abuelaish (highly recommend for all people)

31.  Quran and Woman: Rereading the Scared Text from a Woman's Perspective by  Amina Wadud (highly recommend for all Mulisms)

32.  Religions of the Silk Road by Richard Foltz (HIGHLY recommend for those interested in the ebb and flow of various religious traditions- Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity)

33.  Culture Smart!  Belgium Customs & Culture by Mandy MacDonald

34.  Strong was her Faith! Women of the New Testament by J. E. Kalas (recommend)
35.  Women in Islam by Nicholas Awade (highly recommend- nicely organized by topic)
36.  The Alevis in Turkey by David Shankland (academic reading,  very  information dense)

37.  Allah's Garden: A True Story of Forgotten War in the Sahara Desert of Morocco by Thomas Hollowell

38.  The Road From Morocco by Wafa Faith Hallam
39.  Stolen Lives: 20 Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir (recommend)

40.  Journey to Freedom: Moroccan Stories by Sascha von Bornhiem (do not recommend)

41.  Paradise Beneath Her Feet: How Women are Transforming the Middle East by Isobel Coleman (Thanks Amy!- HIGHLY recommend, very informative and compelling)

42.  Culture Shock!  Morocco by Orin Hargraves

43.  Moon Over Marrekech: A Memoir of Loving Too Deeply in a Foreign Land by  Nazneen Shiekh
44.  Hussein & The Nomad by Rahal Eks (very interesting story- slightly graphic- about the gay male experience in Morocco).  

45.  The Harem Within: Tales of a Moroccan Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi

47. The land of Veiled Women: Some Wandering in Algeria, Tunisia, & Morocco by John Foster Fraser

48.  A Year in Marrakesh by Peter Mayne

49.  White Cargo:  The Forgotten History of Britain's White Slaves in America by Don Jordan and Michael Walsh

50.  In Arabian Nights:  A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams by Tahir Shah (recommend- i love both of his books they include pen-sketches he does.  great story teller and amazing life- survived torture in a Pakistani prison and bought/renovated a villa in Morocco.)
51.  Culture Smart! Morocco: The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture by Jillian York
53.  Nobel Laureates in Search of Identity & Integrity by Hallengren  (nice overview of this selection of Laureates I mostly knew nothing about, but a bit dry)
54.  Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz by Olga Lengyel  (very highly recommend)

55.  American Sniper by Chris Kyle (recommend)

56.  The Couscous Genie: 3 Tunisian Stories by Mohamed Bacha (interesting folk tales, but poorly translated)

57.  Four Fantastic Tales from Tunisia by Mohamed Bacha (similar to his other book, including some errors-it is a shame, these would make lovely children's books).
58.  Silencing the Past:  The Arab Spring , Israel, & the Tunisian Jews by Rob Boublil (recommend.  informative)

59.  Dreaming of a Mail-Order Husband by Ericka Johnson (recommend- compelling perspectives)

61.  Cairo: Memoir of a City Transformed by Ahdaf Soueif (recommend- the history at the end is honest and helpful)
63.  Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here: Untold Stories from the Fight Against Muslim Fundamentalism by Karima Bennoune (Highly recommend-insightful)
64.  A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story by Qais Akbar Omar (highly recommend)

65. 3.096 Days in Captivity: The True Story of my Abduction, Eight Years of Enslavement, and Escape by Natascha Kampusch

67.  The Darkest Corner of the World by Urve Tamberg
68.  Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera (highly recommend)
70. The Wisdom of Big Bird by Caroll Spinney (thanks mom!)

71.  Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets, & Songs by David Borgenicht (thanks Mom!)
72.  Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis (thanks mom!)

73.  Hindu Wisdom for All God's Children by Francis X. Clooney, S.J.  (thanks Donna!)

75.  Fearless:  The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown by Eric Blehm

76.  The Six Great Ideas by Mortimer Adler (layman's philosophy)

77. Night Draws Near:  Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War by Anthony Shadid (recommend- valuable insight into the Iraqi experience of the war)
78.  Eleni by Nicholas Gage (highly recommend- wartime account in the modern history of Greece)

79.  Culture Shock! Greece by Clive L. Rawlins
80.  Bones Washed in Water and Wine by Sydney 

Marangou-White (recommend, short read)

81.  Falling in Honey by Jennifer Barclay (ok, nothing special BUT recipes in the back! )
82.  The Feasts of Memory by Elias Kulikundis

83.  I Was a Child Spy by constantine bouboulis
84.  Culture Smart!  Greece by Constantine Buhayer
85.  After the Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Memoir of Greece by John Walters (A bit chatty)
86.  Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd (very boring)
87.  Only the Birds are Free: The Story of a War Child in Greeceby Anna Christake Cornwell (worth reading)
88.  North of Ithaka by Eleni Gage
89.  Harlot's Sauce: A Memior of Food, Family, Love, Loss, and Greece by Patricia Volonakis (also worth reading)

90.  Things of the Hidden God by Christopher Merrill

91.  Culture Smart! UAE by John Walsh

97.  Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas (highly recommend- funny and fun)
99. White Gold: The Extrodinary History of Thomas Pellow and Islam's One Million White Slaves by Giles Milton
100.  Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russel Hochschild
101.   Imagining Arab Womanhood: The Cultural Mythology of Veils, Harems, and Belly Dancers in the U.S.by Amira Karmakni
102.   The Cave Painters: Probing the Mysteries of the World's First Artists by  Gregory Curtis (highly recommend.  Very pleasant and engaging presentation, builds anticipation of seeing the caves).  

103.  Xenophobe's Guide to the French by Nick Yapp & Michel Syrett
104. Dubai Dreams: Inside the Kingdom of Bling by Raymond Barrett

106.   Sectarian Gulf by Toby Matthiesen (highly recommend for those interested in understanding straightforward Gulf dynamics post Arab Spring).
107.  Burqalicious: The Dubai Dairies, A True Story of Sun, Sand, Sex, and Secrecy by Becky Wicks

110.  Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
111.  Rape in Antiquity: Sexual Violence in the Greek & Roman Worlds by Deacy & Pierce
112.  The Wizard of Oz and Philosophy by Auxier & Seng (recommend)
113.  Church of Lies by Flora Jessop
114.  No Touch Monkey!  And Other Travel Lessons Learned Too Late by Ayun  Halliday
115.   The Xenophobe's Guide to the Greeks by Alexandra Fiada

116.   Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

117. Playing with Words (Greek Idioms) by AIOLOS

118. Greek Proverbs By AIOLOS
119.  Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis & Larry Sloman (honest, raw, but mostly about drugs)
120.  The Holy Quran (in support of my friends during the holy month of Ramadan/fasting)

121.  The Caliphs of Prophet Muhammad by Dr. Muhammad Ali Kossaibati (Thanks Youssra!)
122. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen (Recommend.  Includes recipes and a section after the memoir about the history of Mennonites)

123.  Farewell to Dejla: Stories of Iraqi Jews at Home and in Exile by Tova Murad Sadka
124.  Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katharine Boo (very highly recommend!)
125.  Disgraced by Saira Ahmed (recommend)
126.   Stalked by Alison Hewitt (only available via amazon.co.uk)
127.  Princess: More Tears to Cry By Jean Sasson
129. Trash by Britney Fuller

130. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

CURRENTLY UNDERWAY:

3.   A-Z Guide to the Hadith by Mokhtar Stork (Thanks Faisal!! informative, but so hard to stay awake!)

46.  Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges by Marivne Howe

52.  Moroccan Arabic by Aaron Sakulich

96.   The History of God: The 4,000-year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by Karen Armstrong
92.  No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan

128. House of Stone by Anthony Shadid
74.  Essential Judaism:  A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals by George Robinson (thanks Donna!)
69. Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About  the Jewish Religion, its People, and its History by Telushkin (Thanks Donna!)4.   The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett (fiction)
98.  The Wearing of the Green:  The History of St. Patrick's Day by Mike Cronin and Daryl Adair
93. The Secret History of the Mongol Queens:  How the Daughters of Genghis Kahn Rescued his Empire by Jack Weatherford(Thanks Donna!)
60.  The Light Between Oceans: A Novel by M. L. Stedman (thanks mom!)
25.  Polish Customs, Traditions, & Folklore by Knab (Thanks Paul!)


UP NEXT:
2.   The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin
21.  Kazakhstan: Surprises and Stereotypes 20 Years After Independence by Jonathan Aitken
62.  State of Failure by Jonathan Schanzer
66.  Bush Wives and Girl Soldiers by Chris Coulter

94.   Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict by Janie L. Leatherman

95.  Lucky in Cyprus: A true story about a boy, a teacher, an earthquake, some terrorists, and the CIA by Allan Lucky Cole

105.   Sheikhs, Lies, & Real Estate: The Untold Story of Dubai by Roth

108.  A Diamond in the Desert: Behind the Scenes in Abu Dhabi, the World's Richest City by Jo Tatchell

109.  Gridlock: Labor, Immigration, and Human Trafficking in Dubai by Pardis Mahdavi