Hush Ma Book Review

HUSH MA BOOK SYNOPSIS

In Islamic and non-Islamic Africa there are many tribal customs that are considered crimes in America.

Female Circumcision, Polygamy
What we find horrific is a way of life for these women in this culture. The traditional pre-arranged, Polygamist marriages, spousal abuse, and female circumcision, also known to us as female genital mutilation, are the main atrocities these women suffer.

The author, Mamet, in writing this book hopes to enlighten and educate other girls so they will not endure these abuses.

Kumba, the leading character of Hush Ma, is lucky enough to get out of the village and receive an education as well as find true love for herself. She eventually moves with her husband to America, becomes a nurse and raises a family. She makes frequent trips back to her homeland to educate and encourage the tribal women to stop being a "man's second or third wife and fight to ban female genital mutilations" (142).

QUEENIE B SAYS

Mamet writes openly in an innocent, almost childlike narrative about the cultural abuse of 3 generations of women in her village. Sometimes the writing is difficult to process but once you get past it, this is a story that needs to be told.

Mamet is truly one of the pioneers in the battle to stop female abuse in tribal communities. Her book is quick, short and direct. She tells it like it is. There is no malice in her words, only sadness of the abuses she feels in her society. She, now living in America, says her favorite show is Oprah Winfrey. One can see how this would be so as Oprah does works much to enlighten the world about these conditions. I think the book is very easy to read and worth the time because it reminded me as an American woman how lucky I have been to be born with freedom of choice in all aspects of the word here in the good old USA! What we take for granted are constant obstacles to many women of other cultures.

Mamet speaks for all women I think, and writing her book has allowed her to contribute to the better understanding of a world we know little about. I can't personally rate this book on content because of the content - I feel I would be underscoring the altruistic purpose for which the book is written.

HUSH MA DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Mamet's character in the book is brave and courageous. Do you know anyone who has lived in this circumstance before?
2. Do you think it's our duty as American women to help free other cultures of a practice we find abusive?
3. Are these customs okay because they are part of a culture? Or are they wrong no matter what the reason?