Book Review: The Woman Who Fell From The Sky

The Woman Who Fell From the Sky: An American Journalist in Yemen: Jennifer Steil: Broadway: 2010: Non-Fiction/Biography: 336 pages

Yemen.  Not really a place an American woman imagines visiting, much less taking up a permanent residence.  But perhaps American journalist turned author Jennifer Steil is no ordinary woman.  Accepting a short term work assignment in Yemen to train the staff of the Yemen Observer Steil braves the female free streets of Yemen alone and doesn't let an institutionally sexist work environment or the time wasting Qat addictions of her staff slow her down.   (Qat is a very popular amphetamine like stimulant that plagues Yemeni society - it turns teeth brown, is highly addictive, and basically incapacitates its users form doing anything productive)  

This book depicted a Yemen I couldn't have imagined.  Steil gets the inside scoop, if you will, on women's roles in Yemeni society, the Qat addiction that cripples the country, family life and sex, the government loyalty that dominates the field of "journalism", and blatant unfairness in the workplace.  But her book is also several parts travelogue of the best kind - detailed, sensory, and fantastic while still being relatable and realistic.  The prehistoric island of Socotra sounds enchanting and other worldly, but we all know someone like her cantankerous co-editor and just needing a well deserved night off is something we can all relate to.  Although the ending sat a little askew with me (Steil and the British Ambassador to Yemen start a relationship that causes him to leave his wife and daughter) the book as a whole was very enjoyable.     

Here are two links about Socotra - check them out. It is a wild place 
http://www.bestourism.com/items/di/331?title=Socotra-Island-in-Yemen&b=47
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/travel/tmagazine/03well.socotra.t.html