Perspective

Infidel is written from the perspective of Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She is a Somali immigrant who suffered through the civil war there and then escapes to the Netherlands. She has had a very tough life, including an abusive mother and an absent father most of the time. Moved around through several countries, Ayaan had to readjust and learn new languages each time. This constant readjustment exposed her a great deal to diverse opinions, cultures, and ways of living.

After moving to the Netherlands and studying there, she no longer has any faith in God. Her new outlook as an atheist, along with her harsh childhood, leads her to be very biased against Islam.

She says that she wrote this book because she feels it is important for others to hear her story and become motivated to help overcome the oppression of women in Islam.

Her strong belief that...