Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening

Manal al-Sharif was already remarkable in that she became a female computer scientist in Saudi Arabia. But what makes her even more so is her dedication to the cause of allowing women to drive cars in her native country. Al-Sharif's memoir traces her journey from a pious teenage zealot, who burned her brother's illicit Backstreet Boys cassettes, to being imprisoned after posting a video of herself driving in 2011. The writing is matter-of-fact, perhaps a little dry, but it reveals an interesting perspective on Saudi society and al-Sharif is compelling and easy to root for.