BOOK REVIEW: The Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones

The Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones is a book that was very nearly not published. Threats and a bombing against the original publisher by nutty Muslim extremists scared off Random House.

In August the publisher Random House US announced it was pulling publication because it had been advised that the book "might be offensive" to some Muslims and "could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment".

Telegraph.co.uk

There is nothing new about these sorts of threats from nutcase Muslims, they threaten to kill and indeed DO kill when someone dares to criticise their extremely violent and misogynist religion. 1 2 

Thanks to a new publisher Beaufort Books The Jewel of Medina is available to buy from Amazon.com.

Darren Rickard, Political Animal

Please read the reviews below.

List Price: $24.95 Price: $16.47 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Ships from and sold by Amazon.com 7 new or used available from $16.47 Average customer review:

Product Description

Born Aisha bint Abi Bakr in seventh century Arabia, she would become the favorite wife of the Prophet Muhammad, and one of the most revered women in the Muslim faith. Married at the age of nine, The Jewel of Medina illuminates the difficult path Aisha confronted, from her youthful dreams of becoming a Bedouin warrior, to her life as the beloved wife and confident of the founder of Islam.


Extensively researched and elegantly crafted, The Jewel of Medina presents the beauty and harsh realities of life in an age long past, during a time of war, enlightenment, and upheaval. At once a love story, a history lesson, and a coming-of-age tale, The Jewel of Medina provides humanizing glimpses into the origins of the Islamic faith, and the nature of love, through the eyes of a truly unforgettable heroine.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #88 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Editorial Reviews

About the Author 
A professional journalist since 1979, Sherry Jones has won numerous awards and been published in magazines including Newsweek, CMJ, Southwest Art, and Rider. She is currently the Montana and Idaho correspondent for the Bureau of National Affairs, an international news agency in the Washington, D.C. area, and a correspondent for Women's e-News. The Jewel of Medina is her first novel.

Customer Reviews

A'isha is an unforgettable character!

This book is an exciting page turner that tells a wonderful and compelling story about the beginning and maturation of the relationship between the Prophet Muhammad and his favorite wife A'isha. Through that story we get not only to see A'isha's character grow and mature, but we also learn something of the struggle of Muhammad and his followers to practice their faith, and worship their God as they wished. In the hands of author Sherry Jones, A'isha is shown as a remarkable and irresistible character. How A'isha learns to deal with these obstacles, how she learns to live as one of several wives of the prophet, and how the experiences contribute to her growth and strength as a woman constitutes the central conflict in the story, and its resolution is truly beautiful. The Jewel of Medina is historical fiction in the best sense of the genre. Jones' writing style is a pleasure, always inviting us deeper into the story, often soaring, and is always a veritable feast of metaphors! It is, of course, written with modern sensibilities, and the author takes full advantage of artistic license to create vibrant and living characters from historic personages about whom little in the way of everyday detail is known. If "text book" history is sometimes modified to suit the dramatic requirements of giving us a forceful narrative, the story is accurately anchored in history at all the key points, and thus gives us non Muslims a glimpse into the very human side of Islam and its founding prophet, and and particularly of his plucky and adventurous favorite "jewel" of a wife A'isha.

Jewel of a Story

An interesting historical novel about the relationship between Muhammad and his real-life child bride A'isha, told from her perspective. There is genuine affection between the two, and Muhammad appears to regard her with special affection and respect despite the many demands made upon him as a leader. A'isha is shown to be an unusual young woman: wanting to prove her loyalty to Muhammad by actually scheming to participate as a combatant in the many battles that Mulhammed and his followers must win to survive.

Jewel of Medina is excellent

I have just read the Jewel of Medina and it is an inspiring, well written adventure that brings the early days of the Muslim religion to life. This is my first exposure to the Muslim culture and it is a very positive experience. Muhammad, A'isha and Ali become real people expressing honest human emotions and a genuine desire for creating a religion of peace, understanding and equality. This is such a relief from their minimalist image portrayed by today's Muslim extremists. The Jewel of Medina held my attention from the opening prologue and never faltered. It is fast paced, complex, emotional and even lighthearted as Muhammad, A'isha and Ali each evolve into powerful leaders for their faith. Read the Jewel of Medina for entertainment, understanding and compassion.

Buy The Jewel of Medina in electronic version for $7.99