Egyptian Mayam Mahmoud stirred debate in the Middle East when she appeared at Arabs Got Talent's stage and rapped, defying the expectations of a veiled woman in this part of her world.

"It's got a lot of people talking about whether it's possible for a veiled girl, or even a girl, to do this," says Mahmoud, who says her veil is a personal choice and has little relevance to her music. "If a girl has a dream to work in a field where many girls don't work, or to do post-graduate study, or to work in a position higher than her husband – all these things often can't be done."

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In her book "A House in the Sky", Amanda Lindhout recounts the experience of being held captive in Somalia for 460 days.

"In the cleanest prose, she and Corbett allow events both horrific and absurd — like Lindhout’s diligently translating, from a smartphone, a message to jihadis from Osama bin Laden — to unfold on their own. Lindhout’s resilience transforms the story from a litany of horrors into a humbling encounter with the human spirit."

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