Help I Need a Fan: A Rite of Passage from Woman to Goddess [Paperback]

Rashida A. Ali (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2004

Help I Need A Fan is a non fictional account of the author's spiritual journey in quest of the divine purpose of menopause. Her search for answers was extensive begining with a plea to God as to His purpose for placing this awesomely taxing and sometimes debilitating trial upon the woman. At this time over fifty million women from the baby boom generation are going through menopause at the rate of 4,000 per day.

From hundreds of intertviews with menopausal women, through endless research, along with actually experiencing for eight years this change of life, she was divinely inspired with answers as to why God placed this physiology into the woman, as well as the great reward and benefit that comes from going through this change of life or rite of passage.

This account focuses not on the ill-effects that women experience during this climacteric change but conversely, the beauty and spirituality that emerges. Help I Need A Fan is about change, growth, renewal and transformation. It is triple sex rated, laced with humorous anecdotes and moments of sensitivity. It offers fresh new ideas and understanding of a age-old malady that leads to acceptance and peace of mind, body and soul. The concepts rendered are refreshing, as well as empowering and leaves the reader on a spiritual high!

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

I complained night and day about the burdens that God had placed upon the woman, PMS, menstral cramps, monthly bleeding, labor pains, child birth, post partum blues, depression, child rearing, cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, laundry, nursing, and overall serving. The list goes on and on, you know as the saying goes, "A woman's work is never done." I did all but curse God Himself. The fact that I did not was an indication to me that I still had a healthy fear of the Lord and at least an inkling of a self-accusing spirit remaining. Armed with that faith, though as small as a musterd seed, I sat out on my spiritual journey in quest of the sacrosanctness and divinity of this awful condition, menopause, which plagues and haunts the woman at the peak of her life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: House of ra Publishing Company (April 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0974762709
• ISBN-13: 978-0974762708
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,586,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brave and open account of her experience., May 27, 2004

By 

"kimberleymuhammad" (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help I Need a Fan: A Rite of Passage from Woman to Goddess (Paperback)

I picked up Sis. Rashida's book to read while on a 4 hour plane trip and finished it prior to landing. Her writting was just so clear and straight to the point, interesting and funny. I was very impressed with her open and honest sharing of such intimate details in her life. As a muslim I know that she is going to face a lot of critisim about her sexuality and her openess about it. So I truely commend her on her bravery to do so in spite of all that.
I'd also like to add that even though I am not going through or even approaching menopause I found the book very insightful and educational. I would recomend this book to women of all ages but especially to women going through menopause or who have already. I think it will give them hope that the trails of this change in life will pass and that they are not alone. Even though I am several years younger than the author this is still a somewhat taboo topic. I have never heard such an open account of the symptoms and trials of menopause.

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm hot!, January 12, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help I Need a Fan: A Rite of Passage from Woman to Goddess (Paperback)

Imagine the stress and fear that assails a perfectly healthy vegetarian who exercises and does everything right when she is suddenly attacked by strange body pain, waves of heat followed by icy chills and mood swings that threaten everyone around her. Then there is the loss of libido in a woman who has enjoyed sex with the best of them. Suddenly, she is no longer interested and doesn't want to be bothered by her husband. This was Rashida Aisha Ali's introduction to menopause; or a pause from men as she puts it, exactly as the name implies. She takes us through her rollercoaster journey of Hormone Replacement Therapy back to the natural remedies. Ms. Ali lets us in on her most intimate thoughts and feelings as she attempts to survive the ups and downs of a situation that seems to be forbidden to discuss. And think about it: did your mother tell you anything at all about menopause? Or do women brush by it as if it doesn't happen?

In a delightful, informative manner, Ms. Ali gives all the gory details of the change of life for women of a certain age. In addition, she includes the wonderful changes that also occur in the midst of physical and mental turmoil. I got a little confused a couple of times regarding the sequence of events but in spite of that, it explains so well the inner rage and shock that women feel after they've told themselves it will never happen to them; they will never lose their libido - that's for others. It is an excellent read for those who have not yet reached this "certain age" and want to know what to expect.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

5.0 out of 5 stars A woman's topic that's great for men as well- Fred Samuel, May 15, 2004

By 

Frederick Samuels (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help I Need a Fan: A Rite of Passage from Woman to Goddess (Paperback)

This book Help I Need A Fan was first released in the city in which I live. I was fortunate to purchase a copy even before it was listed on Amazon. It is a woman's book but I purchased it because the back cover stated triple sex rated and well..... you know how we guys are about that subject. Anyway, once I started to read the book I couldn't put it down. The topic Menopause was so interesting and the presentation was sexy, and funny and sensitive not to mention highly informative. Menopause is not something that men really know about so it was great to learn about this condition that effects women and has a rebounding effect on men. There is a chapter that I really found of use to men titled Divorce A Statistic Of Menopause. It deals with husbands lack of understanding as their wife goes through this change that oft time leads to divorce.

Another great aspect of the book is that it addresses how menopause affects the entire family and any one else who comes in contact with this blazing inferno of a woman. With this information and understanding it is easier to cope with a woman in this delicate and difficult phase of life.

The best that the book has to offer in my opinion is that it really gives great advice for women as to why they even go through this process and the beauty and other wonderful benefits the come as a result. It puts menopause in a positive light as opposed to some dreaded final phase of a woman's life. I rate it five stars and highly reccomed it to women and men, young and old.

Fred