PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

• Articles About Books
• Book Reviews
  • General Belly Dance Topics
  • Belly Dance History
  • Belly Dance Costuming
  • Near Eastern Culture
  • How to Belly Dance
  • On Being a Belly Dancer

• Book Reviews (Continued)
  • Middle Eastern Music
  • Fiction Featuring Dancers or the Middle East
  • Children's Books
• Book-Related Links

• Learn the Arabic Alphabet. By Arabella.
• Shira's Reading List for Belly Dancers

• Learning to Belly Dance from Books and Web Sites
• Belly Dance Print Magazines

• The Belly Dance Book: Rediscovering the Oldest Dance. Edited by Tazz Richards.
• The Tribal Bible: Exploring the Phenomenon That Is American Tribal Style Belly Dance. By Kajira Djoumahna. The 2003 edition.
• Grandmother's Secrets: The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly Dancing. By Rosina-Fawzia B. Al-Rawi, translated by Monique Arav.
• Belly Dancing: Unlock the Secret Power of an Ancient Dance, or some editions titled Belly Dancing: The Art of Becoming a Woman. By Rosina-Fawzia B. Al-Rawi, translated by Monique Arav.

• The Tribal Bible, or, "What the Heck Is American Tribal Style Bellydance, Anyway?". By Kajira Djoumahna. The 1999 original edition, now out of print.
• Zaïda: Belly Dancing for Older Women. By Phoebe Kathrine Carter
• Earth Dancing: Mother Nature's Oldest Rite. By Daniela Gioseffi.

• A Trade Like Any Other: Female Singers and Dancers In Egypt. By Karin Van Nieuwkerk.
• Looking For Little Egypt. By Donna Carlton.
• Ancient Egyptian Dances. By Irena Lexova.
• Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance. By Iris J. Stewart.

• Serpent Of The Nile: Women And Dance In The Arab World. By Wendy Buonaventura. Refers to the original 1989 edition.
• Bellydance: The Birth Magic Ritual from Cave to Cult to Cabaret. By Jamila Salimpour.

By Dawn Devine Brown

• Costuming from the Hip
• Embellished Bras: Basic Techniques
• From Turban to Toe Ring
• Style File: A Visual Vocabulary of Middle Eastern Dance Costume

By Dina Lydia

• Volume 1: Flattering Costume for Bellydancers
• Volume 2: Easy Costume for Bellydancers
• Volume 3: Cabaret Belt and Bra for Bellydancers
• Volume 4: Arm Costume for Bellydancers
• Volume 5: Tribal Toppings for Bellydancers
• Volume 6: Thrifty Chic for Bellydancers
• Volume 7, Headpieces for Bellydancers

By Other Authors

• The Belly Dance Costume Book. By Zarifa Aradoon.

About Ethnic Attire

• The Folkwear Book of Ethnic Clothing. By Mary S. Parker.

Sewing Advice

• Sewing for Plus Sizes: Creating Clothes that Fit and Flatter. By Barbara Deckert.

Middle Eastern & North African Culture

• Culture Shock! Egypt: A Guide to Customs & Etiquette. By Susan L. Wilson.
• Dreams Of Trespass: Tales Of A Harem Girlhood. By Fatima Mernissi.
• Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village. By Elizabeth Warnock Fernea.
• A Trade Like Any Other: Female Singers and Dancers In Egypt. By Karin Van Nieuwkerk.
• Pyramids & Nightclubs: A Travel Ethnography. By L. L. Wynn.
• Princess: A True Story Of Life Behind The Veil In Saudi Arabia. By Jean P. Sasson.
• Unveiled: One Woman's Nightmare in Iran. By Cherry Mosteshar.
• Grandmother's Secrets: The Ancient Rituals and Healing Power of Belly Dancing. By Rosina-Fawzia B. Al-Rawi, translated by Monique Arav.
• Belly Dancing: Unlock the Secret Power of an Ancient Dance, or some editions titled Belly Dancing: The Art of Becoming a Woman. By Rosina-Fawzia B. Al-Rawi, translated by Monique Arav.

For Children

• Grandma Hekmatt Remembers. By Ann Morris.

About the Gypsies

• The Rom: Walking In The Paths Of The Gypsies. By Roger Moreau.
• Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey. By Isabel Fonseca.

Myths & Ancient Times

• The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols And Sacred Objects. By Barbara G. Walker.
• Inanna: Queen Of Heaven And Earth. By Diane Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer.
• What People Wore. By Douglas Gorsline. Includes a section on ancient Egypt.

• Nefertiti Presents... Belly Dancing, the Basics. by Sherry Jeffries.
• Belly Dancing For Health And Relaxation. By Tina Hobin.
• Belly Dancing Basics. By Laura A. Cooper.

• Zaïda: Belly Dancing for Older Women. By Phoebe Kathrine Carter
• Intermediate Belly Dancing. By Vicki Corona.

• Have Belly, Will Travel: From Elvis and Star Trek to Ambassadors and Kings. By Tanya Lemani.
• They Told Me I Couldn't: A Young Woman's Multicultural Adventures in Colombia. By Tamalyn Dallal.

• Snake Hips. By Anne Thomas Soffee.
• Belly Laughs: Adventures With Celebrities & Other Unusual Characters. By Rod Long.

Sheet Music & Percussionist Guides

• A Near Eastern Music Primer. By Mimi Spencer.
• The Gems Songbook. By Mimi Spencer.
• Sadika's Tunes. By Mimi Spencer.
• Gems Instrumental Pieces. By Mimi Spencer.
• Gems of the Middle East, Volumes 1, 2, and 3: A Rhythmical Analysis. By Mary Ellen Donald.
• Arabic Music & Songbook: A Collection of Arabic Traditional Songs, Folk Songs, & Instrumental Compositions. By Joseph Fakhouri.

Song Translations

• A Near Eastern Music Primer. By Mimi Spencer.
• The Gems Songbook. By Mimi Spencer.
• The Golden Translator, Volumes 1, 2, and 3. By George Moawad.

Music Instruction Books

• Mastering Finger Cymbals. By Mary Ellen Donald.

Romance Novels

• Forever And A Baby. By Margot Early.
• Shimmy for Me. By Deanna Cameron.
• The Cowboy And The Belly Dancer. By Charlotte Maclay. Romance novel.
• A Memory Of Love. By Bertrice Small.
• The Leslie Family Series
  • The Kadin. By Bertrice Small.
  • Love Wild And Fair. By Bertrice Small.
• The Skye O'Malley Series
• Skye O'Malley. By Bertrice Small.
• All The Sweet Tomorrows. By Bertrice Small.
• A Love For All Time. By Bertrice Small.
• Lost Love Found. By Bertrice Small.
• Master of Silk. By Gia Dawn.

Adventure

• The Evangeline Gower Trilogy
• Baby Love. By Louisa Young.
• Desiring Cairo. By Louisa Young.
• Tree Of Pearls. By Louisa Young.
• Crocodile on the Sandbank. by Elizabeth Peters.
• The Spy Who Hated Licorice. By Richard L. Hershatter.
• Longarm And The Nevada Belly Dancer. By Tabor Evans.
• Dancer of Gor. By John Norman.
• The Belly Dancer in the Barrel of Oil. By Rebecca Newman.

Archeology & the Ancient Near East

• King And Goddess. By Judith Tarr.

Other Fiction

• Valide: A Novel Of The Harem. By Barbara Chase-Riboud.

• Barbie: The Pyramid Adventure. By Rita Balducci. For girls ages 4-8.
• Bella Wishes. By Tessa May and Dave Rodriguez. For girls ages 4-8.
• Grandma Hekmatt Remembers. By Ann Morris. For children ages 4-8.

• Dance Crazy: Star Turns From Ballet To Belly Dancing. By Natalie Jane Prior.
• My Dad Belly Dances. By Susan Gates. For children ages 9-12.