I never really enjoyed history classes in high school or college. In my mind, it was just a bunch of random facts and people and dates that I had to memorize. However, since I began teaching American Literature, and discovering historical fiction, I've discovered a new love of history. Books, both fiction and nonfiction, have proven to be the best history "teachers" I've ever had, inspiring in me a desire to learn more about certain time periods and countries.
Couple that with my pride of being half-Lebanese, and this book was a perfect choice for me. It is a nonfiction book, written by Jean Sasson, about a princess in Saudi Arabia. The full title is Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia.
It is written as a memoir, from the Princess's perspective, set mostly around the mid-1950s. It begins with a prologue describing the different rules regarding women in various Arabic countries (I was so proud to read that, in Lebanon, "women enjoy equal civil rights and attend colleges and universities in large numbers"). Then it centers on the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia as Princess Sultana shares experiences from her life and her friends'.
The book is written in fairly short chapters, with no excessive description. There are a few Arabic words, but not so many it is difficult to understand. It focuses mainly on telling the stories in a firsthand account. You learn about the rights of women (or lack of) when it comes to marriages, traveling, clothing, etc. Although you've probably "heard" about most of the laws regarding women in Saudi Arabia, it comes to life in this book. You will feel sympathy for these women (and to think, this is from a princess's perspective...), but most of all, you will feel anger and shock that this is happening in our world today. The punishments young girls receive for things such as marrying a non-Muslim, getting pregnant after being raped by several boys, or traveling without her husband's permission are grotesque and inhumane.
It isn't all negative, though. The lavish lifestyles of the royal families in Saudi Arabia were also interesting to learn about. One of the most jaw-dropping was the expenses and troubles the princess's husband went to when she gave birth... you won't believe it.
This is the kind of book you'll want to talk about. You'll find yourself scoffing at the book, and sincerely disgusted with the people and actions described.
Go read it.
note: sincere thanks to Lois Jean Lanham for this book recommendation
I just finished the second book. It wasn't as good as the first, but it was interesting. I think I just need a break from the Princess... the second book was written so that someone who had not read the first one could follow, and as a result, it got repetitive to me at times. Overall, still a solid read though.
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