Product Description

Reissue of the worldwide bestseller by popular demand - a shocking true story of life behind the veil.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4348 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 329 pages

Synopsis
In a land where Kings still rule, I am a Princess. You must know me only as Sultana, for I cannot reveal my true name for fear that harm will come to me and my family for what I am about to tell you. Think of a Saudi Arabian princess and what do you see? A woman glittering with jewels, living a life of unbelievable luxury. She has gold, palaces, swimming-pools, servants, designer dresses galore. But in reality she lives in a gilded cage. She has no freedom, no vote, no control over her own life, no value but as a bearer of sons. Hidden behind the vell, she is a prisoner, her jailers her father, her husband, her sons. 'Sultana' is a member of the Saudi royal family, closely related to the King. For the sake of her daughters, she decided that it was time for a woman in her position to speak out about the reality of life for women in her country, whatever their rank. She tells of her own life, from her turbulent childhood to her arranged marriage - a happy one, until her husband decided to take a second wife - and of the lives of her sisters, her friends and her servants.

In contrast to the affection and easy camaraderie amongst the women, she relates a history of appalling oppression against them, everyday occurrences that in any other culture would be seen as shocking human rights violations: forced marriages, servants bullied into sex slavery, summary executions. Princess is a testimony to a woman of indomitable spirit and great courage. By speaking out, 'Sultana' risked bringing the wrath of the Saudi establishment upon her head and upon the heads of her children. For this reason, she told her story anonymously.

From the Author
Response to my readers
After growing up in a tiny Southern town, I feel like the luckiest person alive to have traveled the world, and met lovely people from so many countries. The Middle East & Asia have been my main areas of travel, and like the rest of this good earth, including my own USA, I found negatives and positives in every culture. But, I also made the happy discovery that most people are genuinely kind hearted and most of us want the same out of life: comfort of life and respectful treatment from fellow human beings. (Speaking of lovely folks: To those that might be interested, I traveled to Iraq last summer, and spent two weeks in that country. Believe it or not, never have I met any nicer peole than the ordinary Iraqi. I was forced to rethink my former conclusions! What an adventure I had--particularly after writing "The Rape of Kuwait!" But, that's another book and I'm getting ahead of myself. Sorry!)

Certainly, during my twelve years of living and working in Saudi Arabia, I was fortunate to meet many lovely Saudi citizens, and yes, many kind men who treated their own women with respect. However, despite this, none of those privileged women could drive an automobile, work in the company of men, attend the same schools as men, or travel outside their home without the veil over their face. Such is not a life anyone would purposely seek, no matter what anyone might claim.

As a western woman, I was treated very differently than native women. I can only recall one or two unpleasant episodes during that time, and believe me, only two bad incidents in twelve years is nothing to complain about! So, please remember, the books about "Sultana" are not my own personal story, and I could not infringe on the truths of a native woman with my own positive experiences. (I am in the process of writing about my experiences in the Middle East, and it will surprise many people.)

And to those who find it so difficult to believe that women are still horribly mistreated in many parts of the world, don't take my word for it! Why don't you read other findings in newspapers, magazines, and join the human rights groups, Amnesty International and Equality Now? Their findings are much in the same vein as the stories you will read about in my books, and surely no one can claim these orgainziations are biased! (And, there are other well-written books about women which share many common findings with my own work, and I highly recommend that readers buy and read those books: Price of Honor and Nine Parts of Desire, come to mind.) And, what is happening with the Taliban and their women, even as I am writing this sentence, shows us that life can be much worse for many of the world's women than any of us could ever imagine in our worse nightmare!

I just returned from a book tour in England and at one of my book signings, I was happy to see four or five Saudi female faces in the audience. While speaking, I inquired if they were Saudi, and everyone one of them said, "no." However, when my talk finished, and readers filed by to get signed books, three of the women whispered to me that they were indeed Saudi, and although they could never come out publicly, they were so pleased that the world was taking note of their situation. Two of the women passed me their phone numbers and I was sad to hear from the two women that the public situation for women in Saudi Arabia had become much more severe, with the government growing more fearful of Saudi radical religious groups, and unwilling to hold these fierce men in line, although the individual lives lived in private have become more relaxed since many educated Saudi men have become more enlightened about women's issues.

And, thanks to you all for caring. (At least to those who care! And, if you don't care, maybe you should care!) There have been a few voiced complaints about the way I told Sultana's story--in a quick, enjoyable read--but who of you wants to read a dry account of anyone's life? And, if you happen to notice, a lot of facts are hidden in the fun... Anyway, the story of women fighting for personal freedoms is what is important. Certainly, when I first wrote "Princess," Sultana nor I could have ever dreamed that her story would travel around the world, and find so many interested readers.

And, yes to the question I am asked most frequently: I have been harassed, lied about, and attacked in various ways for daring to write Sultana's story. But, I don't have a single regret.

So now, I'm off to begin another project. Until then, happiness to you all. Jean Sasson

From the Back Cover
Think of Saudi Arabia and what do you see? Terrorists spreading fear? Religious zealots? A corrupt government and a fabulously wealthy Royal family living lives of unbelievable luxury?

Jean Sasson captures the flavour and reality of life in a country full of extremes and contradictions. Princess `Sultana', a real Saudi princess closely related to the King, lives those contradictions, with priceless jewels, many servants, unlimited funds at her disposal, but no freedom. A prisoner in a gilded cage with no vote, no control, no value but as a mother of sons, she is totally at the mercy of the men in her life…her father, her brother, her husband.

For the first time, a royal Saudi woman opens the door to give readers an unvarnished look inside a closed society. `Sultana' lifts the veil on the shocking world of forced marriages, sex slavery, honour killings and other outrages against women, both royal and common.

Princess is a testimony to a woman of indomitable spirit and great courage. By speaking out, `Sultana' risks the wrath of the Saudi establishment and for this reason, she has told her story anonymously through the bestselling author Jean Sasson. This is a real-life story you will never forget.

Customer Reviews

Interesting, compelling and eye opening
I really enjoyed this book. It was fascinating to say the least! I found the details about the rights and lives of women to be horrific and its really opened my eyes. The content is superb and vivid.
However I will say, the writing itself is not up to much. The author is/was a journalist and you can tell shes not a natural storyteller. Its quite sterile and she tries to hard at time to create a beautiful piece of writing. Failing at that yet succeeding in telling the world the Princesses story. Simple and effective. But dont expect a thrilling, tentatively told read.

UNABLE TO LEAVE IT DOWN
I couldn't leave this book down.l love to get a real insight into how other women live.l had to buy the following two.You wont be disappointed.

Interesting but poorly written
I found this book to be very interesting but very poorly written. The memoir is heart-wrenching (save the Princess' clear anti-Semitism), but the writing just doesn't flow. At all. Nevertheless, I had a hard time putting it down, and read it in one sitting. And, then I read her other books, too.

Life in Saudi Arabia is awful. Life under Shari'a is awful. Life in the misogynistic Islamic society is awful. That is the thrust and truth of this book. And, although the princess is a very faithful believer-- and although she questions the lack of freedom women in her culture have-- she doesn't make the connection that is so easy for many of us here to see. Her country follows Shari'a which is mandated in the Koran. She's critical of the laws of Saudi Arabia but doesn't have the courage to critically question the foundation of those laws-- the Koran. Of course, if she did, she'd be considered blasphemous and consequently killed living over there. So, maybe SECRETLY she does. But, outwardly, she praised Islam and Allah and the Prophet just enough-- maybe in case her identity was discovered. . . which, of course, it eventually was (see follow up books).

When reading this book, keep in mind that it was written by a princess-- a woman afforded many of the luxuries and freedoms that a commoner would not have. And, STILL, she is repressed and imprisoned. She, at least, can go to New York and spend $250K in one weekend (which she does). Imagine the life of someone less privileged. Ugh. Truly hellish.

Here is a culture that okays honor killings, stonings, polygamy. Here is a culture where woman cannot leave the house without a father, brother, or husband acting as chaperone. Where she can't drive. Where she is fed anti-American and anti-Israeli propaganda from day one. Where she's at the mercy of her husband or father's whim. Where women are not appreciated as intellectual equals. Where intellectualism is discouraged, religious criticism condemned and deemed criminal.

Well, thank goodness I live in a free society founded on Judeo-Christian values. This memoir is another proof that although many cite the commonalities between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, the fact is that Islam is not compatible or even favorably comparable with Christianity and Judaism (and even many Eastern religions) and that it is absolutely not a religion of peace. Here you have it (even when unintentional) from one of the princesses of Saudi Arabia herself.