Princess Sultana's Circle

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

With Princess Sultana's Circle, the extraordinary story of Princess Sultana continues. The forced marriage of Sultana's niece to a cruel and depraved older man, and Sultana's discovery of the harem of sex slaves kept by a royal cousin, makes this brave royal princess more determined than ever to fight the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia. Princess Sultana's cause is given an extra sense of urgency against the background of increased dissent against the Al Sa'uds, and the looming spectre of Islamic fundamentalism. But an extended family camping trip in the desert brings the luxury-loving Sultana and relatives closer to their nomadic roots, and gives her the strength to carry on the fight for women's rights in all Muslim countries.This book paints a horrifying reality for women of the desert kingdom. It is a haunting look at the danger of Saudi male dominance and the desperate lives of the women they rule.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. 13)
• Introduction: My Dream (p. 17)
• Chapter 1 Munira's Destiny (p. 21)
• Chapter 2 Munira's Wedding (p. 35)
• Chapter 3 My Secret (p. 49)
• Chapter 4 Chaining the Devil (p. 61)
• Chapter 5 Paradise Palace (p. 71)
• Chapter 6 Birds of Paradise (p. 87)
• Chapter 7 Heavenly Harem (p. 99)
• Chapter 8 The Story of a Eunuch (p. 117)
• Chapter 9 Prophet Mohammed Defamed (p. 127)
• Chapter 10 Stolen Angels (p. 137)
• Chapter 11 Beheaded (p. 153)
• Chapter 12 My Secret Revealed (p. 165)
• Chapter 13 Threat to the Throne (p. 173)
• Chapter 14 Kareem's Prophecy (p. 185)
• Chapter 15 Wadi al Jafi (p. 195)
• Chapter 16 Swirling Sands (p. 213)
• Chapter 17 Buried While Still Alive (p. 223)
• Chapter 18 "Sultana's Circle" (p. 231)
• Epilogue (p. 243)
• Facts about Saudi Arabia (p. 249)
• Index (p. 251)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

As in her previous bestselling accounts of the lifestyles of the super-wealthy royals in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, Princess and The Rape of Kuwait, Sasson writes in the voice of her real-life friend, Princess Sultana. Sasson, who lived in Saudi Arabia from 1978 to 1990, offers an intimate view of a culture radically unlike the West. American readers will find the tales here astonishing in many waysÄfrom camping trips to the desert complete with Persian rugs, a cadre of servants and a fleet of 25 Mercedes-Benzes, to harems of imprisoned young sex slaves. But Princess Sultana, a member of the large royal family Al Sa'ud, finds the mistreatment of women surrounding her appalling, even though it is part of the culture in which she was born and raised. This angry and rebellious woman's attempts to satisfy her "lifelong desire" to alleviate the suffering of other women are frustrated, however, by her all-powerful kinsmen. Desperately, she turns to extravagant shopping and alcohol for relief. The gang-rape of a 14-year-old servant girl by her nephews finally provides the catalyst for Sultana's ultimate epiphany, in which she stands up to the men and garners support from her many sisters, creating a "circle of protection" around the girl. Surprisingly, the men relent in the face of such unusual defiance, and Princess Sultana is forever changed by the act; although she cannot create wholesale change in her country, she determines that she will never again allow an individual woman to be mistreated. Thus, her tale of decadent opulence becomes a political rallying cry that she hopes will spread the word and inspire many "Sultana's circles" to alleviate the plight of women everywhere, one woman at a time. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Booklist Review

Sasson and Saudi Princess Sultana follow their earlier accounts of social oppression of women in Arabia with one that focuses on the Saudi royal family and how, despite its wealth and relative freedom from social conventions, its men continue to oppress women. Specific instances include the forced marriage of a young niece to a brutal older man and a cousin's harem of sex slaves. The royal women react with varying degrees of acceptance; an occasional, minor rebellion; and alcohol and drug abuse. Although Sultana's husband is a more enlightened man, she reveals that even she has a drinking problem, brought on by the stress of helplessly witnessing inequities. Sasson and Sultana also detail Islamic culture and teachings and the contradictions between what the Koran teaches regarding women and the cultural interpretations made by men in Saudi society. Sultana has two daughters. One, like her, resists the male-dominated culture, but the other is so traditional that it frightens Sultana. Gossipy but insightful. --Vanessa Bush