An American Chick in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson
Jean Sasson, an intrepid Southern woman famous for writing
Princess: A True Story of Life behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia provides a short
but interesting memoir of her life in Saudi Arabia in this book. Nothing fazed this young woman, not even the
vicious military police. She writes
about her experiences as a white woman in a restrictive Muslim country and her
romance with Peter Sasson.
Sasson arrives to work in a lavishly decorated hospital
which King Faisal dreamed of making the finest medical hospital in the
world. She enjoys her job and she likes
sharing an apartment with two other women.
Sasson, young and adventurous, is ready to experience life in a very
different country.
She soon becomes shocked by the mistreatment and lack of
freedom in Saudi Arabia. Women are
forbidden to drive or dance with men in public. They often
have arranged marriages at a very young age.
Saudi husbands can easily leave them or have more than one wife. Many
wives are beaten. Some men even sleep in
the hospital beds of their sick wives while the wives sleep on the floor.
Sasson becomes determined to meet as many women as she can and try to fight for
more freedoms for Saudi women.
Sasson is surprised, however, when she pretends to be a
Saudi woman and she meets Malaak. Even
though Malaak got married young and the marriage was arranged, she is happy
with her life.
The romance in the book leavens this sad tale of
restrictions and is quite sweet. Sasson
meets Peter, the head of an insurance company who speaks six languages. Peter is impressed by this
audacious and resolute woman. Soon they
are dating. He protects her when her adventures start taking her into dangerous
territory – she is almost arrested at one stage by the military police, for
example.
Sasson updates this memoir at the end by telling the readers
that life for Saudi women has improved to some extent, however, they still
suffer many restrictions.
I would like to read a longer version of this book. I also liked the photos – these helped me
envision the places which Sasson was writing about.
Jean Sasson provides a short
but interesting memoir of her life in Saudi Arabia in this book. Nothing fazed this young woman, not even the
vicious military police. She writes
about her experiences as a white woman in a restrictive Muslim country and her
romance with Peter Sasson.
Sasson arrives to work in a lavishly decorated hospital
which King Faisal dreamed of making the finest medical hospital in the
world. She enjoys her job and she likes
sharing an apartment with two other women.
Sasson, young and adventurous, is ready to experience life in a very
different country. Her boss knows King Khalid and Crown Prince Fahd
well and he introduces her to people in the higher echelons of Saudi society.
She soon becomes shocked by the mistreatment and lack of
freedom in Saudi Arabia. Women are
forbidden to dance or drive. They often
have arranged marriages at a very young age.
Saudi husbands can easily leave them or have more than one wife. Many
wives are beaten. Some men even sleep in
the hospital beds of their sick wives while the wives sleep on the floor.
Sasson becomes determined to meet as many women as she can and try to fight for
more freedoms for Saudi women.
Sasson is surprised, however, when she pretends to be a
Saudi woman and she meets Malaak. Even
though Malaak got married young and the marriage was arranged, she is happy
with her life.
The romance in the book leavens this sad tale of
restrictions and is quite sweet. Sasson
meets Peter, the head of an insurance company who speaks six languages. Peter is impressed by this
audacious and resolute woman. Soon they
are dating. He protects her when her adventures start taking her into dangerous
territory – she is almost arrested at one stage by the military police, for
example.
Sasson updates this memoir at the end by telling the readers
that life for Saudi women has improved to some extent, however, they still
suffer many restrictions.
I would like to read a longer version of this book. I also liked the photos – these helped me
envision the places which Sasson was writing about.
Comments
I am sorry that I got those points wrong. I will correct them. I remember now your vivid description of the Saudi women dancing with each other at a party which you attended. I am going to make the alterations now.