Book description
Readers of Princess Sultana's extraordinary biography Princess were
gripped by her powerful indictment of women's lives behind the veil
within the royal family of Saudi Arabia. They were every bit as
fascinated by the sequel, Daughters of Arabia.
Here, the princess turns the spotlight on her two daughters, Maha
and Amani, both teenagers. Surrounded by untold opulence and luxury
from the day they were born, but stifled by the unbearably restrictive
lifestyle imposed on them, they reacted in equally desperate ways.
Their dramatic and shocking stories, together with many more which
concern other members of Princess Sultana's huge family, are set
against a rich backdrop of Saudi Arabian culture and social mores
which she depicts with equal colour and authenticity. We learn, for
example, of the fascinating ritual of the world-famous annual
pilgrimage to Makkah as we accompany the princess and her family to
this holiest of cities. Throughout, however, she never tires of her
quest to expose the injustices which her society levels against women.
In her courageous campaign to improve the lot of her own daughters of
Arabia, Princess Sultana once more strikes a chord amongst all women
who are lucky enough to have the freedom to speak out for themselves.
Jean P Sasson is the author of the worldwide bestsellers Princess,
Daughters of Arabia, Desert Royal and now Mayada: Daughter of Iraq. She
lived in Saudi Arabia for over ten years from 1978 and became, during
that time, the intimate friend and confidante of 'Sultana', who asked
her to tell her story. She lives in the USA.
