anon/whatever number: whether or not these books are fiction, women are oppressed in saudi arabia and other countries. the sheer amount of denial on your part makes the point. you wish to hide this fact. wearing the veil, going blind from looking through material, is not a choice. it is a requirement by men who are allowed to wear what they wish. women who are forcefully circumcised is not a choice. pain and agony is not a choice, whatever you think. anon - you are a fanatic but we know the truth. there is too much evidence to support what we know and to argue against what you say. I am a student of the Holocaust - your type helped that chain of events happen. no way will I ever consider you a reliable source.

well i guess anon14584 is like those people who are described in the book Princess -- poor animals. I know the book is non-fiction because i live in Saudi Arabia-Riyadh, and its not a place to spend your holiday.

Still there are times Filipino nurses end up raped and killed in the beaches of KSA and no investigation is done. Why do you think the Saudi women don't accept the fact that they hate their way of life? It's because they don't want to end up being drowned in a swimming pool by their own father!

This book and the other two books that go along with the trilogy are the best books that I have ever read. Whether or not they are completely true is besides the point. I found this book so intriguing that I would recommend it to anyone who has the time to read it.

I haven't read the whole book yet. I've only read a couple of chapters so far. But I want to say that many of the things that are mentioned in the book such as oppression and torture are probably true, but as a Muslim I know that this has nothing to do with Islam. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia in particular is making up laws in the name of Islam but that are in reality very far away from our religion, and because of its strict non-realistic laws, a lot of obscene incidents are occurring everywhere within the kingdom such as rape, adultery, alcoholism and drugs that are not announced to the public. People do worse when they are not given the freedom to choose between right and wrong. There are a lot of evil pockets in Saudi Arabia, and many other nations all in the name of religion (whether Islam, Christianity, or Judaism) but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are teaching of that religion. Bottom line, what Sultana is saying is probably true. We do not have any evidence to prove or deny it, but what we as Muslims are certain of, is that it has nothing to do with Islam, but is only done in its name.

replying to #40914. The purpose of the book is not to disregard or disrespect Islam or to negatively compare it to other religions.

Simply, it is to expose the reality of violent, horrific actions committed against women in Arab nations.

These actions are not caused by something inherently wrong with the Koran or Islam or Allah or Muhammad, but rather by the unawakened heart of individual men, and women, and groups who choose to use, misinterpret, falsify and bastardize scripture and religious teachings for the purpose of justifying their own malevolent actions and intent.

This can and does happen in any religion.

The book exposes for everyone to witness the ways in which men and women of this region are motivated by fear and control rather than by love.

Torture, brutality, suppression, will end amongst all nations, between men and women, between people of all regions of our world when we continue to awaken to our interconnectedness with each other and come to know that when we disregard another we damage ourselves. We are all one.

If you people actually believe this, know that I have been to Saudi Arabia and did not see any oppression at all. If anything, it was the best country I have ever been to. Before you people start bashing Islam, do your homework. Look at what Islam is really about, and don't just go to the tv and turn it on. Go to real, un-biased sites where you can get true information. If you aren't a coward, you would. Another thing, what Islam teaches isn't to kill and oppress and to hate. It teaches to love and respect and share out of the bounty which God has given you. The best man to ever live was Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and he was a Muslim. And get this, it is not Islam the religion that visits the sick, that gives to the needy, that prays five times a day, that helps the orphan, that gives to the needy and destitute. It definitely wasn't Islam the religion that helped make 95 baskets of neccessities for refugees last Sunday. That was me. And as such, it is the Muslim, the individual person, who does these acts. The religion doesn't change. People can claim to be anything and anyone and work for any cause and company. They can say to do things in the name of that cause. But the truth of the matter is, just because they use a front for their actions does not mean in any way that what they portray is really what their cause believes in. People have seen over they years the many crimes committed by people. Hitler killed millions of people, the American slave holders treated their slaves like animals. And yes, these people were Christian, yet Christianity is not considered an extremist religion. Then you look at Islam. When crimes are committed by people of this religion, the religion is labled as extremist and people think the worst of it. This article was created. But, if you actually do your homework you will find that Islam teaches nothing like this and what goes on in this book is not at all Islamic.

Saudi Arabia is a wonderful country where people actually live by a set of morals and values. They feel for others. And to you who wrote the "enlightened man/oppressed woman" comment, you should really know what you are talking about before you open your mouth. do some research, and then come back and see if you can still stand by your comment. Now to the clothing issue. When people see a women wearing a veil or covering their body, they immedietly label them oppressed. They do not even stop to think that it is actually a religious/fashion choice. They think some male relative forces what is in most cases a self-made choice guided by a faith that restores values. In my opinion, covering one's hair and wearing loose clothing is not at all a choice that shows oppression. It shows commitment. Much more than the millions of people who publicly wear revealing clothes, who walk basically naked, and in some cases are naked. Bikinis, miniskirts, see-through clothing, etc. are seen as freedom in some people's eyes. But, if a religion that encourages people to cover themselves and be modest is oppressive, then where does that put French President Nicolas Sarkozy? He tells the French to take off their veils, and isn't that as bad as telling people to put them on? Come on folks, in all fairness it is the concept of forcing people to do something with their clothing. If putting them on is bad, then taking them off is bad too. And then if you add morals, its modesty versus shame. I know which one I would choose. Final thoughts: there are bad people in every religion, but it is the people who make their choices. Just because people do horrifying things in the name of religion doesn't make the religion itself bad. People can say they are doing anything for the best religion in the world, but that does not change the religion. Choices define us, but they cannot change what is already set down.

first of all, i am a foreigner living in saudi. this is not true. i am living in saudi, and i can tell this is not true. if someone cannot distinguish between his/her own bad experience and the whole country including style of life and people, then it is a big problem, saudi is a conservative country that is true but what is not true is that fake story such as men there kill women! i was shocked when a european woman came and asked me if it is true that men kill women there! i do not know really who stands behind such a lame book. i think the person who wrote this book didn't mean to describe something as much as meant to harm the people in saudi and to harm the reputation of the whole country. saudi is a big country. there are some laws which may be not acceptable to some people but i think such laws or instructions are not a crime! laws or instructions such as: women are not allowed to drive cars, or wearing gown (which is from traditions), this black gown is not Hijab or veil, it a piece of clothes. women wear it above their main clothes. that means woman can wear anything she wants but at the end she wear this light piece of clothes to show some respect to the society and to the traditions. i met many european women who like such clothes and they call it here in saudi an abaya. i see many europeans wear it and they are happy with it. even in the summer they can wear it because it is very light. even european women who live in saudi they do not cover their faces. from other laws spread here such as: prohibiting bars and wines, also there is separation between girls and boys in the schools and universities and i think this is normal and exists in many countries around the world. some families treat women bad *but* this is not fair to describe the whole country and the whole people there with this rude and wild image. this is very wrong. saudi is a conservative country but still very civilized and strong with huge economy and comfortable life. east region and west region are well-known that they are the most open regions in this country, and religious and conservative people are concentrated in the middle of the country. people here respect the traditions a lot. if the life in saudi is not bearable then why do millions of foreigners from europe, asia and america live there? i see european women in the markets shopping and they look happy. saudi is a safe country. many saudi men are married to european and american women and they live a happy life. if princess Sultana faced a hard time in her life, well i feel sorry for her but she has no right to make a horrible reputation with a lot of false and unbelievable tales by magnifying stories. still some laws in saudi are not fair to foreigners and to the people who were born in saudi (citizenship) and a visa to saudi is not easy thing to get there. also threre are the foreigners' rights and other issues, but still saudi is a safe place and people there are nice with exceptions. these exceptions can be found in other countries around the world. i cannot find european woman to accept to marry me because they do not want to live with me in saudi. they are horrified because of such fake books and stories.

this book broke my heart...it really did. I am not a saudi citizen but an arab who lived in saudi for quite a long time. this is no fiction and even if it is, what happens in saudi is much worse than what is written in this book. What actually is happening everywhere every everywhere is much worse than this book. am not sooo proud of being an arab anymore!

anon14584:

hmm, are you one of the "enlightened" Saudi men or are you one of those women who are just un-informed and terrified? Did your male relative make you write this post?

I believe what princess sultana says is true. These books are true because these things happened to women all over the world and I have lived similarly to princess sultana. I haven't seen what she has seen happen to others but the way in which she saw her brother favoured over her, I have lived that horrible oppressed life.

The men in charge of the country would want everyone to think that the books are just fiction.

I trust Sultana. It is not human to make up such things, and another thing, there's simply no reason.

anon14584. Jean Sasson's books are non-fiction. If you are such a well informed insider, drop the cowardly stance that most of the men of Saudi Arabia exhibit, face the religious zealots head on, and give the WOMEN the freedom they deserve. Otherwise, zip it.

The story of Princess 'Sultana' reveals hidden and unknown truth that was told from the prospect of a Saudi princess. This book is written almost confidentially for the sake of safety her life and the ones she mentioned. Especially as names have enormous influential aspects of the family's reputation and dignity throughout the society which can lead to chaotic, threatening position for the princess herself and 'identified' ones too.

All of Jean Sasson's books are fiction. Sooner or later all of Jean Sasson's written "untruth" in all of her books will see the light of day when the truth will be told and prevail for evermore. This true message comes from a well informed insider.