Desert Royal (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Jean P. Sasson (Author), (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The author continues her story of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia against women. Here, Princess Sultana tells of her own life and that of her family. The forced marriage of her niece to a cruel older man make her even more determined to fight the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia.

About the Author

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 303 pages
• Publisher: Transworld Pub (2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553812181
• ISBN-13: 978-0553812183
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,290,055 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly Accurate Protrayal of the Kingdom, January 8, 2002

By A Customer

Before I begin my review, I would like to say that the offer for Desert Royal with Princess Sultana's Circle is not good as they are the SAME book. The Desert Royal is the British edition of the book and the CIRCLE is the American edition. Reader's beware! Amazon: Please pay attention to such situations!

As far as the content of these books: I am a Muslim born in Lebanon but raised in America and I have traveled to the holy city of Mecca three times. I was pleased at the descriptions in this book of the pilgrimage. I disagree wholly with Mr. Jaeger from New York. (September 24.) He appears to be wrong in his judgement of the descriptions. I read the entire book very carefuly (three times, actually) and I could find no wrong doings in the descriptions of the cities or of the Ka'ba. I feel the gentlemen has been mislead by someone, as I have firsthand experiences in the Kingdom of Arabia.

I have noticed various other reviews that appear to attack without basis and I can only assume these are people who wish to discredit these valuable books for some reason or another. It is understandable that this happens for so many people in Saudi Arabia refuse to accept the fact they are backward in their treatment of women and so they react angrily when someone tells the truth.

While I am saddened at many of the descriptions, as a Muslim woman I will say that many of our men believe it is their right to beat a woman or mistreat her in other manners. For this reason, this is a good book to read. It is good that the Princess and the author are helping women in whatever way they can.

I saw how women in Saudi Arabia are treated, and the author has described these situations perfectly. Sadly, nothing seems to be changing in Saudi Arabia--the women are educated but they cannot use their brillant minds in a good way.

It is time for the Muslim world to discontinue mistreatment of females and move forward in a modern world. I say this as a Muslim woman who has lived a good life with a good family, but too many Muslim women do not have this opportunity.

For this reason I believe that every school in the world should have the books about a Princess in Saudi Arabia as required reading. Perhaps if the young are changed, the world can change.

I thank you for your time.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt Thanks from the Grieving Mother of a Saudi Hostage, September 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: DESERT ROYAL (Hardcover)

I wish to publicly thank Ms Sasson for including my little girl's story in the chapter entitled "Stolen Angels" in her newest book about "Princess Sultana." DESERT ROYAL depicts in painful detail the situation that my daughter and so many other little American children face after they are kidnapped and held hostage by their Saudi victimizers. My child has been away two long years, but there are others who have been held against their will for 20 years and more. Some of these American girls have grown up in Saudi Arabia, and even as adult women, are not allowed to obtain passports (either Saudi or American) so that they can visit their left-behind mothers in the United States or elsewhere. My daughter Heidi, who is a helpless 7-year-old now, has not been allowed to even call me, write to me, receive gifts from me or the rest of her family in over 2 years. Until recently, in fact, I have not even known if she was dead or alive. I am grateful to Jean for making this extreme form of child abuse against innocent children an issue. The world should not tolerate such uncivilized and savage behavior on the part of a nation that is a trading partner of the US. If the facts of Heidi's situation are appalling to the Western reader, the details of how a young Asian girl is bought as a sex slave by a young prince of the Al-Saud family are even more disturbing. Thank God that Princess Sultana and some of the other women of the family were able to help this child escape from the rapaciousness of the male child molesters. I thank God that there are Saudi women with the courage to stand up--at much risk to their own lives--and tell the world of the injustices perpetrated upon them by a corrupt system. I thank God that Jean Sasson--also at much personal risk-- is one American woman with the courage to bring this secret Saudi shame to the attention of the entire world.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing story, & a real eye opener, December 17, 2001

By	"espresso17" (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews

I have all read of Jean's books in the Princess series, & this is one of my favorites. Actually, once I began reading them...that was it. I was hooked & couldn't put them down until I had completed reading the series. It's very obvious that the author is extremely knowledgeable about Saudi Arabia, & it's culture. The cruel, inhumane treatment of women was shocking & disgusting. I doubt if any women could read these stories & not realize that we are all one, & we must do whatever is necessary to help women everywhere who are living under such oppressive conditions.