This is another book I'm re-reading. And a much more coherent and thoughtful blog than my first!
Queen Noor, the widow of Jordan's King Hussein, writes of her journey as an American woman turned royalty in the Middle East. Her eloquent and honest description of her whirlwind life is equally as engaging as her writing of the turbulent and cyclical history of the Arab world. It’s interesting, yet unavoidable I guess, that so many of us are reading literature related to the Middle East, either to brush up on its history or to try to understand its puzzling politics and how it affects us. I’m re-reading this book specifically for both of those reasons, so when the BBC talks about what Hamas and Fatah are up to, I have some clue as to what the hell is going on...even if that means simply knowing what countries border Israel.
Much of Queen Noor’s life was actually politics, not only because of her husband’s role as King of Jordan, but because she was genuinely concerned. This made the read a bit tedious, but she writes so simply and personally that my interest didn’t wane. Not only is this book an entertaining read of a woman’s life, it’s also a history lesson. And in these times where the Middle East has become a part of our lives, a very important one.
BTW, raise your hand if you’ve seen the video of Miss Teen USA South Carolina contestant’s response to one of the panel questions. “The Iraq” – I love it!
No comments:
Post a Comment