Princess /
By: Sasson, Jean P
Material type: BookPublisher: London : Bantam Books, c2004.Description: 303 p. : ill. maps ; 18 cm.ISBN: 9780553816952Subject(s): Sultana, 1956- | Women -- Social conditions | Princesses -- Saudi ArabiaDDC classification: 305.488927538 SA PR Online resources: Location MapItem type | Home library | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds |
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REGULAR | University of Wollongong in Dubai Main Collection | 305.488927538 SA PR (Browse shelf) | Available | T0036065 |
, Shelving location: Main Collection Close shelf browser
305.488927 AM AR Arab women in Arab news : | 305.488927 DI FF The Differential Impact of Women's Participation in the Arab Spring : | 305.4889274 HO WO Women & conflict in the Middle East : | 305.488927538 SA PR Princess / | 305.488963 AM MA Male daughters, female husbands : | 305.5 BO BE Behind the beautiful forevers / | 305.50973 ST PR The price of inequality / |
Originally published: London: Doubleday, 1992.
In a land where Kings still rule, I am a Princess. You must know me only as Sultana, for I cannot reveal my true name for fear that harm will come to me and my family for what I am about to tell you. Think of a Saudi Arabian princess and what do you see? A woman glittering with jewels, living a life of unbelievable luxury. She has gold, palaces, swimming-pools, servants, designer dresses galore. But in reality she lives in a gilded cage. She has no freedom, no vote, no control over her own life, no value but as a bearer of sons. Hidden behind the veil, she is a prisoner, her jailers her father, her husband, her sons. 'Sultana' is a member of the Saudi royal family, closely related to the King. For the sake of her daughters, she decided that it was time for a woman in her position to speak out about the reality of life for women in her country, whatever their rank. She tells of her own life, from her turbulent childhood to her arranged marriage - a happy one, until her husband decided to take a second wife - and of the lives of her sisters, her friends and her servants. In contrast to the affection and easy camaraderie amongst the women, she relates a history of appalling oppression against them, everyday occurrences that in any other culture would be seen as shocking human rights violations: forced marriages, servants bullied into sex slavery, summary executions. Princess is a testimony to a woman of indomitable spirit and great courage. By speaking out, 'Sultana' risked bringing the wrath of the Saudi establishment upon her head and upon the heads of her children. For this reason, she told her story anonymously.