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Countless volumes have been produced on one of the Cleopatras, this book, however, explores the lives and careers of them all. ... Read more

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A study of the public piety and private religion of a king whose public prolamation of his divine destiny was very different from his private indientification with the sufferings of King David. ... Read more

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For the first time, the international best-sellingPRINCESS books are available in a limited edition boxed set.

THIS COMPELLING TRUE STORY BEGAN WITH PRINCESS, called "Absolutelyriveting..." by People Magazine. This first book in the trilogydescribes the real life of Princess Sultana, a princess in the royalhouse of Saudi Arabia where she lives in a "gilded cage" with nofreedom and no control over her own life.

The saga continues with PRINCESS SULTANA'S DAUGHTERS called "Another page turner..." by Publishers Weekly. DAUGHTERS continues the extraordinary story of Princess Sultana. Gripping and personal, DAUGHTERS recounts the lonely battle of a Princess who is attempting to secure freedoms for her daughters.

PRINCESS SULTANA'S CIRLCLE, the third book completes the PRINCESS TRILOGY, called a "Political rallying cry...." by Publisher's Weekly. CIRCLE paints a horrifying reality for women of the desert kingdom. As Sultana battles for a life of dignity, she saves other women from servitude.

THE PRINCESS TRILOGY is the testimony of a woman of indomitable spirit and great courage. You have never read a story like the story of Sultana, and you will never forget her or her Muslim sisters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Eye opening, but many questions remain unanswered
I have read the three books again after a gap of a few years. I found the books compelling reading. I worked in Saudi Arabia and can attest to the depressing form of dress that the women wear in public and the colorful gawdy clothes that they seem to purchase for private wear. This book was valuable to give me a rare look behind the veil.

At the end of the third book today I came to the conclusion that Sultana is a hypocrite. I cannot understand the many occasions that she seemed more concerned with protecting her family name and reputation even in the face of numerous rapes and sexual assaults. I also found it unbelievable that someone who would go to such lengths to take her children out of the country would then return to Saudi Arabia to the oppression that she claims that she detested. On one occasion she claims that she caught an STD from her husband, and yet in other parts of the trilogy, she appears to have forgotten his infidelities, and even praises him as a great husband!I found the story of the eunuch a little far fetched, and the story of the harem in her cousin's house as far fetched. If these things are happening in her own family, why not expose them to the King that she heaps praises upon. If the King is so wonderful, why is he blind to the abuse and sexual slavery in his own country, and indeed, promoted by and within his own royal family? Sultana seems to be either a made up fictional character, or a person full of contradictions. To those who do not believe that the Saudi females change into mini skirts, etc, you have obviously not travelled to and from Saudi Arabia on the aeroplanes. They change in the aeroplane bathrooms out of their abbayas into Western clothing. This is common knowledge by anyone that has spent any time in Saudi Arabia. That women are oppressed is not in question. However, the complicity of the women in Saudi Arabia and the royal women like Sultana, in particular, is what is particularly disturbing.

Eye opening
One day, while at my boyfriend's parent's house, I saw Princess on the coffee table. Simply interested, I read the first chapter. Unable to put it down, I simply had to borrow it until I was finished. That Christmas, my boyfriend's mother gave me the boxed set.
What an incredible story! Every person, woman or no, should read this book as it gives you so many different emotions. Anger, fear, and thankfulness, this beautifully written set gives you the umph to finally get out and change your world. If one woman can change Saudi Arabia, why can't you change your own life?

Educational and very well written
I couldn't put the book down. The horrific realities of women's life is Saudi Arabia captured my mind not only at the time I read the book. It is impossible to comprehend how the interpretation of the muslim religion could be used to put and keep the Saudi women so low and down. Opens your eyes to the realities of a life and culture so different, makes you think, and is something I will never forget. The book is very well written. It is one to keep and to give to read to your friends.

The Princess Trilogy: Boxed Set
Jean Sasson's books are an accurate indictment a culture of hypocracy!They reflect the cruel slavery under which the Saudi female population has endured for centuries and should be required reading for all human-kind free to do so.Human rights do not exist for women in Saudi Arabia and as women from other cultures marry into that one they swiftly learn upon stepping foot on Saudi sand they've just surrended their freedom for life!!Having spent time in the desert region I can tell you IT IS a culture of hypocracy!
A Lansing, Michigan area reader.

A Must Read
I got the trilogy set as a gift and only started to read it b/c i had nothing else. Turned out I couldn't put the first book down b/c it is so amazing. Its incredibly honest, it pulls you into Sultana's life and you feel the need for more. I'm currently in the middle of the second book and cannot wait to finish it so i can get to the third. ... Read more

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The book seeks to determine the policies of five Hungarian kings, especially the policy of King Stephen I, with special attention to the role of Bishop Gerard of Csanad. This policy was a political and cultural undertaking as Christianization of the realm represented the reorganization of the Hungarian social-political structure along western lines of political thought.

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There are few individuals as unique, enigmatic, and colorful as Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud.

Customer Reviews (13)

Propaganda piece
Book came across as an extremely bias piece.When it came to sources it seemed that Khan used the same people repeatedly.It was so bad I was only able to read the first two chapters.I'm sure that Khan put a LOT of hard work into this book but the end product was not very good.However, the idea of adding a video to the book was a huge plus and I hope other biographers follow his lead on this point.That idea alone gave this book two stars!

Alwaleed: Businessman, Billionaire, Prince
Not like most biographys. Not indepth enough. Does not really explain how the deals really happened. Would like for someone else to give a go at another one.

What an exllnat book.
I am form the same country this man from ALWALEED so I know how good this book was and the documentry movie made it better.

Cynics galore
Not that I care much for either Alwaleed or Riz Khan, but I suspect one of the reviewers get a kick out of puting people down. The whole attitude stinks of arrogance and public schoolboy humour.

I'm guessing he had a rich daddy, was looked after by nannies and was regularly sodomised by his English teacher.

Dull, Fake and Lousy
I bought this book because I wanted to gain some more insight into one of the world's richest men, his investments, his strategies and his life.As written by Riz Khan I expected to receive a balanced view of his story.

However, I was gravely disappointed.First it is the worst written book I have ever read in my life.Apart from Khan's writing style which resembles that of a 16-year old submitting an essay he wrote the night before the deadline and apart from being dull, weak in vocabulary and downright boring, it is also full of grammatical mistakes.

The story itself is incredibly one-sided with absolutely no opposing perspectives to those of Waleed.It presents an unacceptably incorrect view of liberal Islam and presents what is essentially an egotistical, arrogant man's view of how incredible his achievements are.The idea of a billionaire who claims he is religious and prays to God 5 times a day contrasts starkly with how he put Koranic verses in the lobby of his Georges V hotel in Paris.The very lobby under which rich Parisians sip martinis and discuss Arab terrorists and immigrants in France.

The first chapter - indeed the rest of book seems incidental - is dedicated to providing a response to Rudolph's Guliani's rejection of Walid's $10m donation for 9/11.The rest of it is repetitious, self-congratulatory and eeks of both Walid's personal editing and Riz Khan's incompetence as a writer.

Anyway, point being, dont buy it.. read something useful (and spell-checked) instead. ... Read more

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Ranjit Singh was one of the most powerful and charismatic Indian rulers of his age, but has been largely forgotten by recent Western historians. Yet his achievements have had a lasting impact. He unified the warring chiefdoms of the Punjab in a northern Empire of the Sikhs, built up a formidable modern army, kept the British in check to the south, and closed the Khyber Pass through which plunderers had for centuries poured into India. He was also humane and just in his victories, giving employment to defeated foes, and honored religious faiths other than his own. This new biography uses a variety of eye-witness accounts from Indian and European sources to chronicle his life and the controversial period of the Anglo-Sikh Wars following his death. ... Read more

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This remarkable memoir written by Prince Hassan Hassan (1924-2000), a junior member of the former royal family, is a charming and evocative account of a time and social class before 1952 that no longer exists. Fascinating insights are chronicled not only of the rulers, from Muhammad Ali to King Farouk, but also of royal wives, cousins, aunts, uncles and their associates. 75 black and white illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

History of pre-1952 modern Egypt from a different viewpoint
Prince Hassan Aziz Hassan (1923--2000) was the grandnephew of King Farouk's father (his grandmother was King Fuad's youngest sister). After the military coup that deposed the 150 year old Egyptian monarchy, almost all ex-royals chose to leave the country. Prince Hassan was amongst the very few who chose to stay, and after his elder brother Ismail commited suicide in 1961 (out of despair at what became of his living conditions), Prince Hassan became the eldest male descendent of Muhammad Ali who still lived in Egypt.

The book is a very subtle and poetic description of the lives of the Egyptian royals pre-1952, with particular emphasis on the art and architecture of their dwellings. Prince Hassan was a noted painter (whose work was banned from public exhibitions by the Egyptian government) and that shows in his strikingly subtle, almost Proustian prose.

You will not find any gossip in this book and hardly any references to a life that was full of hardships (his father died when he was 1 year old and he was taken away from his Spanish mother at the age of 8 since, as a foreigner, she was deemed unqualified to raise an Egyptian prince).

Prince Hassan was a very special man. Search for his obituaries on the web.

New Perspective
Published soon after Prince Hassan's death, this entertaining collection of personal memories and family reminisces gives shape to an often misunderstood and much maligned period of Egyptian history and its ruling family.

Told in a chatty, familiar - almost gossipy - style with plenty of black and white photographs, this work provides insight into a past of privilege that survives today in the memory of a select few.Suprisingly, little information is available about a royal familty that was once counted among the wealthiest in the world.

It is the trend in current Egyptian literature to shun recording anything remotely positive about the Muhammed Ali family.However, their accomplishments and failures did help to shape this ancient country that still struggles for its own identity today.It is an important - informal - look at a period in history through a different perspective.

A note to potential travelers to Egypt.With patience, one can still visit some of the royal palaces Prince Hassan mentions, although in a neglected state or converted into modern hotels.

Fresh Perspective
Published soon after Prince Hassan’s death, this entertaining collection of personal memories and family reminisces gives shape to an often misunderstood and much maligned period of Egyptian history and its ruling family.

Told in a chatty, familiar - almost gossipy - style with plenty of black and white photographs, this work provides insight into a past of privilege that survives today in the memory of a select few.Surprisingly little information is available about a royal family that was counted among the wealthiest in the world.

It is the trend for current Egyptian literature to shun recording anything remotely positive about the Muhammad Ali family. However, their accomplishments and failures did help to shape this ancient country that still struggles for its own identity today.It is an important look at a period in history through a different perspective.

A note to potential travelers to Egypt.With patience, one can still visit some of the royal palaces, in a neglected state open to tourists, or a few good hotels. ... Read more

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In 1801 and again in 1809 Britain made a treaty with the Qajar regime of Persia. The two treaties and the attempts to define and to protect Great Britain's interests in the Middle East were known at the time as the Persian Connection. Ingram's scholarly and extensively researched study shows how the British expected the Persian Connection to help them win the Napoleonic Wars and to enable them to enjoy the fruits of empire in India. Ingram examines British policies and activities in the Middle East and Central Asia during the early nineteenth century, and traces the course of Anglo-Russian diplomacy during this period. The Persian Connection, he argues, was a measure of the status and reputation of Great Britain as a Great Power; the history of its first twenty years illustrates the limits to British power, as well as shedding light on the creation of the Indian Empire. ... Read more

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In Shah of Shahs Kapuscinski brings a mythographer's perspective and a novelist's virtuosity to bear on the overthrow of the last Shah of Iran, one of the most infamous of the United States' client-dictators, who resolved to transform his country into "a second America in a generation," only to be toppled virtually overnight. From his vantage point at the break-up of the old regime, Kapuscinski gives us a compelling history of conspiracy, repression, fanatacism, and revolution.

Translated from the Polish by William R. Brand and Katarzyna Mroczkowska-Brand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Closest to Naipaul in insight and literary style. Just Brilliant!
Remarkable prose; each word, each sentence seems to have been thought-out over days or nights. Even if this wasn't the case, just look at the beauty of the prose, the length and the power of sentences here; each drop of fuel provides a kick. The insight is remarkable. Some reviewers have complained that this is half fiction, the same complaints one hear people make against Naipaul's non-fiction. But then, my dear fellows, please just read it for its beauty (nothing is perfect you know. Bask in the moonlight, and not point out the dark spots)

Kaps once remarked of his own work: It's literature on foot, he said.

Your Show of Shows
I liked this little book, although I was glad it is short. The author's literary interviews are uniform in voice, sounding more and more like the author himself and less like the people he says he interviewed. As with his rather famous reportorial piece on Heile Selassie, who was, I guess, far less sadistic than this tyrant, the author goes in for a kind of incantatory style, without historical background or research, just rambling monologues. What emerges finally is a clear picture of a Soviet-style cruelty, a totalitarian-style torture machine that sought to crush the opposition. The Shah was a murderer, we learn, and this is what brought about the Iranian revolution. One should keep this in mind when considering the fury of the Islamic nationalism that threatens peace in the Middle East. The Shah was so bad that anything was thought better and only the religious leaders in exile had the loyalty of the people; it was they who had called for the ouster of the Shah, so their return has to be seen like de Gaulle's famous return to Paris after the Nazis were defeated.All of this is made clear by the author and its message strikes me as highly relevant to the political crisis of our time.

Shame of Shames
A. Modern Islam is built on its petroleum reserves, on the sense of divine favor that petroleum wealth confers.
B. The "American Century" -- actually a half century at best -- ended with the fall of Shah Reza Pahlavi.
C. Everything that has happened in Iran since 1954 is an extended consequence of the CIA overthrow of Mossadegh, the worst mistake in the history of American diplomacy. At least, that's how Iranians and most of the rest of the world interpret history.
D. Recovery of sane social and political norms in Iran will eventually depend on the legacy of respect for Mossadegh and his brief era of democracy.
E. The world is no longer an Anglophone sea.
F. The late Shah's SAVAK made Tamerlane, Vlad the Impaler, and the Spanish Inquisition look like pussycats.
G. Any Iranian who didn't celebrate the fall of the Shah was obviously on the Shah's payroll of clientage.
H. Revolution, however justified and even salubrious, seldom or never brings out the best human qualities of the victors.

If any of these premises seem unfounded or offensive, don't lambaste me! I'm just the reviewer, and these are my clumsily simplified extrapolations of Ryszard Kapuscinski's nuanced impressions, supposedly written on scraps in his hotel room in Teheran in 1980, at the end of Jimmy Carter's ineptitude but before Ronald Reagan's consummate covert idiocy.

Kapuscinski was too subtle and artful an essayist ever to have been an ordinary journalist. His writing is too graceful to be merely what it seems. "Shah of Shahs" is an extreme example of Kapuscinski's indirection; it starts out as a collection of snapshots - literally! the first 'chapters' are labeled 'Daguerrotypes - innoucuous impressions at most. As you read on, however, amused by the author's wit, the intensity of Kapuscinski's awed recognition of the significance of the Islamic Revolution builds and builds. Perhaps only an observer like Kapuscinski - an outsider to both sides of everything, a Pole, a man who traveled with Herodotus in his pocket of memory - could have written such a report, placing what he saw first hand the day before in the context of all recorded history. This book was written before the worst days of the Iran-Iraq War and the repression that has occurred under the clerical autocracy, but it is not dated. It's well worth reading today and it will continue to be a source for historians long into the future.

Journalism
Never did like this book.Was to graphic and details of things that happened that I didn't need to know about.

Inaccurate and full of mistakes
I read this book twice both in Persian & English and found lots of historical errors in the book such as claims that PM Mossadeq was democratically elected back in 1950s which is totally wrong. PM Mossadeq was APPOINTED as PM by the King of Iran, Shah Reza Pahlavi in 1950 and when ordered to quit, the Shah had to execute a UK-US backed coup against him.... Errors like that are enormous in this book. ... Read more

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In the tradition of her intriguing Hatchepsut, Joyce Tyldesley rescues another female ruler from the shadows of history c. 1350 b.c.: Queen Nefertiti (literally "a beautiful woman has come"). We know her from the exquisite painted bust in the Berlin Museum, discovered in 1912, which has made her ancient Egypt's most recognizable queen and a symbol of her country's history. Until now, however, she has remained largely unknown and unrecognized for her contributions to Egyptiansociety. Wife of Akhenaten, the monotheistic pharaoh, adored by her family, blessed by the sun god, and worshiped by her people, Nefertiti suddenly and completely vanished from the record. Was she banished by her husband or raised to rule as his equal? Did she reign, under another name, in her own right? Could she have been the eminence grise behind the young Tutankhamen, her son-in-law?Tyldesley synergizes archeological, textual, and artistic evidence in a detailed discussion of Nefertiti's life and times at the ephemeraland heretical Amarna court. Nefertiti is a radical re-creation of the woman who was the most influential in the Bronze Age world.Amazon.com Review
She was the beloved wife of "heretic king" Akhenaton, whodefied ancient custom by practicing monotheism and by elevatingNefertiti far above the role of subservient consort previously playedby Egyptian queens. Her image has ravished Western viewers ever sincea magnificent limestone bust unearthed at the royal retreat of Amarnawent on display in Berlin in 1924. But frustratingly few facts areknown about this woman who lived more than three millennia ago. As shedid in Hatchepsut: TheFemale Pharaoh, British archeologist Joyce Tyldesley makes avirtue of necessity by writing a book that is as much a culturalhistory as a biography. As Akhenaton swept away the plethora of oldgods, dismaying many of his subjects, he needed a strong female figureto soften the abstract austerity of Aten, the sun deity; his beautifulqueen was celebrated in official art and inscriptions that focused onthe domestic life of the royal family. Tyldesley meticulously analyzesthis iconography to evaluate Nefertiti's position in Egypt and herimportance to her husband, who clearly cherished her beyond thedemands of propriety or political necessity. The author cannot givereaders a strong sense of Nefertiti's personality--the evidence simplyisn't there--but she paints a wonderfully evocative picture of life atthe civilized heart of the ancient world. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

An excellent source for information on Nefertiti
Nefertiti is unquestionably one of the most fascinating and mysterious women of the ancient world. As of today, we are unable to pinpoint where she came from and exactly what role she played in her husband Akhenaten's court. Joyce Tyldesley provides an engaging and completely readable portrait of who Nefertiti could have possibly been.

Nefertiti married Pharaoh Akhenaten, the pharaoh who shocked ancient Egypt by overthrowing the god, Amen and replacing him with an obscure cult god, Aten. Akhenaten's decision was unpopular. Soon after his death Egypt returned to worshipping Amen and everyone associated with Akhenaten's court and religion was called a heretic.

Unfortunately for us, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were almost but erased from history. Their mummified remains have never been found. Although speculation about recently discovered mummies being that of the royal couple have been around for decades.

Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen presents the information available in an attempt to uncover who Nefertiti was, how she died, and what role she played in court. This information comes in bits and pieces from recent discoveries in the ancient capitol of Amarna

The book discusses whether Nefertiti could have been of royal blood. Perhaps a princess from Mittani? However, the author questions her own theory due to the lack fo title in Nefertiti's name. Nefertiti is an Egyptian name. The author also believes Nefertiti could have possibly been sent to Egypt as a bride intended for Amenhotep III, but later married to Akhenaten.

The question of how Nefertiti died is discussed in detail. There are no primary sources available to describe when or how she died. We assume she died when her name disappeared from royal documents. However, there is evidence she may have changed her name. The author also discusses the possibilty of Nefertiti ruling as co-regent with Akhenaten and later ruling alone after his death.

Nefertiti: The Sun Queen won't answer all questions about this mysterious queen from Egypt's ancient past, but it does present all the information available that her contemporaries failed to erase from history. Required reading for anyone interested in Nefertiti!

Not really about Nefertiti
The full title of this book is "Nefertiti: Unlocking the mystery surrounding Egypt's most famous and beautiful queen".

The title is obviously a commercial ploy. This is not a sensationalist book claiming to uncover uncanny Egyptian mysteries. Nor is it about Nefertiti. Not really.

"Nefertiti" is actually about the Amarna period in Egyptian history, a short period during which ancient Egypt was ruled by the heretical pharaoh Akhenaten. We don't know as much about this period as we would like to, and we certainly don't know much about Nefertiti, Akhenaten's queen and wife. Most of the book is about Akhenaten or the Amarna period in general, not specifically about Nefertiti.

Joyce Tyldesley's book is "scholarly", in the sense of being moderately boring. Often, it sounds like a college textbook in archaeology. It never really thrills the reader. It's not bad if you are a budding student of Egyptology, but the general public might get disappointed.

After all, "Nefertiti" never unlocks the mystery surrounding Egypt's most famous and beautiful queen...

Nefertiti
I absolutely loved reading this book. I found her life very interesting and learned alot that I didn't know.

The beautiful one has come
Joyce Tyldesley's book, `Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen' is a good study of an important queen in the Egyptian history.

Akhenaton was a pharoah who renounced the worship of old gods in favour of single God worship based upon a sun-worship (Aton). Nefertiti was perhaps the most influential person on Akhenaten, at that time one of the most powerful rulers on earth. Very little is known of Nefertiti, mainly because her death is not recorded, her name has been erased from many places and her tomb has recently been found, with her mummy in a mutilated state. Nefartiti's beauty is world famous from the masks found at Amarna, Esypt's capital during Akhenaten and Nefartiti's rule.
Joyce Tyldesley presents various theories of Nefertiti's life and death side by side with evidence. Alas, the support is difficult no matter which interpretation is preferred -- Amarna was abandoned shortly after the death of Akhenaten, and the old religious ways reinstituted.
It is sad. Inspite of being one of the most beautiful queen, and being the wife of one of the most powerful kings of ancient Egypt, not much is known about Nefariti. All attempts were made to erase their names from everywhere after their deaths. In traditional Egyptian theology, for the spirit to live forever, the person's name, body, or image must survive. By erasing the names, images, and by mutilating the bodies, the Egyptians officials tried best to destroy the spirit of these people.

I love to read about the Indian and Egyptian history and this book definitely gives more insights into the life of Nefartiti, which means 'The beautiful one has come'.

Good, but Misleading
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but not for what it is advertised for and labeled as. This is a great book about the Amarna period during the 18th Dynasty, a period for which little information is available. I learned a lot about the religious changes made by Akhenaten (Nefertiti's husband) and a lot about the Pharoh himself.

However, there is very little information in this book about Nefertiti herself, probably less the one quarter of it is spent on the queen. So while I liked the book and learned a great deal from it, I feel that the title is misleading at best and at worst a ploy to make it more saleable by the author. After all, everyone has heard about Nefertiti, but few have heard about Akhenaten and the Amarna period. ... Read more

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Ancient Tales from the Egypt as translated by W. M. Flinders Petrie. Stories include: Tales of the Magicians, Khafra's Tale, Baufra's Tale, Hordedef's Tale, The peasant and the Workman, The Shipwrecked Sailor, The Adventures of Sanehat The Taking of Joppa, The Doomed Prince, Setna and the Magic Book.Reformatted for Kindle ... Read more

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The first major account of the life of an extraordinary soldier and statesman, King Hussein of Jordan.

Throughout his long reign (1953—1999), Hussein remained a dominant figure in Middle Eastern politics and a consistent proponent of peace with Israel. For over forty years he walked a tightrope between Palestinians and Arab radicals on the one hand and Israel on the other. Avi Shlaim reveals that Hussein initiated a secret dialogue with Israel in 1963 and spent hundreds of hours in talks with countless Israeli officials. Shlaim expertly reconstructs this dialogue from previously untapped records and first-hand accounts, significantly rewriting the history of the Middle East over the past fifty years and shedding light on the far-reaching impact of Hussein’s leadership. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Book
Few born as kings, some are made others had thrones bestowed upon them. King Hussein was all of them. The book is great in describing the hard time and few good times king Hussein experienced during his reign. As a middle eastern reader this bring more insight about the mis-shief of the region and the policies drafted upon us.

Great book by all means !

Ali Asaad
Saudi Arabia

A master-piece.
The book is a master-piece and must be read by every Jordanian!!
It is a detailed description of not only the life of the late King Hussein, but also a description of the history and politics of Jordan since its early establishment in 1921. Although the book tends to advocate that the late king was a victim to Israeli, PLO and other states' intransigence ( and thus the book is accused of not being objective) but it nevertheless quotes some incidents which reflect the late king's mis-judgements and flaws during his reign. I was pleasantly surprised at how accurate and real the author describes the tense relationship between the Jordanians and the Palestinians either in the West Bank or in Jordan itself. The mere description of this made reading the book a real and vivid experience for me, as opposed to the numerous litrature that I have read on the subject which give the impression that the author is nothing but a mere observer or a reporter who does not have a real understanding of the true situation on the ground. The book is written as a tribute to the late king Hussein, who was truly a very well respected figure in and outside Jordan, and is expected to highlight his positive achievements. It is up to the reader to search other books on either Israel, the PLO, or other states to reach the desired balance.

Journey of Middle East Histrory through the life of King Hussain
Just finished reading this amazing narrative of Middle East Histroy throught the life of King Hussain. While I am not really much of a history guy, I found this to be a compelling read much more exciting than I had expected. Avi Shlaim style of vivid story-telling of events and colorful command of the language makes this an interesting journey; much of it I can relate to from my early childhood growing up in Jordan. Avi also resonates a tone unbiased ringing of fairness & seeking the truth, not political statements. He introduces a new element from the intellectual side that exposes hidden truths about a people's suffering in Palestine and Israeli state bent on controlling, occupying and doing whatever it takes to emerge a winner at whatever cost to its surroundings, the people they took the land from and its neighbors. Some of the pages read straight from the story pages of "Avatar'.
I highly recommend it if you can stand a 700 page history trip of middle east starting from the early 50's.
an excellent read.

Lightweight biography - but beware the bias of the author.
As a light biography of King Hussein, this book is passable.However, the reader should be aware that the author has an axe to grind against Israel, and misses no opportunity to do so.Sometimes it seems as if this is the primary purpose of the work, and poor Mr. Hussein has to wait patiently until Shlaim has vented his rage.

A few examples -
Page 163, referring to 1958, when Jordan was unable to get oil except by having it flown over Israel:
"Israel's behavior in Jordan's hour of need was erratic and unhelpful..."
But on the next page he says: "Hussein was grateful for Britain's help and for Israel's part in facilitating it". Hussein is then quoted as saying: "When an Arab nation [Saudi Arabia] refused [to help], an enemy [Israel] agreed.

So which is it, helpful or unhelpful?Fortunately, there is a footnote on the first comment, so we can see what the source of the "unhelpful" opinion is, and guess what?It's a paper written by the author in May 1999.

I guess Shlaim knows better than His Majesty who is helpful and who isn't.

The book is replete with such examples of pure and unadulterated objectivity, so I won't bother to quote any more.But Shlaim also plays fast and loose with the facts when it serves his purpose.

For example, this is how he describes the opening of the tunnel (25/9/96) which set off the 1996 riots:
"Of no great import in itself, the new gate to the second century BC tunnel constituted a symbolic and psychological affront to the Palestinians and a blatant Israeli violation of the pledge to resolve the dispute over Jerusalem through negotiations, not via the fait accompli."

To stuff so many distortions into so small a passage is quite an accomplishment.Let us count them:
First, the tunnel is not from the second century BC.It runs along the base of the herodian wall which was built in the first century BC to support the enlarged temple mount.
Second, in the first century BC the level of the tunnel was above ground, because the ground level was much lower.There was no tunnel, merely an open area along the wall.All this is explained to visitors when they come to see the tunnel.It is quite plain that the author has never been there, or was not paying attention.
Third, the opening of a second exit to a tourist attraction (which is what the tunnel actually is) on the outside of the temple mount in no way prejudices the status of Jerusalem, and it is ridiculous to describe this as a fait accompli which violates a pledge.

The reason for these distortions on the author's part is that he is embarrassed to give the true reason for the riots:The Palestinians were deliberately incited by their leaders with false rumors that the tunnels were going *under* the temple mount (rather than alongside it), and that their purpose was to blow up the mosques.Explosives were used to create the opening, and the sound of their detonation led credence to the rumors.
The author has copied a piece of Palestinian propaganda and presented it as fact.

These examples (and more - many more) suggest that nothing that the author says about Israel ought to be taken at face value.Presumably, he may be relied upon regarding purely internal Jordanian affairs, or its relations with other Arab countries.However, as the book progresses, Israel plays a larger and larger role, and what was an initially pleasant read turns into a tiresome exercise in sifting through bias and distortions.

A lion on a tightrope

Hussein's life was principled on the premise that " King Hussein was fundamentally and structurally a client king ...for all practical purposes the Hashemite legacy inherited from his grandfather was one of continuing dependence on the West." P.154

His wide recognition, acclaim and complexity were due to " the principle of balancing applied at all levels: the inter -Arab, the regional, (domestic) and the global...this meant balancing between Arab and conservatives and Arab radicals, between the Arab world on the one hand and Israel on the other, and the global level between the West and the Soviet bloc...The survival of the Hashemite dynastic interests were paramount(and) the guiding principle behind his foreign policy, the key to constant shits and maneuvers , to all the alliances and realignments " P.212

With these two elements as the deciding factors in Hussein's life, Avi Shlaim delivers a superb biography that is well written, researched, revealing, passionate and to a great extent objective.

Regardless if one agrees or not with the King's inherited role, he was able to save his dynasty and country.
Although King Hussein's life revolved on the previous mentioned principles, not all of the King's actions can be aligned with those principles if one takes a simplistic view of those actions without serious reflection and reading between the lines. Avi Shlaim does an excellent job on analyzing the King and his actions from the day he reached the thrown until the last moments on his deathbed.
For example, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, the King sided with Iraq, which is contradictory to King's " balancing principle." However, after reading the author's analysis and the foreign/domestic challenges facing the King, the King through careful policies and outstanding foresight was able to save his country and dynasty from Iraq, Israel and from domestic upheavals.

Even though the King had a "special" relationship with Israel for many reasons, which are explored in the book, the King realized the only way to have the support of Washington was through Israel. This is revealed when King Hussein gave Bush I a memo that stated in part, in his (the king's) judgment the Arab-Israeli conflict was not a foreign policy for the US but rather a domestic US issue due to the domestic influences in the US on the issue. P 478Although not comprehensible to the King, this an obstacle to peace in the region.
Another example is when President Clinton at the request of King Hussein was unable to sway congress to forgiveJordan'sdebt to the US.Clinton in turn asked for the help of Rabin. " Yes Mr. President," replied Rabin slowly we will do our best. To the Jordanians present at this brief exchange provided a remarkable demonstration of the political clout wielded by Israel and its friends on Capitol Hill" p 545

During the peace negotiations with Israel, King Hussein was very calculating with extreme foresight, Unlike Arafat who in my judgment was incompetent to lead his people's cause and prone to miscalculation and countless poor judgments before and after the peace treaty.To Israel's satisfaction, Arafat committed a huge blunder by going behind the King's back to negotiate with Israel a separate peace treaty with Israel.

King Hussein, in his correct judgment believed the agreement Arafat reached with Israel was vague, imprecise, and that substantive issues (Jerusalem, borders, refugees) were not addressed in the accord but left for future negotiations. " No one with any sense would sign a treaty first and discuss its technical clauses afterwards." P 533 King Hussein told Rabin when he asked the King to follow in the footsteps of the Peace treaty reached with the PLO.
These are some of the examples, perhaps not the most important, but nevertheless revealing on why I thought this an outstanding book on the life of King Hussein. ... Read more

Product Description
Theodora of Byzantium, rising from the lowest ranks of Byzantine society, became one of the most important and powerful women in history. In this gripping biography, Theodora's full story is revealed for the first time, according her a well-deserved place in the pantheon of great women.

Theodora's meager beginnings as the daughter of a bear-keeper could not have foretold her astonishing future as the wife of Justinian, the powerful ruler of the Byzantine empire. An actress at the time who was chastised for her scandalous performances, she eventually caught the attention of the young Justinian, who was no doubt charmed as much by her beauty as by her cunning.

Justinian and Theodora ruled the empire together from their rich and bustling seat of power in Constantinople, making decisions regarding the fate of their kingdom that would reverberate for centuries to come. Time and time again, Theodora's wisdom and counsel to the emperor saved Justinian's empire and assured their place in history.

Hailed by European reviewers as "Book of the Year" upon its publication in Italian, Paolo Cesaretti's book gives a balanced portrait of an intriguing figure who, in the face of those who tried to defame her, rose from the ranks of the poor to build an empire at the side of her ambitious husband.

Paolo Cesaretti, a professor of Byzantine studies, teaches at University of Chieti, Italy. In addition to many books on a variety of subjects related to Byzantine art and history, he regularly contributes to important Italian publications including Corriere della Sera. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Theodora and Justinian
I give this author a lot of credit for attempting this biography of Theodora, wife of Emperor Justinian of Byzantium. The credit is surely due because there are, unfortunatley, not a lot of information sources about Theodora, and the most complete source is Procopious's "Secret History", which can in no way be considered a glowing tale of her life. It's quite a salacious read, and perhaps gives one a somewhat distorted view of Theodora, and her upbringing. The auhtor of this work attempts a delicate balance between the "anti" sources, and the other reports of the reign of Justinian and his consort. The result is a book that has many nuances, but appears as fair as possible given the sources and the pasage of time since these events occured in world history. Often the author is driven to psychological speculation over why actions were taken or not taken, and he can't be faulted for his approach, given the situation. Anyone attempting to adequately reconstruct ancient events without proper historical help is going to have this problem, and I feel the author has done as well as can be expected. The book is a good view into the Justinian court, and the life of the Byzantine Empire of the time. ... Read more

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Product Description
A Saudi woman discusses what life is like for women in her country, describing how women are sold into marriage to men five times their age, are treated as their husbands' slaves, and are often murdered for the slightest transgression. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (322)

Shocking
We knew some women in modern Muslim countries live a very different life style from most Americans, but here we find out hidden truths of controlled lives.The Princess tries to bring forth justice for women among the royal families of Saudi Arabia. This quick read tells us how and where she succeeds and where she fails in her quest for justice.

Touching Story You Wont Forget
I read this book like 17 years ago when it first came out I guess. I just remember checking it out of the library as a new release. I read it very quickly. It touched me deeply and amazed me. I think every woman should read this book. It is just so good. Highly educational too.

Great book
This is one of the best I have read. I am telling everyone about it. Quick read. Hard to put down.

Excellent Book
This is an excellent book for Westerners to read if they have had no prior experience with Muslim countries and the Muslim faith.Even though the actual circumstances of the book may or may not be real, the essence of the book conveys many truths about Muslim countries and the Muslim way of life.Too often, we accuse ourselves of being too quick to judge or unjustly viewing the Muslim countries and not giving them the understanding that we give to their Western counterparts.But this book illustrates through live examples that Muslim is not not just a religion, but a culture and a belief system, which isrooted in backwardness, violence, and unbelievable chauvinism, and clearly explains why nearly all Muslim countries are not necessarily prepared to join their modern counterparts on an equal footing on today's global stage. As such, we cannot expect to deal with Muslims from our own Western vantage point nor expect them to adhere to our system of beliefs in humanity, righteousness or justice.Situations in this book are very real, whether or not they are actually related to the Saudi royal family, and happen in Muslim countries all over the world every day.Understanding the different world view and values of Muslims and the set of beliefs from which they operate helps to explain the many shocking political and social incidents that have taken place over the past decade or more that the average Westerner reading the news simply cannot comprehend.I would make this required reading for anyone, and especially any young girl or woman contemplating a relationship with or marriage to a man of the Muslim faith.

An unhappy fairy tale
This is the second book in a trilogy about the life in a palace for a Saudi Arabian princess. The story is supposedly true, although fictionalised to the extent that names have been changed. The wealth is simply mind-boggling (which private jet shall I use to go to my London apartment?) as they fly from holiday home to holiday home but so are the stories of how women in this country are treated.

The story telling is a little simple, and to some extent self-indulgent, with the danger that the reader will find it hard to sympathise with the experiences of the women at the hands of the men in their lives given the luxury that they are surrounded with. However, many women in Saudi Arabia, and many other Muslim countries, do not have the wealth to off-set the lack of human rights (acknowledging that that cannot compensate)and that is the message I took away from this book.
... Read more