An American Woman in Saudi Arabia by Sabeeha Rehman 2022 Hardcover
$ 6.09
Number of Pages:
320 Pages
gtin13:
9781956763027
Synopsis:
It's Not What You Think is a wry, incisive account of working in Saudi Arabia that offers insight into that insular patriarchal society, what is so attractive to expatriates living there, and what was contradictory or confining about it for a naturalised American who is a woman and a Muslim., From the author of Threading My Prayer Rug , an eye-opening view of life in Saudi Arabia. It's Not What You Think is a wry, incisive account of working in Saudi Arabia that offers insight into that insular patriarchal society, what is so attractive to expatriates living there, and what was contradictory or confining about it for a naturalized American who is a woman and a Muslim. A hospital executive in New Jersey, Sabeeha relocated with her oncologist husband to Riyadh, the most conservative city in the country, intending to remain two years. They ended up staying for six. Her book takes the reader on a journey of discovery that mirrors her own. Offered an influential position at Riyadh's most prestigious hospital, she first has to obtain her husband's permission to work. In public spaces, she quickly encounters the morality police but also learns the freedom of the abaya. Sales men staff the lingerie department. Women in Riyadh do not work in public places, yet they hold positions of authority within corporate culture; and outside Riyadh, she discovers that women-owned-and-operated businesses flourish, and Bedouin women could drive in the desert decades before Riyadh's ban was relaxed. Through Sabeeha's eyes, we see how Saudi and Western expat cultures coexist within the boundaries of "don't ask, don't tell," how traditions define the identity of the Saudi nation, and how to discern what is "culturally appropriate" versus what is required legally. As she dons pilgrim's garb, we join her on the hajj, to discover the intensity and spiritual high of the devout.
Format:
Hardcover
Dewey Decimal:
305.4209538
brand:
Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated
Dewey Edition:
23
Item Weight:
17 Oz
Illustrator:
Yes
Publication Year:
2022
ISBN-13:
9781956763027
Genre:
Travel, Biography & Autobiography
Publisher:
Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated
Book Title:
It's Not What You Think : an American Woman in Saudi Arabia
Item Length:
9 in
LCCN:
2022-937475
Item Width:
6 in
Language:
English
ISBN-10:
1956763023
Topic:
Women, Middle East / General
Intended Audience:
Trade
Author:
Sabeeha Rehman
Item Height:
1.2 in
LC Classification Number:
HQ1730
This book completely changed my perspective! A beautifully written, eye-opening memoir that reads like a novel. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting. Highly recommend for anyone curious about different cultures.