Jean Sasson
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| Jean Sasson | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Writing period | 1991 to Present |
| Genres | Non-fiction |
| Notable work(s) | Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia |
| Official website | |
Jean Sasson is an American writer who writes mainly about women in the Middle East.
Contents |
[edit] Early Life
Sasson grew up in a small southern town, where her teacher Mrs. Sam Jackson reported that her student Jean had read all the books in the school library by the time she was 16 years old. She was heavily involved in history topics, and her heroes were Dr. Thomas Dooley, the physician humanitarian who devoted his life to the sick of Cambodia and Laos, and Raoul Wallenberg, the humanitarian who saved many people from the Nazi death camps. Sasson was known to be an avid animal lover and owned many variety of pets, including chickens, birds, cats, and dogs. In 1978 she traveled to Saudi Arabia to work in the King Faisal Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh as an administrative coordinator in Medical Affairs. She worked at the hospital for 4 years, then married, living in Saudi Arabia until 1991 when she continued her travels of the world, visiting 66 countries.
Her first book was about the first day of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The book, The Rape of Kuwait, was published in 1991[1]. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller, selling over a million copies and reaching number two on the list. Since then she has written many titles, mostly non-fiction, all with a Middle Eastern theme.
[edit] Princess Trilogy
Sasson first met 'Sultana', the Saudi Princess, at an Italian embassy in 1985. The two women became friends, and Sasson learned more about inequalities in Saudi society from 'Sultana'. 'Sultana' requested that Sasson write her life story, revealing the hidden life of a Saudi princess, as well as issues affecting the lives of women living in the kingdom, albeit the information had to remain anonymous for her safety. Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia[2], was the first of the Middle Eastern woman genre and quickly became a New York Times and international bestseller in many countries, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and too many others to name. The book has been printed in 30 different languages as of 2009. Princess was chosen as one of the best 500 books to be written by a woman. An option for movie rights was sold to FRAMEWORK PICTURES in 2006. The book's popularity prompted two sequels about Princess 'Sultana'. Both became international bestsellers in more countries than can be named in this article. At last count, the PRINCESS books had sold over 10 million copies combined.
[edit] Recent Work
Ester's Child is her only historical fiction, although many readers claim it to be their favorite of all of Sasson's books. In 2008, ((Ester's Child)) was chosen by the prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Foundation of Dubai in The United Arab Emirates, a non-profit organization aiming to promote, recognize and reinstate the status of culture, heritage and cross-cultural understanding, as a highly respected work that promotes peace and understanding.
Her sixth book, Mayada, Daughter of Iraq, tells the true story of Mayada Al-Askari, a woman Sasson met when traveling in Iraq in July 1998. Mayada Al-Askari is of one of the most famous and highly respected families of the area, with her paternal grandfather Jafar Pasha Al-Askari, a World War II hero. Jafar Pasha served as the country's first Defense Minister and Minister to Great Britain. When Jafar was assassinated in Iraq, his obit was written by Sir Winston Churchill. Mayada's maternal grandfather was Sati Al-Husri, the first Arab nationalist, revered by many in the Arab world. Mayada's heartrending true story documents the shocking and horrifying story of women imprisoned in one of Saddam Hussein's most notorious prisons.
Her seventh book Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan, tells the story of a beautiful Kurdish woman who lived through the Kurdish genocide. Joanna was gassed, temporarily blinded, and had to flee from Kurdistan to seek refuge in Iran.
Ms. Sasson's eighth book is generating excitement all through the publishing world months before the publication date in October 2009. The book is titled Growing up Bin Laden and reveals the secret life of Osama Bin Laden. It is well known that Osama Bin Laden has carefully guarded his private life with his wives and children, so the book is a coup for the writer. Despite the fact many journalists have attempted to discover the private life of Osama Bin Laden, Sasson's book is a first as the stories come directly from Bin Laden's first wife and fourth born son.
Ms. Sasson's publishers say that many readers write into their web sites expressing hope that hope that Sasson will soon write her own life story, as it is said that her personal life story is as thrilling as those of her heroines.
[edit] Reception
While Sasson is mainly known for her true stories about women's issues, she is best known for her ability to bring her readers into the story. Stefan Ulstein, renowned literature instructor and movie reviewer, has said, "What a blessing that Jean's books continue to speak to people around the world. There are popular books, literary books., etc., but the Princess Trilogy fits into the category of important books. If you think of The Jungle, Grapes of Wrath, etc., you see books that were interesting and compelling to read, but more importantly, helped readers to see big issues through a new paradigm."
Sasson is a popular public speaker and draws huge audiences wherever she appears, including West Point, The 92nd Street Y, and other well-known venues.
[edit] Interests
When not working on a new writing project, Sasson spends her time reading or working to save homeless animals. Her greatest reading interests are books on history, and her favorite writers are Sir Winston Churchill and Sir Richard Burton, the famous 19th century British traveler.
[edit] Selected Works
- The Rape of Kuwait
- Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
- Princess Sultana's Daughters
- Princess Sultana's Circle
- Ester's Child
- Mayada: Daughter of Iraq
- Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan
- Growing Up Bin Laden
[edit] References
- ^ "The Rape of Kuwait". ISBNdb entry. http://isbndb.com/d/book/the_rape_of_kuwait.html. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
- ^ "Princess". ISBNdb entry. http://isbndb.com/d/book/princess.html. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
