|
edaniels2007
, July 14, 2009
(view all comments by edaniels2007)
When I was in my 20s a lot of Americans, including relatives of my friends, were living in Saudi Arabia because their jobs took them there. There was little concern for personal safety at the time.
I was intrigued by comments on the book cover of The Unveiling: An American Teacher in a Saudi Palace at a bookstore, partly because of memories of people I knew who worked and lived in Saudi decades ago. I’m glad I did because Kristen Decker’s book is a fascinating read.
Kristen and husband Randy accepted an assignment to live and work in Saudi Arabia as tutors for a royal family in Riyadh in Saudi. The Deckers were accepted and highly respected by the prince and princess and their children really enjoyed their classes and learning experiences. Yet, without warning, the Deckers were wrongly accused and ordered out of the country. They had to pack their belongings overnight and flee the country for fear of being jailed.
I learned a lot about Saudi Arabian culture, customs, history, and leadership by reading this book. Especially fascinating was the grip the fundamentalist Muslims have on the population, including the royal leadership. Leaders in Saudi are very moderate and open to the West but cannot escape the influence and grip of the fundamentalists.
Decker also points out that although women have very few rights they are entitled to have their own money, bank accounts and jewels. The jewels wives wear are symbolic of the woman’s worth to her husband and also gives her a means of survival if her husband dies.
The Unveiling has a lot of similarities to the popular musical The King and I with one major exception – Decker’s memoir is fact, not fiction. I highly recommend this book about palace intrigue and life with royalty.
By Emory Daniels
|