The Girls of Riyadh

[Al-khiyal]

Woman shocks Saudi world with 'The Girls of Riyadh':

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/20012006/32...ls-riyadh.html


"RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- It's hardly "Sex and the City," but by Saudi standards "The Girls of Riyadh" is a bombshell.

The fictional tale of the loves, dreams and disappointments of four young women in the capital has, not surprisingly, drawn criticism in a country where women are not supposed to date or have a love life until married. More striking, however, is the degree of support being voiced for 24-year-old author Rajaa al-Sanie and her first novel....."

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005...3712_15_05.txt


Rajaa al-Sanie website:

http://www.rajaa.net/

[phylay]

Spielberg for the movie?
It wouldn't have done all this "noise" if it just talked about women living as they should do, not like they live in KSA but not like in sex and the city either...

[Al-khiyal]

You are right to spot the 'noise' ya phylay, these articles are part of a series of press accounts, all saying basically the same thing, that have been appearing in the media (mainly western media) for the last two months.

In some respects the articles are little more than a publicity campaign promoting the book and as it is western media being targeted I wondered what, exactly, the message was.

Is it the Saudis saying "What do you mean rights abuses? Look how tolerant we are!" ?

I think it is significant that the author has a Saudi government minister giving her support. I could not imagine an ordinary 'unconnected' girl from Jeddah producing such a book. Clearly the author had taken care to establish what the 'official' response was going to be.

Perhaps the book can also be seen as a trigger for debate and discussion; it is the author who will attract the heat and not any officials who may wish to see an examination of the issues she raises.

Most of the articles come with 'rent-a-quote' comments from angry opponents and 'moderate' supporters but I thought it significant that she got an endorsement from a government minister.

She still had to go to Lubnan to get it published though!

[phylay]

Originally posted by Al-khiyal


I think it is significant that the author has a Saudi government minister giving her support. I could not imagine an ordinary 'unconnected' girl from Jeddah producing such a book. Clearly the author had taken care to establish what the 'official' response was going to be.

Perhaps the book can also be seen as a trigger for debate and discussion; it is the author who will attract the heat and not any officials who may wish to see an examination of the issues she raises.

Spot on! Your two statements are right. This is a game between the author and the politics who support her. She needs them the same way they need her.
Sometimes one need to shock with an offending thing to get a medium evolution...
Anyway, not a book I am gonna read...