Fresh perspectives
by - Written: May 14 '03 (Updated Jul 27 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Americans will definitely learn something new
Cons: Pro-Israel Americans may not like her perspective
The Bottom Line: Queen Noor provides a fascinating perspective not generally heard by Americans.
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| Kidnykid's Full Review: Queen Noor - Leap Of Faith: Memoirs Of An Unexpect... |
LEAP OF FAITH tells what amounts to a love story. Queen Noor al Hussein (which means The Light of Hussein in Arabic) merely glosses over her days as Lisa Halaby in the early chapters of this book in favor of describing her experience of "culture shock" after her marriage to King Hussein of Jordan.
Lisa Halaby first met her future husband before the death of his third wife, Queen Alia, in a plane crash. By the time of their second meeting, he was the world's most eligible bachelor, and the usual number of court intrigues surrounded his every chance encounter with any woman. (Noor describes her own naivete surrounding these court intrigues during the period of their highly-unusual courtship - since the court of Hussein was Muslim, it was unusual for Hussein to court any woman at all, the Muslim custom being to arrange marriages. But then, Hussein himself was hardly a traditional bridegroom.)
That relationship is at the heart of the book. Halaby and Hussein fell deeply in love after he became eligible to marry for the fourth time, and her Arabic name Noor Al Hussein reflects her late husband's true feelings for her over the course of their 20-year marriage. During this courtship period, she learned more about the history of the Arab people, and Jordan in particular.
Many Americans are unaware that the Jordanian throne is called the "Hashimite" throne, after the royal family of Jordan. At one time, the Hashimites were actually in charge of the holy sites of Mecca and Al-Madinah in what is now known as Saudi Arabia, and Queen Noor talks about seeing some Hashimite landmarks while on the required pilgrimage to Mecca after Hussein's death (from non-Hodgkins lymphoma). However, the Hashimites were driven out of Mecca and Al-Madinah - you'll have to read the book to find out how - and were eventually made the royal family of what was then known as the Transjordan in the early 20th century.
The Hashimites have a lineage which is actually traced directly to Muhammad. This, in fact, is something of a point of pride in the family, and a surprising source of discord in the Arab world; it seems that every time Hussein made an unpopular decision, he would "take it on the chin" in a way others in the area might not precisely for this reason.
Because this is a love story, you can safely expect Noor to lean toward the positions of her beloved husband when political matters are discussed. In this, Noor does not disappoint. However, she is rare in the sense that her American upbringing actually kicks in when a dispute occurs between one of Hussein's ministers of information and Hussein himself. Because she is the first lady of Jordan at this point in the book, she has to be extremely careful in her public statements, but she makes no secret of her bias toward the American ideal of freedom of the press (which is what this information minister was trying to nudge Jordan toward, while Hussein disagreed strongly). In other matters, however, her experience as an Arab first lady was a combination of culture shock and a learning experience.
During that learning experience, Queen Noor learned the Arab perspective on many events and ideas, where formerly, she had only heard a more isolationist American-Israeli slant. In my opinion, this is the most helpful aspect of the book. I believe strongly that if we hear both sides of the story - and Queen Noor provides us with an Arab perspective, written well and carefully thought out - we will at least be able to hold our own positions more intelligently without becoming a group of bigoted redneck trailer-trash types.
However, that doesn't mean that those espousing a "don't confuse me with the facts (including the fact that Arabs see things differently)" perspective will give up their position easily even after hearing Noor's side of the story. I can hear, in my mind's ear, a lot of grousing about Noor's privileged position and how it affects her writing. In her instructions in Islam, for example, Noor learns about a very sanitized version of the faith - a faith to which she converts willingly. Those in the more isolated areas of her adoptive country might not be able to travel as freely; in fact, some Muslim men take the Koran so literally that they will not even allow the female members of their family outside a certain area of their house. In this sense, Noor actually presents a picture of a life of privilege - one in which women are allowed to travel freely, and often do not wear the head coverings or other trappings of Islamic femininity common in less-privleged areas. This privilege alone will prevent many more-bitter readers - of both feminist and pro-Israeli persuasions - from seeing her views accurately.
This is insufficient to prevent me from recommending the book, as it is an intelligent and literate love story in the final analysis. It isn't steamy in the least, so I believe a college student interested in the politics in the region might actually get something out of LEAP OF FAITH. So would those of all ages interested in the history of this region. There is also sufficient humor to provide the reader with a "break" in the action - especially when Noor describes her experiences with very young children, who were often disappointed when she didn't come in wearing the fairy-tale version of a royal outfit, complete with elaborate crown. (She tells a humorous tale of a time, on Halloween, when she and a member of her staff show up at a pediatric ward in a hospital dressed as the Queen and - ahem - the Queen's mummy.)
This is well worth the purchase price right now, especially if you are interested in the history of the region. Be advised, however, that all of Noor's royalties will be donated to charities of her choosing.
Recommended:
Yes
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