Book Summary

Princess: A True Story Behind The Veil in Saudi Arabia
By Jean P. Sasson, 1994

“Princess” is a biography written by Jean P. Sasson. The author presents the real-life story of a courageous modern Saudi Arabian princess called Sultana, who has risked her very life so that the truth may finally be told. She is a woman so she is considered insignificant, a slave to the male masters. She haswatched sisters, cousins and friends sold into marriage as young girls to men and viciously murdered for the slightest disobedience. She is a woman who wants to change the cruel reality of Saudi Arabian women. With the help of her secret diary she began to keep at the age of eleven, she tries to give you a picture of a princess’ life. Her passion for the truth is simple, for she is the one of thosewomen who were ignored by their fathers, rejected by their brothers an abused by their husbands. Sultana was born the tenth daughter of a prince in Saudi Arabia and his first wife, and grew up in a world of luxury. The luxury was contradicted by the oppression of women that took place all around her as Sultana grew up. Sultana would suffer some of this oppression herself when she was sold intomarriage at the age of sixteen to a man she hardly knew. Princess is a story of the barbarity that is forced upon women in Saudi Arabia.
“Princess” is a favorite for many reasons. One of them is because it is a non-fiction story. The other reason is because of the style it was written. The author of this book writes the book in the first person point of view. The author is not Sultana, the narratorof the book. Sultana is a Saudi woman who is not allowed to write a book. Instead, Sultana has told her story to the writer and asked her to tell the story as honestly as possible. The author chose to use the first person point of view and tell the story through Sultana's voice as it was told to her.
The first time I read this book was when I was attending high school. It was probably around theyear 1996, I was about 16 years old. I wanted to submerge in a world of royalty, luxury and happy moments. The book turned out to be nothing of what I was expecting. Instead it brought me into a world of luxury but full of sorrow. I never read the book again, but it impacted me in such a way, that it is always on my mind.
The following is a vivid description she makes in her book that I alwaysremember: "If there could be one word that would describe the Saudi women of my mother's generation, it would be waiting. They spent their lives waiting. Females of that era were banned from education and job opportunities, so there was little to do but wait to be married, wait to give birth, wait for grandchildren, and wait to grow old." Married Life, pg. 151
This book has impacted my lifetremendously. It was my first experience in learning how other women live in other cultures. It has made me realize how lucky I am to live in a free country, where women have rights. The story left me infuriated and praying for change before it is too late for the next generation of Saudi Arabian women.

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect
By John C. Maxwell, 2010

“Everyone Communicates, FewConnect” is a book written by John Maxwell. It is about the ability to make a proper connection with a person or group of people, while relating to them will increase your influence on them. Attitude is one of the mayor keys in having the ability to connect and having the ability to make your observations clear and simple. Focusing on others, expanding your vocabulary, finding common grounds andalways being authentic is a key factor. Common questions people ask about others: does he/she care for me? can they help me? and can I trust them?
The author Maxwell makes several points very clear, such a exploring the key difference between communicating and connecting. Most people communicate, we say a lot but all the words are often empty. Maxwell asks readers to a higher way of thinking by...