Schwartz, Stephen. 2002. The Two Faces of Islam. New York: Doubleday.
Wynn, L.L. 2007. Pyramids and Nightclubs. Austin: University of Texas Press.
READING GROUP GUIDE
Saudi Arabia has been described as a schizophrenic state. What are the complexities of the society you can identify that are revealed in this book? Would you agree with this description?
Virginity has a medicolegal value in Islam, leading some women to seek hymen reconstruction out of desperation. Is such an intense value of chastity an alternate form of oppression?
While male supremacy is state legislated in the Kingdom, there are certain situations in which men are oppressed as well as women. What are the tools of this male oppression and how effective are they?
What might be some goals in terms of Saudi-U.S. relations? How can Saudi Arabia and the United States better understand each other?
The author repeatedly reminds readers of the compassion of the Islam religion. Can a mandated Islamic Theocracy truly be Islamic?
While some women reject or resent the veils they are forced to wear and customs they are forced to obey, others wholeheartedly embrace them. Why do you think they do this?
With so much social pressure to conform, it is no wonder so many do so. There are several people Qanta meets in Saudi Arabia who refuse to conform at enormous personal risk. What do you think gives them the courage to defy the rules and mores of their own government and society?
Have you ever personally encountered an injustice that horrified you, but you were afraid to speak out about it fearing of some kind of reprisal? If you had the courage to speak out about the injustice, what gave you that courage?
What do you think of the way Qanta prepared for this journey? Would you prepare differently? Do you think it would have dulled the shock if she had known more about the traditions, culture, and politics of Saudi Arabia before she left? Why or why not?
Early on in the book, Qanta wonders at the behavior of the boy struggling to make sure his mother's veil is kept on during her surgery, “Didn't he know God was Merciful, tolerant, and understanding and would never quibble over the wearing of a veil in such circumstances, or I doubted, any circumstances?” There are many examples throughout scriptures of all denominations of Gods acting in ways that cannot be described as merciful, tolerant, or understanding, and there are many people who don't feel this way about God. How do you think peoples' and cultures' ideas about Gods' personalities are shaped?
When Qanta boards the plane for Saudi Arabia, the pilot prays in Arabic, which strikes her as a noteworthy and soothing ritual. Does the United States have any rituals that might strike an outsider as odd, but may be soothing to Americans?
The author writes, “No central air, when it would be over 120°F in the summer? I wondered of the furnace of summer ahead.” The author faces many challenges, both physical and mental, in this trip. Do you think the kinds of challenges faced by someone moving to a landscape and a culture entirely different than their own are something that we have the strength for throughout our lives? Or that it is something that we can only throw ourselves into with the energy and strength of youth?
On a daily basis, are there things you would rather not do in order to fit into society and not cause a fuss? Do you think these simple acts are as oppressive as those experienced by Saudi women?
In Saudi Arabia, it is very difficult to get to know your husband or wife before you are married. Not nearly as many people in the United States or countless other countries would make such a large commitment having never spent more than a few hours at a time with the other person. However, some Saudi marriages are successful, and very happy. How do you think so many Saudis can make these types of marriages work?
Some Saudis are so exasperated by the confinements of their home, that they choose to leave Saudi Arabia, even though all of their family and friends continue to reside in the Kingdom. What kind of personality do you think it would take to make such a dramatic step? Are you surprised more people don't do this, given the dramatic restrictions of life in Saudi Arabia?
The law in Saudi Arabia is remarkably harsh. Beheadings, lashings, and other brutal treatments are not uncommon outcomes of criminal trials. In contrast to most other countries, why do you think Saudi Arabia continues to adhere to these customs and traditions?
Qanta encounters many people with very literal interpretations of the Quran. What do you think about literal interpretations of religious texts? Do you feel it is possible to be faithful, while not following or believing in every tenet of your faith?
The Mutawaeen (the religious police) are a constant, and often terrifying, presence in this book. What do you think could motivate someone to so violently guard his faith?
The author has a very unique experience on 9/11 in Saudi Arabia. Why do you think so many Muslims expressed approval about 9/11? Was it just the brainwashing of their society, or was their reaction due to some deeper reasons?
The author has an amazing religious experience at Mecca. Have you ever gone on a religious pilgrimage, or encountered a deep symbol of a particular faith? What effect did that have on you?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
IHAVE BEEN READING BOOKS ALL my life but never until now understood how much work is required in the shape of truly inspired encouragement cosseting the author. All I had to do as a writer was “show up,” whether in the Kingdom or at the laptop. For everyone else, this was the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears. For these selfless optimists and hope-mongerers, for these generous soulful supporters, for these sages ripe with wisdom, for these workers of magic and wordsmiths, for each of you, I offer my deepest gratitude. Without you, there would be no here.
For Wendy Lipkind, my dear, dear literary agent; from the first meeting you ensnared me, we were truly “bookends.” It was in those stylish moments encapsulated in your smoky, sultry, so-good voice that I knew I was embarking on a new journey which will remain with me long after these words are forgotten. Your kindnesses unleashed the river within the writer, and (once un-dammed) its subsequent careful containment has fueled the turbulent adventure into the high-walled gorges of my memories. Thank you for the patient phone calls, the compassion, and all the cold dinners you endured during my monologues. Thank you, Wendy, for your goodness, for your grace, and, most of all, for your late mother's handbag to ward off my demons!
For Hillel Black, my chief literary editor at Sourcebooks, the kindest, most gracious, so generous Word-Meister, I have no words which could convey the gratitude I feel. Your voice is pure New York, your quips take no prisoners, but, for sure, in the meticulous resections of my flabby first offerings, I have to say, the surgery, “Dr.” Black, if rather bloody, was a success. A writer couldn't ask for more than an editor of such honesty and God-given horse-sense. But it is the tinkering archeology of resurrecting memories into language at which you truly excel. I most treasure our private discoveries which you salvaged into the most surprising paragraphs. Thank you, Hillel, for your wisdom and substance. Above all, thank you for your boundless, wondrous curiosity.
Dominique Raccah at Sourcebooks, the pint-sized pistol of publishing, I thank most for the opportunity and the belief at a time when I lacked both. You heard the outcast concealed within and broadcast her voice. From the moment you spoke, in your raw, passionate, plain-speaking voice, I knew my book was home. What an amazing company you have created, where on my first visit every single employee stood up to greet me, shake my hand, and speak about my then book-in-utero. The enthusiasm and passion which infuses Sourcebooks from restroom to stockroom to boardroom, comes from the force within you. Thank you for breathing life into this book.