Happy Book Day to You ~ the Series { Girls of Riyadh }

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Winner is: Jodi of thishandmadelife –> email me please Jodi –> kim (at) mommyknows (dot) com

Welcome to week 8 of —> Happy Book Day to You ~ the Series

Do you remember way back in December, I held a Happy Book Day Giveaway on my birthday? Well I enjoyed it so much (because books are my favorite thing), I thought I’d make it a weekly occurrence. For the next several weeks you can count on a ‘Happy Book Day to You ~ the Series’ giveaway every Tuesday.

Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

I really enjoyed this book. I loved getting a glimpse of what life must be like for young women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In all the years my family lived in the Gulf, I had very few female Arab friends. This peek behind the veil was VERY interesting.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis of ‘Girls of Riyadh’

A bold new voice from Saudi Arabia spins a fascinating tale of four young women attempting to navigate the narrow straits between love, desire, fulfillment, and Islamic tradition

In her debut novel Rajaa Alsanea reveals the social, romantic, and sexual tribulations of four young women from the elite classes of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Originally released in Arabic in 2005, it was immediately banned in Saudi Arabia because of the controversial and inflammatory content, while black-market copies of the novel were widely circulated. The daring originality of Girls of Riyadh continues to create a firestorm all over the Arab world, and the excitement has spread far beyond the Middle East-to date, rights to this novel have already been sold in eleven countries.

Some simple rules and things to remember:

1. This book is second hand. I’ve read it, I liked it and I am giving it to you. It may possibly have coffee rings or warped pages from sitting on my night stand. Call me cheap, or call me environmentally friendly, I’m not bothered either way.

2. Consider passing it forward when you are done, you could even have a giveaway! Remember, what goes around comes around.

3. You must come back here to see if you are the winner. I won’t track you down, if you wait to long … I might lend it to a friend or a neighbor and then YOU are out of luck. You need to email me with your address, once I receive it I will pop it in the mail to you at my convenience.

4. To be eligible to win, you need to leave a comment on this post. I’ll pick a winner sometime on Friday, March 20th, 2009.

5. Tell a friend—> this isn’t really a rule, but it would be really nice. wink

MK xo
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**NOTE: this is not a paid advertisement — they’re my books and I am giving one of them away — because I am nice like that — just saying!**


22 Comments

The Lawyer Mom · March 17, 2009 at 9:46 pm

Okay. I’m in. But please please promise me you’ll read Fortune’s Rocks (Anita Shreve). If you’ve already read it, give it away, girl friend. Even if you dropped the damn thing in your bath.

Oh, to be young and have never read Anita Shreve. The pleasures that would await me.

Looking forward to my victory dance when The Girls hits my mailbox. That random drawing software weights the early commenters more favorably, yes?

jamie · March 18, 2009 at 5:27 am

OOOOOOOOOOOO. I’m in! Well, of COURSE I’m in!

jamie’s last blog post..Bell. You suck.

Erin · March 18, 2009 at 8:12 am

Please random thing pick me!!! I have resorted to reading books for work before I go to bed, somehow reading about moral intelligence does not quite give me the escape I need!!!

Erin

deb · March 18, 2009 at 9:15 am

I haven’t heard of that book. Sounds super interesting though! I love reading of different cultures and stuff that I wouldn’t normally know much about!

deb’s last blog post..

Broke But Still Drinking · March 18, 2009 at 10:14 am

I’m still waiting for my books on tape.

debbie · March 18, 2009 at 1:35 pm

You know it sounds like one I would love!

debbie’s last blog post..You can hear a pin drop

Madeline · March 18, 2009 at 8:37 pm

If you could judge a book by it’s cover this one would be a winner. Pretty!

Madeline’s last blog post..Sunshine, Violets, And A Little Bit Of Attitude

Cindi · March 18, 2009 at 8:40 pm

I didn’t know that you lived in the Gulf area! How interesting. A look into these Saudi Arabian women sounds very fascinating. Please count me in. I usually pass my books forward. Many thanks, Cindi

Jodi Renshaw · March 18, 2009 at 10:07 pm

I think I would really enjoy reading this. Thanks for the offer :)

Love,
Jodi

anastasia · March 19, 2009 at 6:29 am

I am in

Thank you

Carey · March 19, 2009 at 7:24 am

Just popping in to say Hi. Hope you are enjoying your day.

Carey’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday

Carolyn S · March 19, 2009 at 10:39 am

My husbands family lives in Jordan and when we visited several years ago, I was amazed at the Saudi women and the way they live. Even eating out, they had to put the food under the veil, and when we visited the Dead Sea, they were in there fully clothed, veil and all. Someone said “did they stare at you?” I really couldn’t answer them, because unless you can see their feet, you really can’t see whether it’s the front or back of them. When I lived in Seattle, I had several female Saudi friends whose husbands were in school there and they were wonderful women who were so alive behind closed doors, but accepted (although not always so easily here in the US)the restraints put on them by their religion and their husbands. I would love to read this book. thanks for sharing
ceashark at aol dot com

vista · March 19, 2009 at 4:20 pm

very good

Safire · March 19, 2009 at 5:05 pm

This looks awesome! I may even pick it up at the library if I don’t win. :)

Safire’s last blog post..Jazzed Up!

lace · March 19, 2009 at 5:40 pm

This sounds like a great book. I love to learn about other cultures and see how they live.

Lisa Allbright · March 20, 2009 at 2:41 am

I agree with the blogger above, I love to read about other cultures and it sounds enlightening! Try any book by Jean Auel. They are all great! The kind you can’t put down. Thanks!

Baby Pushchairs · March 20, 2009 at 4:20 am

Sounds like a great book! Although I’m guessing I live a bit far away for you to send it as I’m in the UK. Just about to start reading a new one myself called ‘The Happiest Man In The World’ by Alec Wilkinson. The title caught my eye and someone was kind enough to buy it for me as a Christmas present :)

Grog · March 20, 2009 at 9:22 am

I love the genre…sounds like a great book.

Grog’s last blog post..Traveling Safely

Shannon · March 20, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Well, perhaps I’m too late for the draw, but it sounds like a great book! I’m always looking for a good read. One of my all-time favorite love stories (with a very unique style) is Audrey Niffenegger’s “Time Traveller’s Wife” – soooo good!

Happy reading everyone!

Bearpaw Boots · March 20, 2009 at 6:30 pm

I also enjoy reading, and really enjoyed a book, true, about a Saudi princess and what her life was like.

kimmi · March 21, 2009 at 7:27 pm

Sounds like a great book!

mommyknows · March 17, 2009 at 8:59 pm

Win a copy of ‘Girls of Riyadh’ by Rajaa Alsanea –> http://tinyurl.com/czo2u4

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