Single in Saudi

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I absolutely loved the book. I had trouble putting it down, but unfortunately did and left it on the airplane. Once I got home, I had to purchase another copy b/c I HAD to finish it. I love that Genia is such an adventurous free spirit. It definitely made the book very exciting. Although I am against drug-use, I don't judge her for it. I just love the fact that she lives her life to the fullest. I wish I had the guts that she does.

Rating:
Summary: Incorrect English is very distracting.
Review: I had trouble following the story due to poor sentence construction and mis-spelled words. The last time I checked there was no such word as noone and it was used numerous times throughout the book. I have read many interesting books about Saudi, especially Jean Sasson's "Princess" series, but "Single In Saudi" was more about her sex life than about the lifestyles of Saudi. Very disapointing book but would have been slightly better if a proofreader had been used.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting - but more on a "fiction level"
Review: I have been in KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and had hoped to read about a similar experience by another american woman. As a muslim and probably a bit more serious person, I was s a bit shocked at what the author wrote. There is an old saying "One who looks for trouble will surely find it." Genia definitely went out of her way to find "trouble." Her behaviour (heavy drinking, drug use, flirting, casual sex) as well as her less conservative (for arab standards) dress probably was like a green-light for those saudi men that Genia mentiones in the book. --- Genia's story, unfortunately does not mention many of the decent Saudis, that would have never behaved so debauched. --
In all, I felt like the book was written more like a Jackie Collins novel, then an account of an american nurse's 2 year-stay in the Kingdom. Perhaps, had it been different, the book (and the story) would have been less interesting for western readers.

Rating:
Summary: Great Story
Review: I have read this book a couple of times. I love the story and the insight of women inside this strange (at least to me) world. I do admit that the writer is not an English major, BUT, the story far outweighs the "mistakes" in English. I would highly recommend reading this book, especially today, to see what it is really like "behind" the veil for women in this part of the world. The person who wrote that an editor should work on this book is not an English major either. I think the critique was poorly written too.

Rating:
Summary: Disrespect for the Kingdom
Review: I thought this book would give a realistic picture of life in Saudi Arabia, but boy was I mistaken. It is a simplistic account of a foolish sex and drug adventure. Its no wonder Arab men think all Western women are easy. Thank goodness she is a minority amongst all the nurses who go to work in the KSA. Her life there shows absolute disrespect to the culture and to other Western women. She was informed of the rules before she went and seemed determined to do it her way. Why even go? Please don't waste your money on this sad book.

Rating:
Summary: A Badly Written Book
Review: I was surprised by the favorable views of this book. I don't think I've ever read one that was as badly written as this one. Poor grammar, misspelling, and poor sentence construction aside, the context and style were dismal. The entire book seemed to be a monument to the author's ego and self-centerness. There are some marvelous books out there that are far superior regarding Saudi culture.

Rating:
Summary: Eng Major
Review: noceme from Houston, TX obviously isn't an english major either because "outways" isn't even a word!

Rating:
Summary: Single in Saudi
Review: Review of Single in Saudi by Genia

Sex and drugs dominate this first book of the adventures of an American nurse at work in Saudi Arabia in the 70's. After the pill and before Aids, it was cool to be naughty and Genia was very, very cool. She was bold and adventurous, challenged by and challenging of the restrictions of the Saudi royal government. At the same time she was delivering top notch nursing service to her patients and was in demand for them.

While she was there she took every advantage of opportunities to travel, see important sites, meet and engage with important men, and take big bites out of life.

You may be stunned by her chutzpah, and yet one must give credit to a woman who got away with so much under the nose of restrictive people who would have doled out severe punishment in a heartbeat.

In addition, she lifts the curtain on the hypocrisy of the Saudi men, many of whom were of the royal family, and who happily initiated and participated in every debauchery available to them.

Genia has a wealth of memories to keep her company in her golden years, not many of which will be regret for what she did not do.

Rating:
Summary: Enough of semantic bickering
Review: The past few reviews seem to be one-upsmanship that have nothing to do with the context of the book. Does anyone care to write an honest review?

Rating:
Summary: Good story---poorly written--where was the editor?
Review: The story is good, interesting look at Saudi, but extremely poorly written. Sounds more like Genia learned English and then forgot it when she went to the Middle East. Should use the benefits of an editor or proofreader to clean it up.