I
first interviewed bestselling American author Jean Sasson as a bright eyed,
bushy tailed postgrad student at Bournemouth University in 2007. The class
assignment was to interview someone famous. Sitting in the tiny four corners of
my dorm room, my mind went into overdrive thinking about who I wanted to cover.
My favorite writer, Jean, came to mind immediately. Thanks to the already
mature digital world, I managed to get in contact with Jean and couldn’t
believe my luck when she responded and agreed to an interview. I was ecstatic. When
we spoke, Jean was instantly likeable with her friendly Southern drawl. I made
notes frantically as she opened her heart and mind on the other end of the
phone. We spoke for an hour but frankly, I could’ve listened to her all day. Her
knowledge of the Muslim world is immense having lived in Saudi Arabia for 12
years, and spending time in other Middle Eastern countries for the past 26
years. Jean’s passion for women’s rights
is limitless. She's even been on the Oprah Winfrey Show! Watch her in action.
Speaking to Jean literally takes one back to the pages of her
books, her voice mirrored in the words that make for seamless and quick
reading. I don’t think I have taken longer than three evenings to finish any
one of her books, be it the bestselling Princess trilogy, Mayada: Daughter of
Iraq, Growing up bin Laden, Love in a Torn Land or For the Love of a Son, to
name some of my personal favorites. Though we first spoke a decade ago, we kept
in touch and in 2010 I interviewed Jean again. Ten years on since our first
conversation, I knew my new blog Around
the World wouldn’t be complete without her, so here we are. Thank you Jean
for being ever so gracious! Your work continues to inspire and empower women
around the world …
You have been a relentless advocate
of women’s rights for decades. How effective has your voice been in making a
difference?
My work has not changed country laws but the
difference has certainly come with individuals. Many thousands of readers have been
inspired, going into careers that help people. I have seen women devoting their
lives to helping the young, getting law degrees to work on women’s rights issues, or sharing their income with the poor. My work has influenced people for
the better. These people can rise to political office one day and make a
tangible difference. Some people of other cultures have expressed their
opinions that I don’t have the right to interfere. Rape cases in Afghanistan
and Pakistan for example tend to remain unaccountable with the blame placed on
women. America has plenty of shame as well. The most dangerous time for women in
my own country is when they are pregnant – the danger of being left or beaten by
husbands who are not ready for fatherhood is prevalent. As far as my life, I’m
very fortunate to have also personally known only kind, gentle men in my
lifetime. I’m not timid or shy so I have
never been in relationships where men felt they could rule. When I was married
to Peter Sasson, his male friends were surprised that he had no say-so when it
came to my travels. In fact, I often
traveled to Thailand alone. I went there
to research the sex slave industry where girls as young as eight were sold as
sex slaves. But I have experienced some shocking incidents, for example, when I
was in Taiwan and Egypt I experienced men knocking on my hotel door assuming a
woman on her own needed company.
What stereotypes and expectations have
you faced in your life as a free woman?
People
have been surprised that Peter and I chose not to have children. I always knew
that I would have a career that would interfere with a normal family life.
Also, I was the daughter who assumed care of my ageing parents. My friends in the Eastern world were shocked. Even
my friends from the Western world lectured about becoming old without kids. To
this day I am asked if I regret not having children. I have experienced other women
considering this to be a bigger issue than men. It’s been a shock for me as I
always support women and expect them to support me. Some women are generous minded
but others don’t want you to be too successful. Some women have been offended
by my proactive stance on animals. When I see an abandoned or mistreated animal
it’s not just my business but it’s my obligation to help. I can’t see a live
being in pain, no matter if it is a man or a woman, although men don’t face the
same difficulties as women. It distresses me greatly to see suffering in the
world.
You
have been fearless as the voice of the powerless, be it women suppressed under
certain regimes or animals stranded by their owners. What makes you fearless?
I have never known fear of another
person. I inherited this trait from my father. He lost his mother when he was
12. This was forever sadness for him. My aunt, his older sister, said he
always worked. Growing up, there was a creek
near his house where everyone would go in for a swim. He would charge them a nickel
to use a towel. I truly am fearless when it comes to other people and can
honestly say that I’m not afraid to put my life on the line. When I gave the
late Mayada advice, she shook her head and said “Jean, we’re all mice” in
comparison. When I arrived in Baghdad, I refused to accept a male translator as
I knew women wouldn’t dare to speak in the presence of a man. I have taken
endangered routes through desserts. In 1998, I was invited to meet Osama bin
Laden by a Saudi citizen living in London who knew him. This was before the world knew who he was at
the time of embassy bombings in Africa. I was unable to accept the invitation,
and have lived to regret it, of course. So
I cannot say exactly why I am immune to fear, but I am glad that I am as it
makes it easy for me to travel to dangerous places and get to know what is
happening to others first-hand.
Though Growing up Bin Laden received
a lot of attention [Jean appeared on Al Jazeerah], the Princess trilogy
resonates the most years after it was first published. What makes it so
special?
Both
Princess and Mayada had women fighting against overwhelming odds, never giving
up. The Princess risked her life to help other women, and to bring change to
her country, Saudi Arabia. Mayada was fighting for her
beloved Iraq, and for her children. Both had valid, strong reasons to take
risks. We love to see a champion. Human life is so interesting. When we hear
stories of women we can’t help but be pulled towards them. Watch Jean on Al Jazeera.
Malala’s was a very powerful story.
Do you think you might cover Pakistan one day?
I
am covering Pakistan in a book that I plan to write over the next year. I don’t like to talk about the specifics of
any book project prior to completion, but my history of writing makes it clear
that I will focus on the subject of women in Pakistan, and challenges that some
women there face.
The evolution of digital has
transformed the world. What is the future of novel writing?
Reading
is a good, sensuous pleasure. I myself have read a total of two digital books as
I am in love with the printed book. Yet, not everyone is like me, thank goodness. In fact, today my digital sales exceed my
book sales and this will only continue. I have a huge collection of 10,000 books,
with many of those books on the Middle East and other travel books. I
considered giving my collection to a library so that they might have a Jean Sasson
room. Libraries didn’t agree to safeguard my books, telling me that they could
not guarantee that they would not sell my books! They wouldn’t keep them. Winston Churchill
loved books and famously said “If you
cannot read all your books...fondle them---peer into them, let them fall open
where they will, read from the first sentence that arrests the eye, set them
back on the shelves with your own hands, arrange them on your own plan so that
you at least know where they are. Let them be your friends; let them, at any
rate, be your acquaintances.” I
love to dust my books though my nieces or nephew end up finishing the job as
more often than not I’ll end up curled up on the floor with a book I’ve rediscovered.
Moving forward I think that digital books will rule with only a few print book collectors
in the world.
Which of your books didn’t do as
expected and which exceeded expectations?
Growing
up bin Laden didn’t do as expected. I
was surprised as no other books covered the subject in such a personal manner. No one knew Osama better than his first wife
and his son, Omar. But, a movement had
affected the world, bringing people to misinterpret the book. The title may
have led them to believe it was frivolous. Critics tried to harm it, though writer
Peter Bergen gave it positive review. As for the rest of my books, they all did
really well. I wouldn’t write them if I didn’t find them compelling.
[Thinking of Hilary Clinton] Why aren’t women breaking the glass
ceiling today?
Social
change comes so slowly. Women are a part of the problem. Women too often treat
their sons better than their daughters. My nephew is nineteen and is an example
of what a young man should be. He doesn’t try to control his girlfriend or any
people around him, actually. Changing the fabric of social life doesn’t come overnight. Think about how long
it took women to get the vote. My mother allowed my father to make most
decisions even though she was seething underneath. Even a great military and
policeman who uses violence in the workplace can let it filter out at home.
What’s next?
I
will write the book on Pakistani women, and I will also write my memoir. It’s time.
I have put off writing my own story for years as I always came across
another story I felt was more important and interesting than my own. But, as said, it is time to write my own
memoirs as I still have my full memory intact.
What’s a typical day in the life of
Jean Sasson?
There’s
never a dull moment in the life of someone who cares and becomes involved with
causes. It’s gift of God to have the intensity of empathy. It’s not happening
to someone else, it’s happening to me. I’m feeling it exactly. I have to get
involved. My friends say it’s a curse. My life is actually completely chaotic. I
take care of living things but my house a mess. My idea of a good time is doing
something that makes a difference. I’m a serious person and don’t think I’ve
ever done anything frivolous in my life. Even something like playing games on
my computer never entered my mind [Spoken
like a true bookworm].
Follow Jean on Facebook @AuthorJeanSasson and Twitter @JeanSasson.
You can keep up to date with her latest work on www.jeansasson.com.
