This book is an engaging, well-illustrated, readable introduction to several Jordanian artistic traditions. While not a book for serious researchers (it's a little too general if you have expertise in a specific area), it's an excellent starting point. Many of the chapters have been written by recognized experts in their fields, such as Michele Piccirillo's esasy on mosaics. Other topics addressed include sculpture, pottery, writing, costume, and folk jewelry. It's nice to see a book about Jordanian art, an area of the Near East that is so often overlooked.

First, the book's greatest strength: it reminds the reader that people can have very different perspectives about the same thing depending on where they are standing. Perspective-taking is a good thing, and I think it is unfair to paint the book with such a broad brush by announcing that it is anti-semetic and dismissing it entirely. It nicely articulates an Arab perspective to the historical and current events in the Middle East, and as a society, I think we can only benefit from many points of view on the matter.

Briefly, I agree with much of what previous reviewers said about this book: a. the author examines the historical and current events in the Middle East in a way that isn't typical of main stream media in the U.S.; b. the author has an especially difficult time maintaining a veneer of "objectivity" when discussing the actions of the Israeli government - which I did not find as troubling as some, given that it so transparent from so early on that I just took whatever she said "with a grain of salt," - and when it comes to reporting on the actions in the Middle East, I think we should be skeptical about whatever we read or hear, regardless of who is saying it; c. the author takes issue with the aspects of the American government and the American media - its her right, and much of what she says is neither new nor that off-base; and d. the author clearly adores her husband, and her courtship and life living in Jordan is a mostly interesting read.

Now, what I didn't like: the biggest problem is the book's lack of historical accuracy (and objectivity). Normally I would say "who cares, this isn't a history book," but these aren't normal times, and many people who read this book, as the reviews will attest, see it as a good lesson in history. Queen Noor leaves out too many important events and details, and by clearly concentrating on only those events that cast her husband and certain other Arab leaders in the best possible light, it gives ammunition to those who question her agenda.

The example of this I found most shocking, and perhaps easiest for others to relate to, was in the author's depiction of the first Gulf War, and especially her failure to mention the gassing of the Kurds. Here's how she sees it. Much of the chapter the author devotes to the war discusses the shuttle diplomacy that her husband undertook in order to prevent the conflict. She examines the "deceptions" by the U.S. and many Arab leaders, who backed away from any peaceful resolution to the conflict in spite of promising the King that if he could convince Iraq/Saddam to withdraw from Kuwait, the Coalition forces would allow him to do so. [According to Queen Noor, King Hussein did, in fact, get a commitment from Iraq to immediately withdraw from Kuwait, but when he informed the U.S. and the other Arab leaders, they didn't care. They had their own agenda - cripple Iraq, which was getting too powerful in the region.] She spends a lot of time (several pages) discussing the concerns the King had over the loss of innocent Iraqi lives and the destruction of Iraqi infrastructure as a result of American bombs - a legitimate concern of many on both sides of the Atlantic; she briefly talks about Saddam Hussein, though not in the demonizing way he is portrayed in Western media; she briefly (a few sentences) expresses concern about the hero-worshipping attitude towards Saddam that he actively cultivated in Iraq, mostly out of concern that it was unhealthy for Iraqi children to be taught to love their leader instead of loving their country. [A legitimate concern I guess, though an unintended irony is that through out the book she proudly highlights how much Jordanians worshipped their leader]. And that pretty much sums up the discussion of the first Gulf War. Not ONE comment about Saddam using chemical weapons against anyone, let alone against his own people. And this after going to great lengths to repeatedly bemoan the loss of innocent life and destruction of Iraqi infrastructure at the hands of the Americans.

When I finished the chapter and realized that the author was done discussing the first Gulf War, with nary of mention of the gassing of the Kurds, I almost stopped reading the book. It made me wonder, as others have before me, if there isn't something else going on with this book. After all, no little detail seemed too small for her - for example, Sting and Steven Speilburg make it into her reference section at the end (Sting for being mentioned indirectly once). And yet, after a relatively sympathetic portrayal of Saddam Hussein (at least by Western media standards) she fails to mention the first time in over 50 years the wide-scale use of chemical weapons???

In the long-run, it is too bad, because I think it makes it easier for her detractors to dismiss the book as anti-semetic and to be trashed, thus ignoring the important point of view she brings to the discussion.

Not only did Ms. Halaby get a new name (Queen Noor) when she married the king of Jordan she also got a new religious faith, an overnight fan following for her alluring grace and beauty, a slew of stepchildren, close scrutiny and a pretty moot role in a region that is/was growing more politically knotty by the hour.

This book explores her role as the ceremonial mother of a country and culture that she has clearly lovingly embraced. Some of the best moments of the book emerge from her accounts of a "political wife" representing her husband and country while remaining civil and smiling even in sullen times like Iraq's 1991 invasion of Kuwait.

By turns putatively formal and deliciously candid, LOF is overall a fascinating account of the eternal royal balancing act between what must certainly be a bafflingly public life versus carving out a personal one. Her journey from a Princeton graduate to a Middle Eastern urban planner to a Queen is probably what makes her profile so interesting to international folk.

On the political side, this is a biography from the eyes of one person, which is a reason not to read this as a political factbook but as a perspective. On the personal side, her vivid reminiscing of the first days as Queen are the stuff Audrey Hepburn movies are made of...awakening to the sound of jackhammers during palace renovations, disagreements with a valet over who was supposed to dress the king, and adjustments to her instant family.

In sum, a truly enjoyable keeper for your collection.

What a wonderful book with refreshing views to widen one's horizon. Not only did the book provide detailed insight into their life, it helped me to see the OTHER side of Mid East tension that existed for decades. Up until I was 21 I've been bombarded by a biased media and I always believed in our government's policies. Only after studying abroad and seeing the world through my own eyes did I realize that our media only shows selected aspect of other countries (just think about the stereotypes for various countries we adopted over the years). I heard about this book for the first time when a well known news publisher trashed the book by saying that Queen Noor is obviously anti-Israel and blamed Israel lobbies. I thought that was a childish way to show that the news staff was impartial. This shows the fundamental flaw of our mass media. If we hope to live in a peaceful world, we should all stop judging and start seeing things from different perspective. I don't think Queen Noor is 100% objective(after all, this is a memoir, not a textbook), but can you name anyone or news agency that's completely unbiased? I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has an open mind and willing to see the other side of the story.