Born in America in 1951 as Lisa Halaby, Noor came from a wealthy, well-connected family and was part of Princeton's first co-ed class. Her father's aviation business produced a chance meeting with King Hussein of Jordan in 1976, and a year or two later Noor realized the king was courting her. He was 41, she was 26. He was thrice married. The rumor mills buzzed: was she the next Grace Kelly? Before long, the king renamed her Noor (light in Arabic), and she converted to Islam. They were married in the summer of 1978. From this point on, her story is mostly his, mainly covering his attempts to broker peace in the Middle East. There are meetings with Arafat, Saddam Hussein, American presidents and other leaders. Noor details Hussein's struggles to create Arab unity and his vision of peaceful coexistence with Israel. Her own activities developing village-based economic self-sufficiency projects and improving Jordan's medical, educational and cultural facilities take second place to her husband's struggles on the world stage. And while she occasionally acknowledges her domestic difficulties, Noor is careful not to allow personal problems to become any more than asides. Her pleasing memoir ends with the king's death in 1999 after his struggle with cancer, although readers may suspect that this smart, courageous woman will remain a world presence for years to come.
Queen Noor offers a vastly informative and even fascinating memoir of her life from her childhood in an Arab American family, daughter of a very successful man in politics and business (including a stint as director of the Federal Aviation Administration), to her tenure as consort of the charismatic King Hussein. Her Majesty naturally adopts a Jordanian perspective in her reminiscences; we are not surprised when she posits, for instance, that "Jews, Muslims, and Christians had lived peacefully in the Middle East and indeed in Palestine for centuries. It was not until the rise of Zionism and the creation of Israel that animosities took root." As the woman who stood behind one of the major players in the Middle East in the second half of the twentieth century, Queen Noor brings a unique perspective to the contemporary history of the region.
This book received positive comments from our group despite being a little difficult to read. Everyone was very interested in the Queen’s personal history, especially since she wrote the book from the Arab / Jordanian point of view. We all wished that the book would have included 2 maps – one of Jordan noting places mentioned, and the other of Middle Eastern countries – for quick reference while reading the story. We also wished for some more personal details on the royal family lives, and the Queen’s learning of Islam, Arabic, and her royal job duties. Everyone had new appreciation for security risks these rulers incur daily, and gained new insight on the Middle East conflict and cultures. This book generated lengthy discussions including what has happened since the death of her husband, King Hussein.
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