A Year Under Sharia Law: Memoir of an American Couple Living and Working in Saudi Arabia

I had seen this book on book review lists for the last year and the title of course piqued my interest so I broke down and bought it. Well, the title is very misleading as far as this reader’s experience. I am exceedingly well traveled in Asia, having gone to college in Thailand there and traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, India and western China from 1984-mid 90s, then in Europe all of my life. My point is that I do not have unrealistic expectations of working in a foreign country, and I did learn quite a bit about expat culture in Saudi Arabia. But “under Sharia Law”?? I must have missed that part. There are only a couple of paragraphs that really convey anything about this subject matter, and the author seems hesitant to say anything detailed and personal about it..what the title says the book is about.

Richly told in a personal manner, the reader instantly shares the excitement of a new adventure, the fears and uncertainty of being in a foreign land. The authors are able to give perspectives from both the male and female view of what they experienced and felt, and emotional responses to the place and events around them. Reading this book is the next best thing to actually being there. From the excellent writing and descriptions, it is difficult to not imagine one's own reactions if placed in a similar situation. A must read for those who wish to understand that culture!

Disappointed, learned little as the author taught English and was harassed by locals. He and his wife worked in separate areas, as they were segregated over there. I was expecting a little more intrigue and danger than book presented. It was more like a diary of daily happenings, which wasn't boring, just not fascinating, but sad. I don't recommend anyone buy this book, but invest in a well written fiction based on historical facts. Teaching English sounds very boring and they only did it because they were broke and really didn't have substantial careers in the first place.

My intention was to start A Year Under Sharia Law and read one chapter (due to a busy day). However, reading one chapter turned into finishing the book in one sitting. I couldn't put the book down it was so captivating! The authors descriptive and relatable writing style kept me engaged the whole time. I appreciate the opening chapters and how relatable it is as we all try to figure out our place in the world while accumulating debt, and how each step of the way is preparing us for something bigger. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants a glimpse into the world of Saudi Arabia and the struggles Alex and Liz Fletcher had to overcome.

This book was such a great read! The story was riveting. The things that this couple experienced during their time in Saudi Arabia were reminiscent of other books I've read, written by others who have gone there for employment. The writing was very well done. I felt like I could picture everything Alex talked about, described, etc. There are a few grammatical mistakes, but they are minimal and wouldn't deter me from reading this book.

Several of the reviewers were more concerned with grammar than with learning about life in the Middle East,. If that describes you, you should not buy this book. But if you are seriously considering visiting or living in the Middle East, and specifically Saudi Arabia, you should read it.My wife and I lived in Oman, south of and bordering on Saudi Arabia, for four years in the 1990s. At that time there was not much information available on the Middle East, especially since Internet did not exist. So we went to Oman knowing very little about that part of the world. We were lucky because, although they have Sharia Law, it is a moderate Islamic society. Their form of Islam is Ibadi, much less restrictive than the Shia and Sunni variety. Unlike in Saudi Arabia, women are treated like human beings. They can work, they are not compelled to cover their hair, they do not have to wear a hijab or burka, they do not have to cover their faces, they can drive, and they do not have to walk behind their husbands. Women are expected to dress modestly, with skirts below the knee and tops cannot show cleavage or be sleeveless. Women can have jobs. The CFO of the oil company where I worked was an Omani woman. My wife was the training manager at the Apple dealer. Girls were expected to go to school and if they did not want their daughters to go to school the family had to have good reason. The laws are strict and punishment probably harsher than in the West, but they long-ago stopped cutting off hands and heads. Compare this with life in Saudi Arabia described in this book.It is a good read which I highly recommend. The book mentions the movie “Not Without My Daughter.” If contemplating living in the Middle East, you should see that movie as well as “Escape: Human Cargo” and “The Kingdom”. I thank my lucky stars that my assignment was in Oman, not in Saudi Arabia.

I have been curious about what Saudi Arabia is really like since I have been teaching English to students from there for five years now. I was excited to get this book and I could not put it down! The writers write in such a way that you feel like you are there! It was eye opening, exciting, fascinating and, at times, shocking! I appreciated the authors' stated goal in the Prologue to be as objective as possible. The authors were incredibly honest and genuine when discussing their own ideas and reactions. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the world and other cultures and also to anyone who is looking for an exciting read!

This might be interesting or useful if you are considering teaching (or other work) in The Kingdom. These two people, however, are a couple of irresponsible fruitloops. Brewing a garbage can full of homemade wine in their apartment..a prison offense, and putting themselves in vulnerable and precarious situations with other expatriots.....and soliciting prayers from friends at home for their safety on the highways while involved in far more risky behavior. Not much depth to the story. Although set elsewhere in the Middle East, The Blue Bicycle was a much better story of expat educators in a Muslim country.