{"product_id":"florence-of-arabia-9780812972269","title":"Florence of Arabia","description":"The bestselling author who made mincemeat of political correctness in \u003ci\u003eThank You for Smoking\u003c\/i\u003e, conspiracy theories in \u003ci\u003eLittle Green Men\u003c\/i\u003e, and Presidential indiscretions \u003ci\u003eNo Way to Treat a First Lady\u003c\/i\u003e now takes on the hottest topic in the entire world-Arab-American relations-in a blistering comic novel sure to offend the few it doesn't delight. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAppalled by the punishment of her rebellious friend Nazrah, youngest and most petulant wife of Prince Bawad of Wasabia, Florence Farfarletti decides to draw a line in the sand. As Deputy to the deputy assistant secretary for Near East Affairs, Florence invents a far-reaching, wide-ranging plan for female emancipation in that part of the world. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe U.S. government, of course, tells her to forget it. Publicly, that is. Privately, she's enlisted in a top-secret mission to impose equal rights for the sexes on the small emirate of Matar (pronounced \"Mutter\"), the \"Switzerland of the Persian Gulf.\" Her crack team: a CIA killer, a snappy PR man, and a brilliant but frustrated gay bureaucrat. Her weapon: TV shows. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe lineup on TV Matar includes \u003ci\u003eA Thousand and One Mornings, \u003c\/i\u003e a daytime talk show that features self-defense tips to be used against boyfriends during Ramadan; an addictive soap opera featuring strangely familiar members of the Matar royal family; and a sitcom about an inept but ruthless squad of religious police, pitched as \"\u003ci\u003eFriends\u003c\/i\u003e from Hell.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe result: the first deadly car bombs in the country since 1936, a fatwa against the station's entire staff, a struggle for control of the kingdom, and, of course, interference from the French. And that's only the beginning. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA merciless dismantling of both American ineptitude and Arabic intolerance, \u003ci\u003eFlorence of Arabia\u003c\/i\u003e is Christopher Buckley's funniest and most serious novel yet, a biting satire of how U.S. good intentions can cause the Shiite to hit the fan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Random House Trade\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/13\/2005\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780812972269\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.45lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.94h x 5.26w x 0.60d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eCommonweal\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/17\/2005 pg. 26\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eIngram Advance\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2005 pg. 65\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Christopher Buckley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43180584501429,"sku":"9780812972269","price":14.45,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_c828a500-c7a5-4ff2-8c9f-fb4229b5bb8a.jpg?v=1697516378","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/florence-of-arabia-9780812972269","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}