Rating: 
Summary: An Unexpected Pleasure
Review: "Leap of Faith" is the most remarkable memoir that I have read since Nelson Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom". The social and political issues that Queen Noor addresses in the Middle Eastern context are no less profound than those Nelson Mandela addresses in the South African context. Struggles for social justice, peace, and human possibility are central themes in "Leap of Faith", and, like Nelson Mandela, Queen Noor writes with skill, integrity, and compassion. An inspirational must-read!
Rating: 
Summary: A Pleasant-and unexpected-Surprise.
Review: "Leap of Faith" was a very pleasant surprise to this reviewer. I picked it up because my wife enjoyed the story, half expecting a mushy "girl tale. To describe LOF in that fashion is inaccurate, derogatory to the authoress and unfair to females in general. Queen Noor was born Lisa Halaby, an American of Swedish/Arabic descent. She went to the best schools, was well traveled. She was no ingenue. Lisa was working in the Middle East when she met the then recently divorced King of Jordan. LOF details the Queen's life after her 1978 marriage until the King's death from cancer in 1999. It must have been terribly difficult for an American woman, even one with Arabic father, to adjust to a new life. She was a highly public figure in a strange land, a stepmother to children form 2 previous marriages and wed to a man who was quite "occupied" with the affairs of state. Noor skillfully alludes to these problems without dwelling on them or glossing them over. She presents herself as both a sincere, independent woman but a loyal wife as well. The strongest point to LOF is its' perspective on the Israel/ Palestine conflict. Let there be no doubt! Readers get the Muslim viewpoint here! The Queen is not a neutral obersver-nor should she be! Noor was an Arabic monarch and makes no apologies, not that any are due. Noor plainly sees her late husband as an under appreciated moderate, constantly striving for peace. The Queen firmly and fervently makes the case that Israel is the aggressor in the Middle East, has seized far too much Palestinian land and that her leaders (the late Mr. Rabin excepted) are not interested in peace. She takes dead aim at Messrs. Begin and Netanyahu. Virtually every reviewer who gave LOF low rankings seized this point to criticize LOF. This reviewer takes the Queens' side for 3 reasons: 1) She may be correct. 2) Americans need to be exposed to the Arabic view. The Israeli slant is far to dominant in the USA. Pat Buchanan has labeled this condition the "Amen Corner". 3) LOF is not history. It is a highly personal memoir from an Arab-American uniquely situated in the heart of the conflict. (Credit to previous reviewer "Darleen" on that vital point). LOF has 2 minor weak points: 1) It recounts too much travel, too much coming and going. There are too many high level receptions and state visits. Granted, Noor was a busy woman but too much ink is devoted to these activities. 2) We don't find out what happened to her after her husband died! Is she still Queen? Is she back in the States? How did her husband's succession play out? What are her plans for the future? She is still a relatively young woman! She still has much too offer the world. Since portions of LOF are so intense, this reviewer hated to see the story end so vaguely. This reviewer's minor criticisms or those of others on the Arabic/Israeli conflict should deter no one from reading LOF. This is a fine story of a smart and sensitive lady who chose a difficult and challenging path for herself. She performed a diplomatic balancing act extremely well. She and her biography deserve respect
Rating:
Summary: Fair and Balanced View of the World Politics
Review: All political issues are discussed in this book with clarity and by discussing both sides of the coin and then making a point or stating a position. Further more this books also discusses the true aspects of Islam and what it entails.
Rating: 
Summary: A personal account lacking in historical perspective
Review: I picked up this book in hope of understanding the Arab perspective on the much maligned and troubled middle-east. I started with an open mind which gradually eroded to disillusionment and eventually utter disbelief. Queen Noor writes that western accounts glorifying T.E. Lawrence (see film Lawrence of Arabia) portray Arabs as primitive. She remarks that this has angered many Arabs. Yet, she responds by writing an account which is guilty of similar distortions. In my view, she has harmed Arab credibility in her effort to establish it.
Jordan is a poor country, of about 5 million people, near or bordering sometimes aggressive or troubled neighbors: Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and (what will hopefully someday be) Palestine and Israel. 30% of the people live below the poverty level (2001 estimate). The monarchy is not Palestinian, but rules over a Palestinian majority. All this adds up to a very tenuous power base which King Hussein deftly managed. Many see him less as an idealist fighting for Palestinian rights and peace than a pragmatist using the Palestinian problem and the peace process as a tool to remain in power. Queen Noor describes not who her husband was in total, but the man who she wants the world to remember.
King Hussein was ruler of the Palestinian territories, now occupied/administered by the Israelis, until the 1967 war. He could have given them their own independent state at that time, but he did not. It makes one wonder about his true motivations.
The book is continually critical of Israel, sometimes to the point of being ridiculous. One example is how the Queen justifies Syria's bombing of Israel's northern border in 1967 because Israelis were farming in a demilitarized zone. This may have been a provocation, but perhaps instead of escalating the military situation, the Syrians should have responded by farming the fallow land on their side.
The book is, at times, critical of Yassir Arafat. It raises questions about his integrity, methods and motivations. Yet the book offers little insight into why the Palestinians embraced Arafat when he delivered so little to them.
One of the great shortcomings of the book is in the way that she writes about Black September. In the years after 1967, Yassir Arafat essentially attempted a coup in Jordan. The PLO was establishing a state within a state and no less than 500 violent clashes occurred between Palestinian guerillas and Jordanian forces in 1968-69. The situation escalated into a declaration of martial law in September 1970. In the period that followed, Jordanian forces attacked the PLO headquarters in Amman and the Palestinian refugee camps in Irbid, Salt, Sweileh and Zarqa. After initial casualties, the government forces resorted to indiscriminate shelling. Death tolls range from several hundred to several thousand. Arafat and the PLO were expelled from Jordan and set-up operations amid the growing chaos in Lebanon. None of this is mentioned in Queen Noor's oblique reference to Black September. She focuses mainly on her husband's personal internal struggle.
This event raises so many significant questions. Who is the legitimate ruler of Jordan - a country with a Palestinian majority? How should governments respond to militant organizations? After Black September, should we continue to believe that Jordan was working for the good of the Palestinians? If so, which Palestinians? In light of Black September, does Jordan have the right to condemn Israel's treatment of Palestinian militants and civilians?
Why do many in the Arab world focus so much attention on Israel's transgressions while refraining from questioning Arab governments?
The Queen fails to offer information, analysis or perspective other than a sanitized account which simplistically idealizes the King and supports and justifies his actions. "Leap of Faith" is her personal story, but it offers little to critical thinkers who wish to advance their understanding of the Middle East.
Rating:
Summary: No Fluff, just Facts
Review: It is surprising to me that this book is marketed as some kind of Princess Diana romance story. Not at all. There are plenty of romantic insights, but Queen Noor is a private person and only reveals the least private moments, although I thought the proposal story was beautiful. What this book really is, is a wonderful introduction to Middle East modern history. As an American, I know my knowledge of this region is limited to what the media chooses to report and I welcome unbiased sources of information, such as BBC world service news, foreign newspapers, and this book. After September 11, I have come to a new awareness of how our country meddles in the Middle East with our "silent partner", Israel. How unfortunate that so many horrid things have been done to the Palestinians in our name. Theresa, your post made me gasp - you really must open your eyes and educate yourself. I would be shocked if the Palestinians enacted suicide raids for no particular reason, as you so claim. I believe that US citizens were kept in the dark for the last 40 years regarding our actions in Israel, but not any more. Read this book to educate yourself in order to be a more powerful citizen. And along the way, learn from Queen Noor what self-sacrifice and duty really mean.
Rating:
Summary: A new perspective
Review: It was fascinating to read the story of an American woman becoming a middle eastern queen and her enduring love for King Hussein. However this is much more than a love story. Queen Noor provides a unique view of the Palistinian - Israeli conflict and the Arab view of Americans. She communicates this without being preachy or judgmental, with an understanding of both the Arab and American worlds.
Rating:
Summary: An Unexpected Glimpse into Middle East Politics
Review: It's not fair to compare this book to The King and I or to the Grace Kelly saga. Lisa Halaby was conscious of her Arab roots before she met and married King Hussein. She'd spent considerable time in the Middle East, including Iran. Her father had been an aviation leader, most notably as president of the once-proud Pan American Airlines, and she'd traveled all over the world. So she wasn't a naive white-bread American blown away by exotic lands. She was a smart, well-traveled, deliberately unfashionable twenty-something who fell in love with her eyes wide open.
And Lisa was uniquely prepared for her queenly role. Private schools and Princeton gave her poise and polish that she probably didn't realize she had. The Halaby parents were at home with wealth and royalty. Even Lisa's Princeton major -- architecture and planning -- gave her unique skills to contribute both to the marriage and to her new country.
The book jacket calls Leap of Faith a love story. To be sure, Queen Noor adored her husband, as, apparently, did most of the country. But her love was clear-eyed. She mentions frustrations and times of anger and despair, enough to communicate the stresses of the marriage. Like all step-parents, she faced resistance from her husband's children from former marriages.
But Noor doesn't descend into self-pity or dwell on her own personal problems. Instead, she turns outward, to the social and political challenges of Jordan. She had a front row seat during several Middle East conflicts and she shares her unapologetic partisan views.
Noor makes a strong case for a view that remains unpopular in the United States. Israel was created to solve a European problem: how to compensate for atrocities and give Jews a homeland. To make room for this country, Noor argues, those already living on the land were forced to move. And, she claims, Israel wasn't satisfied with the original allotment, but rather went to war to gain more territory. When the Iron Curtain came down, Israel's population swelled, creating havoc throughout the region.
Is her perspective accurate? That's a question for scholars and experts -- and they don't all agree either. But I believe Americans need to realize how we are seen by other nations. Apart from the Arab-Israeli conflict, Noor expresses astonishment at the American ability to be distracted by human interest stories while the world teeters on the brink of disaster. Anyone who's talked to European, Middle Eastern or Asian citizens probably has heard similar views.
True, Noor does refer to a lot of famous people as "dear friends," but that's standard practice in celebrity autobiography. And she's careful to refer to King Hussein as "my husband" or "Hussein" or even "King Hussein" throughout the book. He appears to have been a remarkable man. Interestingly, Noor completely omits any mention of the age difference, perhaps because the cultural gap was so wide. I'd have liked to see more photos, but understandably Noor seems determined to avoid anything that creates an appearance of commercialism.
Many readers will find Noor somewhat chilly -- somewhere along the way she picked up a British reserve -- and many will disagree. But it's hard to come away without getting involved, even shaken. Thought-provoking, intelligent and, in the end, fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: First and formost a love story
Review: Leap of Faith is first and foremost a love story, maybe not in the conventional sense but a love story nonetheless. Queen Noor, born Lisa Halaby, sets the stage for the reader to understand her perspective by describing her childhood in the United States as well as her early adulthood. The real intensity of the book begins when she meets King Hussein. She describes her reactions throughout the beginning of the relationship in a way that immerses the reader in her moments of confusion as well as her moments of joy. She gives the reader an inside look into her experience becoming royalty as well as her perception of world events and Jordan's place in the world. She talks of the deceptions that are prevalent in world politics and the games politicians play. She describes her struggles to find her place as Queen in a country where she wasn't born or raised as well as to balance her role as Queen with becoming a mother figure to her husband's children and to raise the children they had together. Leap of Faith is a beautifully written memoir that provides insight into the workings of government, politics on the world stage, Jordanian culture, the combining cultures, and the merging of families.
Rating:
Summary: Sustained Optimism
Review: Little did I know that the autobiography of an American who married an Arab monarch would be a lesson in enduring love and ceaseless diplomacy in the Middle East. Queen Noor's Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life provided another window in which to view the internecine politics that have embroiled the region for over sixty years. I now more fully understand why King Hussein of Jordan was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize after reading about his untiring and unremitting efforts to obtain peace in the region and just treatment for Palestinians. Queen Noor, his third wife with whom he shared twenty years of marriage, also has been a formidable leader in the world, principally for her cultural and humanitarian contributions globally. Born Lisa Halaby in the United States, Queen Noor assumed her position of royalty at the age of twenty-six. She developed a superb work ethic that blended her excellent educational background, her work experience as architect, and diplomacy learned as she matured as the wife of a head of state in a volatile time. Leap of Faith provides balance in our understanding of the multinational conflict which continues to rage.
Rating:
Summary: A Different Perspective
Review: Many reviewers have objected to the fact that Queen Noor appears biased in her discussions of Middle East politics. But this is precisely why the book is so important to read. We are constantly bombarded with the American/Israeli bias on events in that region. Even if you disagree with much of what she says, it is enormously helpful to contemplate the perspective of those who resent the actions of the U.S. and Israel. And it is unacceptable to label Queen Noor as anti-Semitic simply because she disagrees with the policies or actions of the state of Israel. That is a disgusting (and cheap) attempt to discredit her views with an insulting slur against her personal integrity.
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