Florence of Arabia: A Novel

The bestselling author who made mincemeat of political correctness in Thank You for Smoking, conspiracy theories in Little Green Men, and Presidential indiscretions No Way to Treat a First Lady 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.

Appalled 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.

The 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.

The lineup on TV Matar includes A Thousand and One Mornings, 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 “Friends from Hell.”

The 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.

A merciless dismantling of both American ineptitude and Arabic intolerance, Florence of Arabia 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.

From the Hardcover edition.

Darker than anything I've read by him, though "Thank You for Smoking" came close in places. On the other hand, how do you write comedy about a culture that condones stoning people to death...?

Dark, thoughtful, and at the end more than a little sad. Good, but not as good as some of his other books.

What an imagination Chistopher Buckley has to come up with this premise for a novel! A television station broadcasting subversive messages to a barely disguised Middle Eastern country full of repressed women. What happens as the women watch this show full of "cooking and homemaking hints" is an absolute roller-coaster ride. You don't want to miss this smart and hilarious farce.

Christopher Buckley ("Thank You for Smoking," "Boomsday") has had me laughing out loud in public while reading his books. His combination of sarcasm, satire, and political savvy make his books required reading for anyone who considers himself a student of current affairs or politics. Hypocrisy rules the day in Buckley's universe and provides a target-rich environment for his rapier-sharp pen.

With "Florence of Arabia," Buckley takes on the Middle East's pathetic treatment of women and the world's even more repulsive response to it. Buckley is writing with more rage with "Florence" than is apparent in his other novels, where he seems to be motivated more by rueful sadness. Here, Buckley knows we are talking about the humane (or lack thereof) treatment of over half the population of a massive region of the world - this is Buckley's "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not taking it anymore!" moment.

The titular Florence is Florence Farfaletti, a proud Italian woman still semi-reeling from her marriage to a crown prince of Wasabia (a "Wasabi"). Wasabia is a semi-fictional country in the Middle East that is both oil-rich and run by ultra-orthodox mullahs who believe that the only time a woman should be heard is while she's being publicly whipped for some transgression (like fleeing a burning building without wearing a veil). Florence is shocked into action by the execution of a friend who is married to a big player in the Wasabi royal family because she drove a car. She proposes using feminism to bring stability to the Middle East.

As a member of the State Department, this proposal a) gets her demoted and b) attracts the attention of a super-secret cabal within the U.S. government that puts unlimited resources at Florence's command to do just what she wants. Soon, Florence is in charge of a new channel broadcasting across the Middle East from Matar, the Switzerland of the Middle East (basically the land of the fat rich and happy because they are the only pipeline for Wasabi oil to the rest of the world).

But things don't stay calm for long as the conservative, sexist leaders of the Middle East fight back against Florence's crusade (and I don't use that word lightly). Florence leaps from frying pan to fire and back again as she sparks a revolution.

Unlike some of Buckley's other comic novels, this revolution produces dead bodies. This is dark yet funny stuff. Buckley keeps things as light as he can (I personally loved his reference to Volume XXI of Henry Kissinger's memoirs, entitled "Years of Genius"), but it's clear that he's writing this novel for more than just its comic possibilities.

This is a darn good book for anyone who has thought about the Middle East. It doesn't pretend to have all the answers, but it asks a lot of the right questions. And it will have you laughing to boot. Grab a copy.

As in other media, creating bona fide comedy is a challenge. So I'm happy to report that "Florence of Arabia" is the funniest book I've read in many years. Buckley uses his vast command of the English language masterfully to depict events in a lovingly crafted and engrossing satire of Middle Eastern, American, and European politics. The characters are distinct and their interactions are amusing. Buckley does an excellent job providing his protagonist, Florence Farfalleti, with depth, intelligence, humor, and integrity. Nor does he shy away from describing the visceral situations that create high drama in Florence's adventure. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes literature, current events, and falling off his chair with laughter.

We read this book for our book club in Jerusalem. It was a fascinating book! The writing was very interesting and he kept your interest for the entire book. Christopher Buckley is a humorous writer and has a great writing technique. Can't wait to read his other books!