Leap of Faith (The Legend of Queen Jordan)

Author: Nur Husein (USA), translated by Liu Bing, Zhang Peifang, Liu Juan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: This book tells the extraordinary life journey of an American woman who sails into a man's heart and integrates into his homeland. The story is full of twists and turns, captivating and engaging. Lisa Halaby was born into a prominent Arab-American family and grew up in a privileged environment. In 1974, Lisa graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in architecture and urban planning, becoming one of the first female students to attend the university. Two years later, while visiting Jordan to see her father, Lisa met King Hussein on the airport runway. As a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, King Hussein had always advocated for solving problems through peaceful means and was deeply beloved by the people of the Arab world. After the tragic loss of his wife, he became the world's most admired bachelor. On their second meeting, King Hussein fell head over heels in love with Lisa, a sport-loving, cheerful girl—the daughter of his old friend. King Hussein then embarked on a whirlwind pursuit, and after a period of secret romance, Lisa Halaby became Queen Noor of Jordan. Queen Noor, with vivid pen strokes, sincerely reveals the obstacles she faced as a young and innocent bride in the royal palace: she resisted the heavy surveillance of security guards and the suffocating royal life. The only expectation the entire palace had of her was to be King Hussein's source of joy, but through her own efforts, she successfully became a humanitarian activist. She gradually took on the responsibilities of a queen, while happiness and challenges grew alongside her. After a heart-wrenching miscarriage, Queen Noor gave birth to four children. On one hand, she had to fulfill her duties as a mother, and on the other, she had to carry out her responsibilities as a queen, which was not an easy task for her. Even when traveling with her husband around the world, she made every effort to bring her young children along. As a result, their pursuit of peace achieved remarkable success—not only successfully expanding the Arab unity front but also signing a peace agreement with Israel. However, they also faced setbacks such as the Gulf War and the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. This book is an extraordinary document. It tells the story of how a young American girl became the wife and working partner of an Arab monarch. Queen Noor provides a detailed description of the late King Hussein, recounting his relentless efforts to seek peace for war-torn regions, while as an insider, she offers profound insights into the growing divide between the United States and Arab countries. Additionally, as a world political leader, the king placed higher demands on family life, and the queen, speaking as a mother, shares how she met these demands. But above all, this book is a love story, intimately telling how a woman fell deeply in love with a king and devoted her entire life to his people.