Publisher's Synopsis
The Sheik is a novel written by E. M. Hull and published in 1919. It tells the story of a young Englishwoman named Diana Mayo, who travels to the North African desert and falls in love with a powerful Arab sheik named Ahmed Ben Hassan. Despite her initial resistance, she eventually succumbs to his charm and becomes his lover.The novel is set against the backdrop of colonialism and cultural clash between the West and the East. It explores themes of gender roles, race, and the clash of civilizations. The character of Ahmed Ben Hassan is complex, embodying both the exotic allure of the East and the brutal violence of a patriarchal society.The Sheik was a controversial novel when it was first published, as it challenged traditional gender roles and portrayed a romantic relationship between a white woman and an Arab man. It was adapted into a successful silent film in 1921, starring Rudolph Valentino as Ahmed Ben Hassan. The novel remains a classic of early 20th-century popular fiction and a landmark in the history of romantic literature.The first modern romance novel, and the basis for Rudolph Valentino's film.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
