Rajaa Al-Sanea: Writing for change

Rajaa Al-Sanea is a Saudi author, best known for her popular novel Girls of Riyadh. The 32-year-old writer is a practicing dentist.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Al-Sanea’s novel sparked controversy when it was first published in 2005 in Arabic and two years later in English. It was eventually banned by the Saudi government.

In an interview with Saudi newspaper, Arab News, Al-Sanea said: "I am proud of it and I would hate any change to be made to the novel's content."

Girls of Riyadh tells the story in the form of emails from a young woman writing about her four female friends, who are searching for love in the conservative Kingdom through online chat rooms and text messages. It is illegal in the kingdom for unrelated and unmarried men and women to meet.

Al-Sanea had always wanted to become a writer, but grew up in a family of physicians that pressurised her to pursue a medical career. This did not hinder her decision to write a novel. The book was translated in several languages and was an international bestseller in the UK and Germany.

She was nominated for the 2009 Dublin Literary Award for her book, which is now being made into a film. In 2011 Al-Sanea was one of the jury members of the Beirut International Film Festival.

BACKGROUND

Al-Sanea was born and raised in Saudi Arabia to a family of doctors. She received her bachelor’s degree in dentistry from King Saud University, Riyadh. She went on to do residencies in various hospitals in Riyadh.

After the controversy her novel created in Saudi Arabia, she moved to Chicago to complete her specialisation in dentistry at the University of Illinois. She had several medical research papers published, a very different style of writing to that which she was used to.

As one of UAE-based website Arabian Business’ most powerful Arab women, her future plans include starting her own medical practice in Saudi Arabia and winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.

In an interview with Arab News, she said: "I write because I enjoy this kind of art; I'm not sure if anyone has to give a reason to write or to paint."