Same Name, but...

Last fall, publisher Miramax and Queen Noor agreed to postpone her book Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life because of the growing conflict in the Middle East. Publication date was moved from November 2002 to March 18, 2003. No one imagined that the book and Gulf War II would coincide. By the time President Bush issued his 48-hour deadline for Saddam Hussein, the publisher had already shipped the book—an account of Noor's 21-year marriage to Jordan's King Hussein. Noor was able to do some national media before the war began, but, like almost all authors on the publicity circuit, appearances were bumped for war coverage. Some non-news shows (Diane Rehm and Charlie Rose among them) did interviews with the queen, giving her the opportunity to discuss the humanitarian efforts she is involved with. First printing was 150,000 and two immediate reprints took that number to 180,000. Proceeds from the book go to the King Hussein Foundation—a nonprofit organization that provides funding for Middle East health services and offers educational programs promoting peace and democracy.