Former Arab First Ladies publishing memoirs after Arab Spring

Dubai, Aug. 16 (ANI): Former First Ladies in Arab countries are publishing their memoirs to audiences who have a keen interest in reading about what the once-powerful women have to say, a new phenomenon started after the Arab spring.

Leila Taraboulsi, wife of the deposed Tunisian leader Zine Al Abidine Bin Ali, has published her memoir recently.

"Their memoirs are very important," Farouk Abu-Zeid, a veteran Egyptian media expert, on the former First Ladies memoirs, said.

"Especially those of Leila Taraboulsi. These memoirs will be part of Tunisia's history. Also, surely people will be interested in knowing the perspective of the First Lady who spent a long time ruling Egypt," Gulf News quoted Abu-Zeid, as saying.

According to the report, there were rumours that Suzan Mubarak, wife of jailed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, will also write her memoirs, but that was denied.

"Suzan Mubarak has had a very active role in Egyptian life for nearly 30 years, and her memoirs, if written, will be of a great importance whether factual and real or not," Abu-Zeid told Gulf News.

According to reports, Suzan has agreed with British publisher Canongate to publish her memories for 10 million pounds.

However, when contacted by Gulf News, Canongate denied the 'rumours', adding they 'don't know its source'.

According to the report, Leila released her book "My Truth" in France last June.

In her memoir, Leila Bin Ali has blamed her husband's chief of presidential security Ali Seriati, currently in jail, of being behind a 'plot' that led to the uprising, which sparked the Arab Spring revolts, the report added.

"Memoirs of figures who have a political and social dimension, such as Leila Taraboulsi and Suzan Mubarak are usually very interesting, and carry "part of the truth, and part of fantasy", unlike the memories of society's celebrities that are usually "closer to gossip", Abu-Zeid said.

However, others have described the book as a 'series of lies', to the extent that some bookstores in Tunisia have opted not to sell it, the report added. (ANI)