Book Log 2009 #39: Florence of Arabia by Christopher Buckley

You don't get a whole lot of satire related to Middle Eastern affairs or terrorism - the issues are either way too serious or seem to close to satire to begin with - but it should come as no surprise that one of the more successful examples would come from Christopher Buckley.

The basic plot: an American diplomat (the Florence of the title) is assigned to a (relatively) liberal Middle Eastern country, with the idea to open up a much more restrictive neighbor through empowering women. Aided by a CIA field operative and a typically dithering State Department bureaucrat, Florence gets more than she bargained for, and winds up running for her life before everything is over.

While not quite his best, this is better than Boomsday or Supreme Courtship. Worth a read, certainly.