Forbidden love springs from the deserts of Algeria, where feisty, young Brit Diana Mayo has come seeking excitement. She no sooner takes off on her horseback riding trip and is captured by a mysterious and handsome sheik who renders her into submission. Diana frantically attempts to escape, to regain her independence, her life of aristocrat parties and wealthy bachelors, but finds herself seduced by Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan’s power.A scandalous romance novel, The Sheik stunned England when it came out in 1921. The ultimate tale of a good girl yearning to be ravished by the Other, it draws criticism from politically-correct readers. Still, the classic bond of love and dominance continually captivates a large readership. E. M. Hull’s exotic work has launched romance writers’ careers as well as given Rudolph Valentino his most famous role as the sheik in the movie version of this extraordinary love story.