Some Girls: a memoir of life in a harem

As an eighteen year-old NYU theater school dropout, Jillian Lauren got a tip for an audition seeking pretty girls to spice up the parties of a wealthy businessman. Soon after, she was on a plane to Brunei, finding herself in the harem of the Sultan's youngest brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah. While her days were filled with opulent luxury, she came to realize that she was a near-slave competing with 40 other women for the affections of the prince. In her memoir Some Girls, Lauren frankly recounts the 18 months she spent in the prince's palace, her decision to return home, and her later pursuit of a healthy life. What lessons - if any - did Jillian Lauren learn from her surreal experiences?

As an eighteen year-old NYU theater school dropout, Jillian Lauren got a tip for an audition seeking pretty girls to spice up the parties of a wealthy businessman. Soon after, she was on a plane to Brunei, finding herself in the harem of the Sultan's youngest brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah. While her days were filled with opulent luxury, she came to realize that she was a near-slave competing with 40 other women for the affections of the prince. In her memoir Some Girls, Lauren frankly recounts the 18 months she spent in the prince's palace, her decision to return home, and her later pursuit of a healthy life. What lessons - if any - did Jillian Lauren learn from her surreal experiences?

Guest:

Jillian Lauren, author of Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Plume)