The Sheik
a novel
The Sheik is a 1919 historical romance and classic romance novel by E. M. Hull. Much of the action takes place in Egypt. Characters include Diana Mayo and Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan. It deals with British, Kidnapping, missing persons and guidebooks.
Open Library readers give it an average of 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, and 81 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 25 editions. On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 744 times in the last 30 days.
At about 264 pages, most readers finish it in 4–5 hours. It is in the public domain, so you can read it free on Project Gutenberg or listen to the 10 h 33 min LibriVox audiobook.
About The Sheik
Diana Mayo is young, beautiful, wealthy--and independent. Bored by the eligible bachelors and endless parties of the English aristocracy, she arranges for a horseback trek through the Algerian desert. Two days into her adventure, Diana is kidnapped by the powerful Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan, who forces her into submission. Diana tries desperately to resist but finds herself falling in love with this dark and handsome stranger. Only when a rival chieftain steals Diana away does the Sheik realize that what he feels for her is more than mere passion. He has been conquered--and risks everything to get her back. The power of love reaches across the desert sands, leading to the thrilling and unexpected conclusion. One of the most widely read novels of the 1920s, and forever fixed in the popular imagination in the film version starring the irresistible Rudolph Valentino, The Sheik is recognized as the immediate precursor to the modern romance novel. When first published there was nothing like it: To readers the story was scandalous, exotic, and all-consuming; to such critics as the New York Times the book was "shocking," although written with "a high degree of literary skill." In the author's native England, the bestselling book was labeled "poisonously salacious" by the Literary Review and banned from some communities. But the public kept reading. The influence of The Sheik on romance writers and readers continues to resonate.
Free audiobook
The Sheik — LibriVox recording, 10 h 33 min in 28 sections.
Public-domain recording by volunteer readers. Listen online, download MP3s or stream from the Internet Archive.
Opening line
“"Are you coming in to watch the dancing, Lady Conway?"”
Quick answers
Who wrote The Sheik?
The Sheik was written by E. M. Hull and first published in 1919.
What genre is The Sheik?
It is usually shelved as Historical Romance and Classic Love Stories.
How long is The Sheik?
The median edition has 264 pages, about 4–5 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
Is The Sheik free to read?
Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.
Is there a free audiobook of The Sheik?
Yes — LibriVox volunteers recorded it; the recording runs 10 h 33 min.
What books are similar to The Sheik?
Readers who like it often enjoy Powder and Patch, Summer and The Black Moth.
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