Minister in Oman (Arabia Past & Present) [Hardcover]

Neil Mcleod Innes (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 292 pages
• Publisher: Oleander Press (1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0900891890
• ISBN-13: 978-0900891892
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,410,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars History of a Transition, September 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Minister in Oman (Arabia Past & Present) (Hardcover)

This is a specialist's book really. Not that it is overly technical or difficult to read, but that it will appeal chiefly to those with a knowledge of present-day Gulf society who might like to broaden their understanding of the last days in isolation of the Sultanate of Oman. While broadly contemporary with both "Arabian Sands" and Edward Henderson's "Strange Eventful History", it is much closer to the latter because the author ("foreign minister" to Sultan Said) had a similar insider's view of the activities of government. The sympathetic study of the present Sultan's father is truly poignant in places, but in general this is a fairly dry depiction of life in Oman during eventful years. Perhaps unintentionally, it also gives an amusing portrayal of the tail-end of British colonial influence in the Middle East - an uneasy partnership between Oxbridge mandarins and Oriental potentates. The best accompanying photograph is one of the recently deposed Sultan in the author's English country garden.

3.0 out of 5 stars Minister in Oman, July 3, 2010

By 

Al-Azri (Oman) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minister in Oman (Arabia Past & Present) (Hardcover)

"Minister in Oman" is the autobiography of Mr. Neil M. Innes who served the then Sultan of Muscat and Oman (now Oman) Said bin Taimur. The theme of the book revolves around two main events: the occupation of Buraimi Oasis by the Saudis and the collapse of the last Imam of the Interior of Oman, Imam Ghalib.

The first few chapters are very motivating to the extent that I was entertaining the idea of translating the book. However, as I preceded that idea kept fading out until I no longer think it is a good one.

Things that I don't like about the book:

1.Mr. Innes is too partial to Sultan Said; he describes and explains the course of events as a Sultan's correspondent which gives questionable scholastic credit to his work; He and his wife, from his narration, held a defensive attitude towards Sultan Said's critiques, either journalists or people they knew.

2.Mr. Innes' excessive usage of acronyms, for places, military units, organizations and even people. It took me so long to search for the whole meanings to some of these acronyms. I think these acronyms were unreviewed shorthand he used in the handwriting of the manuscript!

This book is good for those who are curious about life and governmental management in Oman before 1970. I learnt a lot on this from Mr Innes, I just wish if he added more pictures. It also added a lot to the little I know about Sultan Said, a man whom I think deserves the devotion of some academic work.