Customer Reviews

Paramedic to the Prince: A paramedic's account of life inside the mysterious world of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
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This was definitely a hard book to put down. It contained fascinating information on many levels, from what it's like to be a paramedic, to being an American in Saudi Arabia, to life with the Crown Prince (now king), to a glimpse into the lives of the Saudi elite, sexuality, and the corrupting qualities of power and wealth. I particularly liked Notestine's analysis of how Saudi life has been corrupted by oil money and by what can only be described as rampant narcissistic personality disorder (my phrase, not his). From the youngest ages, children are spoiled. Boys are raised by women they're not bound to respect. Enormous unearned wealth, combined with foreign workers who are virtual slaves, results in people with no boundaries, with an innate sense of entitlement and privilege, a feeling of being special and different, to whom the rules of ordinary mortals do not apply. Jobs are handed out based on who you are, your personal connections and influence, rather than what you have achieved through hard work and education, meaning there's little motivation to achieve anything, no sense of responsibility, and contempt for those who do work. Religion, which in some (notably the Crown Prince, who Notestine seems to respect and admire) has the potential to curb immoral or excessive behavior, is in practice seldom used in that fashion, as rampant hypocrisy leads to lives of public morality and private debauchery in clubs and on foreign vacations by Saudi princes. The sexism is simply breathtaking in its pervasive destructiveness and cruelty. It also presents horrifying glimpses into the lives of the foreign guestworkers who do the bulk of the work of the country, and their mistreatment (as seen in the worst case scenario of "Maid Jumping Syndrome"). I would recommend this to anyone interested in Saudi Arabia, or even those interested in Islam or Al Qaeda. It is in this nation that Al Qaeda, and fundamentalist Islam, have their modern roots. The book will definitely offend many, but it's no bitter, propagandistic invective against either Islam or Saudi Arabia, but rather a (relatively) nuanced view of the nation, though of course biased in terms of the experiences Notestine had. As he himself admits, one is bound to get a skewed view when knowing nothing about a country and then working in an emergency room there for two years. Due to Notestine's placement, this is probably one of the most intimate views one can have of what life is like among the ruling elite of Saudi Arabia that is not told by a member of the family.

I decided to buy this book after reading the review by Jean Sasson (author of the Princess series). I have read many books about Saudi Arabia, mostly written by western expatriates who spend a year or two there, and then write a book professing to understand a country as unique as it is complex.

This book stands out from the rest. The author is a Californian Paramedic who spent over ten years working at all levels of Saudi Society. Including being on the medical staff of King Abdullah. His passion and commitment to his work comes across, from the blood and carnage of treating Bedouin children in the emergency room, to treating the royal family of the House of Saud.

The book grabs you by the throat from the very first page and never lets you go. It is about so much more than paramedicine. It delves into contrasting social issues and the rise in terrorism, in one of the most fundamentalist Islamic countries in the world.

Amid the serious nature of the book, there are many lighter moments such as the pet Baboon that Notestine bought from the local animal market, which escaped and ended up riding the employee bus to the hospital.

This book is truly a must read for anyone interested in the Middle East or just true life adventure. As a journalist and observer of the human condition I find the author highly perceptive.
A book that should not be missed.

As an American paramedic currently working in Saudi Arabia, I found this book fascinating. It is a real look into an entirely different lifestyle than what we are used to in the US. This book shed light on new subjects for me and allowed me to understand better the way Saudi people think. Life is very different in this part of the world and Nottestine does an outstanding job of letting people get an inside look into that life. Very few Americans ever get to set foot in Saudi Arabia and experience life in the Middle East. I think this book should be a required read for all paramedics, nurses, and doctors from the United States that are coming to Saudi.

Patrick Notestine has written a winning book about a "hot button" country, moving effortlessly from the shock and horror of treating children of trauma and tragedy to kicking back for a relaxing outing in the beautiful Saudi sands. Who could have imagined that a young man raised in laid-back California could so seamlessly link with the very complicated Saudis -- a people and culture like nothing else on this earth. It's no wonder that he was chosen to work for Crown Prince (now King) Abdullah. Notestine could be sassy and sharp-tongued, yet you feel his intensity of concern for his patients. I'm so happy that this book came my way and I suggest that you don't miss it.

From Tom's pet chimpanzee to his patients with partially chopped off heads from a sword fight, this book is a hell of a ride from start to Finnish. As a Paramedic heading over to Saudi Arabia soon for my own adventure I picked up Tom's book for work related information, but what I found was an amazing well written adventure full of incredible story's. It also provided me with how life for a Paramedic in Saudi is. I highly recommend this book for EMS workers and People heading to the middle east to work. However neither is required to enjoy reading this book. All people who just like to read an amazing true story about the journey this man takes are welcomed.

Arabia is to most of us in the West, is exotic and poorly understood. This book gives a great view from the inside. I would recommend this book to anyone curious about the country and culture at the ground level. I found renewed facination for this part of the Middle East and continued gratitude for our life here.

This book was a fascinating account of an expat in Saudi Arabia, who, because of his jobs (working in a hospital ER and then working in the home of an important Saudi prince) was able to really see Saudi Arabia from the inside. The stories the author has are amazing, both about the random patients and friends he meets, and about the elite royals he has contact with.

The author is careful not to inject his own politics into the mix, so I never got a sense that the book was written from either a conservative or liberal, pro-Arab or anti-Arab point of view. The author seems quite level-headed and describes what he sees objectively. The discussions of how Saudis view Americans is fascinating, especially since the book takes place both before and after 9/11.

Many of the stories are horrifying, in the sense that it is hard to believe that people can behave the way they do, especially when it comes to the treatment of women. There are some heavy stories in the book, but it is not a disturbing or depressing book, and the author is not on a soapbox. There are also some hilarious stories to balance out the sad ones.

I felt like a learned a lot from this book, and at the same time, I enjoyed it immensely. But it did not make me want to go to Saudi Arabia any time soon!

Mr. Tom did a great job ! I was bewitched by this book. Just like being around a camp fire and listening to someone's amazing memories. The tone is calm and down on earth. Simple language describing a complicated life, a trip in time. From the 1500's to the 2000's. Domestic life and public. Political life and the way people deal with two totally different concepts of living. The influence of technological progress and the tribal tradition.
Maybe the best way to describe such awareness is by quoting Mr. Tom's own words:

" In any society including my own (USA) you will find Hypocrisy, cruelty and bigotry. I think what my frutration was, is that even when the Saudis were confronted with the reality of their behavior, not only would they deny it, they would be highly offended that it was even brought up.
So in Saudi Arabia.... exists a culture of silence where uncomfortable realities are ignored, which runs against my American upbringing where we are taught it is our given right and obligation to raise our voices against social injustice "

To me the best example will be the event where an unbelieveble effort was made to train a group of Saudi for the Paramedic profession. The insane amount of money spent on them while in the US; the shocking incompetence when back home; the refusal to learn (not even to drow blood !); the total dependence on Non-Saudi personnel for everything ! The idea that any outcome is the will of Allah... so-why-bother?...is hard to comprehend.
In order for me to balance such views I've got two more books on Saudi Arabia. One written by a Muslim, "In the land of invisible women" by Quanta Ahmed, a doctor. The issues are admittedly there... but there are treated in an etirely different way!

This book connects the dots ... random bits of information about the life and mentality of Saudis.

The author's gritty accounts of paramedic life in the Kingdom certainly get your attention from the outset with the text never providing a dull moment. Avoiding the stereotypical "disgruntled-expat-with-axe-to-grind" overtones, which seem to be the main theme of most life in Saudi books, the style in which it is written is far more reader-friendly.

Whilst the text may appear dated, in terms of events and incidents, the underlying theme that the Kingdom is a country where religion (often in contrast to logic) is the driving force for everything still remains very true until today.

In my opinion, the book is required reading for anyone looking to relocate to the Kingdom (certainly more so than the likes of Lonely Planet etc.).

If you are looking for a deeply detailed story on the mysteries of Saudi Arabia, this might not be the book for you. However, if you want some scoop on the royal family (which is now estimated to exceed 30,000 in number) as well as some broad strokes about the (dys)function in the country written in a fast-paced manner, Tom Notestine's book is the one for you.

Notestine is the titular paramedic to the prince and is recruited from the U.S. to work in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, having not traveled outside of North America previously. Once in Saudi Arabia, he discovers that his role is vastly expanded at the hospital due to the apparent incompetence of many of the physicians there. He describes the compound where the ex-pats live and provides many extremely interesting tales of the types of cases he sees at the hospital and how they are treated. There are many valuable insights from the perspective of an outsider into the culture of Saudi Arabia and how they view life, death, and loss. He also repeatedly makes the point that it is "wasta", or connections, that make the man in Saudi Arabia--it is not a meritocracy by any means.

The second half of the book follows his service to King Abdullah. This is where the book takes off into the stratosphere. Notestine's position allows him to witness the incredible lifestyle of the King, including descriptions of his homes, yacht, and--fascinatingly--his meetings with such individuals as Arafat and Ghaddafi. Notestine seems to have very complicated feelings toward the country and its leader, exactly as the reader might by the end of the book. A very interesting read indeed.