The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Hardcover)

~ DAVID E. LONG (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

David Long’s portrait of Saudi Arabia depicts the kingdom as one of the least understood countries in the world. Encompassing all facets of Saudi life—the land and people, their religion and culture, the country’s history, politics, economics, and foreign policy—the book presents scholarship in a highly readable narrative. Drawing upon extensive firsthand experience, Long depicts the often contradictory impulses of a country committed both to modernization and to the values of a traditional society. Alongside his discussion of oil and the Saudi economy, for example, is a chapter on the annual Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Makkah, a subject about which little has been written in English but one that is far more important to the millions of Muslims worldwide than the kingdom’s oil wealth. At every turn Long looks at issues from a Saudi point of view as he explores the kingdom’s successes, failures, and, most of all, its remarkable resiliency in response to the pressures of social change.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 154 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Florida; 1st edition (March 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813014719
• ISBN-13: 978-0813014715
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,530,604 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Succinct Review, October 23, 2000

By	Nestor Sander "rotsen 92" (Modesto, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This slender book appears to be the published version of a thesis. It covers in brief but reasonably complete form the several aspects of Saudi Arabia, its history, the governing family, the economy, politics, the oil story, the Hajj and security. Its prognostications for the future seem reasonable. I was forced to question its accuracy in every category when I found the date of Abdul Aziz's decease given as 1950. Many have followed the leader in stating that he was born in 1880, as does Long, but it is was in fact the year 1876, probably in October or November, that he first saw light and he died in 1953.. The photographs are reproduced on the text stock, thus reducing their intrinsic value.I find the book overpriced. Its page total is 154, which is less than the total given in the blurb.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Informative but not critical enough, October 31, 2003

By	Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is very informative and takes one on a tour of Saudi life and Saudi politics, including the essential problems facing Saudis Fuedal royal family.

The main downfall of this book, along with so many on Saudi, is that it is not ciritcal enough of this country where the status of women is the worst on earth. In Saudi women can drive, they cant leave the house without written permision of a male, only 4% of Saudi workers are women, in essence this is a fascist country but those being persecuted arnt a race, they are instead a sex. Thier is something profoundly wrong with a country who sends male delegations to international womens conferences(every other delegate is female). The Saudis laws are so archaic, and so backwards and none of this is detailed in this book. Instead the author refers to the country as 'traditiona'. Hmmm, if traditional means the total suppression of half of humanity then I guess thats accurate, except I always thought traditional simply meant conservative, as in Sicily or Mexico.

An informative book but not the whole story. For a more thorough investigation of Saudi women read 'Nine Parts of Desire'.

3 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I have ever read., August 15, 1999

By A Customer

I high level writing I have ever meet. I hope every people will introduce with this book to acquire knowledge about SAUDI ARABIA.