Quantity:

Express Checkout with PayPhrase

What's this? | Create PayPhrase

More Buying Choices

79 used & new from $0.67

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Share with Friends

Share your own customer images

Search inside this book

The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I AM Michael Collins..." (more)
Key Phrases: gold souqs, popular clergy, emirate system, Saudi Arabia, House of Saud, Abdul Aziz (more...)

3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

List Price:	$17.95
Price:	$13.46 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save:	$4.49 (25%)
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want it delivered Tuesday, November 17? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

33 new from $5.99 44 used from $0.67 2 collectible from $16.90

Formats		Amazon Price	New from	Used from
Hardcover Available from these sellers. Published March 31, 1987	Hardcover, March 31, 1987	--	$24.99	$0.01
	See # more hardcovers
	Show fewer hardcovers
Paperback $13.46 In Stock. Published September 30, 2002	Paperback, September 30, 2002	$13.46	$5.99	$0.67
	See # more paperbacks
	Show fewer paperbacks
Audio, Cassette $85.95 In Stock. Published July 31, 1997	Audio, Cassette, July 31, 1997	$85.95	$66.38	$68.51

Frequently Bought Together

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia

by Jean Sasson

4.3 out of 5 stars (312) $9.32

The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation

by Sandra Mackey

3.4 out of 5 stars (43) $12.24

In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom

by Qanta Ahmed

4.5 out of 5 stars (66) $10.19

A History of Saudi Arabia

by Madawi Al-Rasheed

4.0 out of 5 stars (1) $25.64

Girls of Riyadh

by Raj Abd Allh ni

4.0 out of 5 stars (44) $11.20

› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

For four years beginning in 1978, Mackey lived a double life: as a journalist and professional she objectively observed and analyzed the changes transforming Saudi Arabia; as an expatriate American she was exasperated by the inefficiences and personal inconveniences endemic to that rapidly changing society. Her book outlines the impact of the oil boom on a conservative society, filling in background on the nature of Islam and traditional Arab life. Although fond of the country, she shows little empathy, concluding that Saudi Arabia suffers as "a people who have lost their way, whose heritage proved unequal to the demands of modernization, whose leaders became corrupt, whose idols floundered . . . ." Sarcasm and intolerance undermine her factual reporting, and make this a volume that libraries can pass up.Elizabeth R. Hayford, President, Assoc. Colls. of the Midwest, Chicago
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

A rare first-hand glimpse into the hidden realm of Saudi social and public life. -- New York Times

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.; Updated Edition edition (October 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393324176
ISBN-13: 978-0393324174
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #657,406 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category: (What's this?)
#89 in Books > History > Middle East > Saudi Arabia

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Sandra Mackey Page

Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
I AM Michael Collins. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
gold souqs, popular clergy, emirate system, foreign work force, senior princes, port congestion, tribal sheikh, oil boom, oil glut, housing compounds, third plan, oil policy

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Saudi Arabia, House of Saud, Abdul Aziz, United States, National Guard, King Faisal, Middle East, King Khalid, Third Development Plan, Arabian Gulf, Arab News, King Fahd, Ministry of Planning, New York, World War, Corps of Engineers, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Information, Third World, Grand Mosque, King Saud, Saudi Gazette, Prince Abdullah, Second Channel, Ayatollah Khomeini

New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 46 books:

The Arab Mind by Raphael Patai on 7 pages
The House of Saud by David Holden on 5 pages
Saudi Arabia (Creation of the Modern Middle East) by Heather Lehr Wagner on 4 pages
Saudi Arabia: The Ceaseless Quest for Security (Cornell Paperbacks) by Nadav Safran on 4 pages
Arabian Sands: Revised Edition (Travel Library) by Wilfred Thesiger on page 104, page 183, and Back Matter

See all 46 books this book cites

24 books cite this book:

Secrets of the Kingdom: The Inside Story of the Secret Saudi-U.S. Connection by Gerald L. Posner on 9 pages
Islamic Criminal Law and Procedure: An Introduction by Matthew Lippman on 7 pages
Succession In Saudi Arabia by Joseph A. Kechichian in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
What Every American Should Know About the Mid East and Oil by James M. Day on page 36, and Back Matter
Culture Shock! Bahrain: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette (Culture Shock! Guides) by Harvey Tripp in Back Matter

See all 24 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

The Prize by Daniel Yergin

Discusses:

Ghost Wars by Steve Coll

Discusses:

The Middle East Today by Don Peretz

Discusses:

The Reckoning by Sandra Mackey

Discusses:

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	57% buy the item featured on this page: The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom 3.2 out of 5 stars (20) $13.46
	13% buy Saudi Arabia Exposed : Inside a Kingdom in Crisis, Updated Edition 4.2 out of 5 stars (33) $11.16
	13% buy The Kingdom: Arabia and the House of Sa'Ud 4.7 out of 5 stars (13) $99.95
	10% buy Prophets and Princes: Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present 4.9 out of 5 stars (7) $25.55

Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

history(3)

politics(2)

saudi arabia(2)

algeria(1)

asia(1)

islamic(1)

islam(1)

Agree with these tags?

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Reviews

20 Reviews

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

Average Customer Review

3.2 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but dated, September 17, 2004

By	J. Burgess "jfb1138" (Sarasota, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book presents a fairly empathic view of the Saudis. It doesn't absolve them of the harshness that often makes up part of their lives, but it doesn't dwell on them either. I find it objective and balanced.

The only real problem with the book is that, as others have noted, it is very out of date. The few pages added to this edition don't really cover the incredible transformations that have happened in the country since Ms. MacKey lived there. It really should have been re-written.

A better, contemporary book is Thomas Lippman's "Inside the Mirage", current up to 2002. Even that has already been overtaken by political events in some regards, the information is far more applicable to modern Saudi Arabia.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing book..., December 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom (Hardcover)

Since I lived in Taif & Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for 20 years, I believe I have a good grasp of the life in that country. I bought this book even though friends who lived in Saudi Arabia had warned me that I would be disappointed--that the writing was stilted, but most importantly, the author had missed too many important points about Saudi life. Actually, Ms. Mackey's distant observations made me feel she was out of touch with the real Saudi Arabia and with real Saudi Arabians.

Once I realized that this book was written many years ago, and that the author had very obviously spent very few years inside the Kingdom and then has not been back for nearly twenty years, I was quite dismayed.

As someone who spent many years as a guest inside the desert Kingdom, there are books on Saudi Arabia that I would recommend, including Robert Lacey's "The Kingdom" and Jean Sasson's "Princess," but I would not recommend this particular book.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not so updated, is it?, May 7, 2003

By A Customer

Actually, as a Western woman, living in Saudi Arabia for the past year, I found the book very interesting and well-balanced. It largely fits with many of my own perceptions of the country, and provided a very clear historical overview of the time between the old boom of the early seventies and the beginnings of political upheaval of the mid-eighties.

HOWEVER, although calling itself an "updated version" -- with this stamped on the cover of the book -- there is little updating apart from the 3 1/2 page Introduction and the 11 page Afterword. I was so disappointed, for example, in the chapter on The World Creeps Closer to find NO updating, at all, as this book was written during the Iran - Iraq war.

In fact, it jars the reader, because of this. The use of present tense in the chapters discussing things 15 years previous to the 2002 publication date is confusing, at best, and misleading at worst. I don't think the few pages tacked on at the beginning and the end, make up for this, unfortunately.

It seems to be cashing in on the 9/11 tragedy, with minimal effort on the part of the author and/or editors. Very disappointing, that!

Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 20 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Tocqueville she is not...
At the beginning of Chapter 4, Ms. Mackey relates an incident that provides ample insight into the author's attitude towards a country, people and culture she presumes to report... Read more

Published 12 months ago by John P. Jones III

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend
This was a very good book. I was quite impressed. I definitely recommend as your next nonfiction read. Read more

Published 15 months ago by c_hristy

5.0 out of 5 stars Politics According to Islam
As others have noted, this book was written in the late 80's, early 90's and, given the pace of change in our society, it's not just dated but, in places, it's almost quaint... Read more

Published 16 months ago by Wayne Beckham

5.0 out of 5 stars "That woman" is an amazing writer with great knowledge
This is a fantastic book that gives you a great inside look into a country full of changes and hard to understand. Read more

Published 20 months ago by Jorge I. Villanueva

1.0 out of 5 stars Irresponsible
I read this book while living in Saudi Arabia, across the street from where the author lived. I'm surprised the book is still in print, and I am even more surprised that anyone... Read more

Published 21 months ago by Marie E. Laconte

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
I truly enjoyed this book. If you want to know about the history and the people of Saudi Arabia, then this book is for you. Read more

Published on November 7, 2007 by Sahra Badou

5.0 out of 5 stars Dated, but thorough and intelligent
Referring to the older version of the book: As a trained Political Scientist who worked in the area of economic planning part of the time she was in Saudi Arabia, the author does... Read more

Published on July 3, 2006 by P. Willson

1.0 out of 5 stars Her Saudi Arabia does not exist!!!
Being a Saudi Arabian woman, I was totally amazed by the false information in this book. I don't think the author should write a book about a country when she lived there for few... Read more

Published on March 15, 2006 by Saudi Woman

2.0 out of 5 stars Better than book on Iraq
I had read this one before I read the author's book on Iraq and it is the best of the two, but still I felt the author was giving out second hand information. Read more

Published on January 27, 2005 by James

1.0 out of 5 stars Not accurate, not worth your time.
I picked up this book a while ago. After living in Saudi for about 12 years I was curious to see how a western author would describe Saudi. Read more

Published on November 26, 2002

› See all 20 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jqOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jqOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jqOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; }

Customer Discussions

This product's forum

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Topic:

First post:

Receive e-mail when new posts are made

Prompts for sign-in

Guidelines

Active discussions in related forums

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
politics Mishima says....	1174	16 seconds ago
politics Why are their homeless in Obamaland?	58	2 minutes ago
history The Atomic Bombing of Japan	1567	8 minutes ago
history Most important drug user? Why?	9341	8 minutes ago
islam Why nobody understands Islam>	6455	25 minutes ago
islam Why are we still Muslims?	239	2 hours ago
travel Shamelessly plug your travel novel...	46	2 days ago