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by David E. Long 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. David E. Long, a retired Foreign Service officer, has been a visiting professor at several American universities and is currently an international consultant on the Middle East and international terrorism. His publications include The Anatomy of Terrorism (1990) and The United States and Saudi Arabia (1985). 1998. 192 pp. 6 X 9. 22 b&w photographs, 7 tables, 3 maps, notes, bibliography, index. ISBN 0-8130-1471-9 Cloth, $49.95s ISBN 0-8130-1473-5 Paper, $19.95
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"Long's book is remarkably successful in providing a feel for this country of startling contrasts and anomalies, and he does so in a sympathetic yet certainly not uncritical way." "This short and readable handbook is an extraordinary resource for up-to-date information and fair-minded interpretation, not only for Saudi Arabia but also for the Islamic Middle East."--Choice "This is a short introductory work on Saudi Arabia, intended for a non-specialist readership, but written by a scholar who has devoted more than twenty years to the study of the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. It is comprehensive in its approach to the subject, dealing with geography and history, culture and economics, domestic politics and foreign policy....the analysis is sophisticated and penetrating."-- International Journal "Lavishly illustrated with photographs, this book is highly readable and offers a nonexpert a sympathetic insight into the present predicament of Saudi Arabia."--Digest of Middle East Studies "For the non-expert or the reader contemplating a first visit to the kingdom, this book is an excellently concise introduction to a fascinating country. Even readers familiar with the kingdom will find of interest Long's observations on Saudi society and the cultural context in which decision making takes place." -- Middle East Policy "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is vintage Long, filled with practical information, peppered with valuable analysis. This volume will undoubtedly become the new reference work on Saudi Arabia, and is accessible enough for undergraduates to use." -- Middle East Studies Association Bulletin
"The first general survey of Saudi
Arabia, to my knowledge, that combines scholarly analysis
with breadth of scope, as well as a detailed and nuanced
understanding of the country."--Bernard
Reich, George Washington University
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