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Prophets and Princes: Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present | 
 enlarge | Author: Mark Weston
Creator: Wyche, Jr. Fowler
Publisher: Wiley
List Price: $35.00
Buy New: $23.10
You Save: $11.90 (34%)
New (40) Used (9) from $19.79
Rating:  5 reviews
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 640
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 6.2 x 2
ISBN: 0470182571
Dewey Decimal Number: 953.8
EAN: 9780470182574
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Saudi Arabia: oil-rich, devoutly Muslim, and a vital ally
To many in the West, Saudi Arabia is easy to criticize. It is the birthplace of Osama bin Laden and fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers. Saudi women are not permitted to drive, work with men, or travel without a man's permission. Prior to 9/11, the Saudis sent millions of dollars abroad to schools that taught Muslim extremism and to charities that turned out to be fronts for al-Qaeda.
In Prophets and Princes, a highly respected scholar who has lived in Saudi Arabia contends that despite these serious shortcomings, the kingdom is still America's most important ally in the Middle East, a voice for moderation toward Israel, and a nation with a surprising ability to make many of the economic and cultural changes necessary to adjust to modern realities.
Author Mark Weston offers an objective and balanced history of the only nation on earth named after its ruling family. Drawing on interviews with many Saudi men and women, Weston portrays a complex society in which sixty percent of Saudi Arabia's university students are women, and citizens who seek a constitutional monarchy can petition the king without fear of reprisal.
Filled with new and underreported information about the most controversial aspects of life in Saudi Arabia, Prophets and Princes is a must-read for anyone interested in the Middle East, oil, Islam, or the war on terror..
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| Customer Reviews:
Excellent book for someone moving to Saudi Arabia November 27, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having lived in Saudi Arabia for over a quarter of a century, I wasn't sure what to expect from Mark Weston's book. Many books have been written from so called 'experts' that never really capture the true flavor of this culture. However, I found that PROPHETS AND PRINCES accurately portrayed the country and it people. He has managed to sum up the past 60 years of Saudi history and put a complex subject into a Western understanding. He has obviously researched his subject, as well has having the unique prospective of living in the Kingdom while preparing his book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is considering moving to this interesting part of the world.
History as poetry... October 7, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Weston brings his formidable intellect to a fascinating project--weaving past and present into a very readable account of what is often a puzzling culture. A must read for a better understanding of the interests and conflicts in this oil rich region.
A Saudi Perspective August 12, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I am a Saudi so my review might give a different perspective about Mark's book. I was astonished by the tremendous effort he puts in the data collection and research to write his book. He travelled to different cities and met many people. It also amazed me how much knowledge that Mark has about the history of Saudi Arabia.
In short, unlike other authors how wrote their books about Saudi Arabia from their offices in Washington, Mark did travel to Saudi Arabia and met and interviewed Saudi people from different backgrounds and levels in order to write his book.
Timely and timeless August 3, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
An entertaining and detailed look at Saudi Arabia at a time when Westerners (and Americans in particular) need more than ever to understand the country. I learned a lot and enjoyed the read.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Saudi Arabia But Were Afraid To Ask July 30, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
The price of gas is sky-high and I admit, I was surprised to realize that Saudi Arabia has a quarter of the world's oil while the United States has just 2 percent. I knew I had a lot to learn about the Saudi kingdom and am so glad to have Prophets and Princes as my guide. Mark Weston does a phenomenal job of separating myth (and mistrust) from fact and of explaining in a thoughtful and compelling way everything westerners should know from the birth of Islam to the recent and dramatic changes in Saudi Arabia today. A balanced and comprehensive book complete with remarkable photographs, this is an impressive tour de force that is also remarkably clear and readable.
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