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The History Of Saudi Arabia

Based on a wealth of Arab, Western, and Eastern European sources and spanning the entire history of Saudi Arabia, Alexei Vassiliev's account will stand as the definitive account of the Arabian peninsula's dominant state.

Paperback: 1 pages

Publisher: NYU Press (October 1, 2000)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 9780814788097

ISBN-13: 978-0814788097

ASIN: 0814788092

Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 1.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #1,487,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #192 in Books > History > Middle East > Saudi Arabia #1396 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History > Middle East #2863 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > International & World Politics > Middle Eastern

America is now engaged in the 10th year of war in Islamic countries, and there is no end in sight. A realistic understanding of the very heartland of the Islamic world is essential for the political leadership in our country - the decision makers - and it is equally important for the academics and "think tank" specialists who provide the advise and "policy papers." This book is not for the casual readership of the general public, but it would be inspiring if a few "enlightened citizens," in the best Jeffersonian ideal, would tackle it, simply to be better informed on one of the central issues of our times.The perception of Saudi Arabia by almost all Americans is universally negative. In part this is the result of a relentless effort to present the Arabs in general, and the Kingdom in particular, by Hollywood, the news media, and in books, in ways that are now unacceptable if the same characterizations were made of Blacks, Jews, or Women. There are the political "hatchet jobs," performed by former Rand employee Laurent Murawiec, who leans heavily on the Hitler analogies to make the case that the Kingdom is the root of all evil. There are several books by women, purportedly concerned about the "plight of Saudi women" that portray a world that is unrecognizable to any real Saudi women. But there is also a growing body of literature that attempts to depict the Kingdom in a realistic light, written by Lacey, Weston, Sanders, Coll, Lippman and others. There is the sweet irony that the best of these comes from our one time friends during the Second World War, our long-time adversary during the "Cold War," and now uneasy ally on some issues, Russia. Alexei Vassiliev has written the most authoritative, and comprehensive history of the Kingdom. Period.

The History of Saudi Arabia Nightmares in the Saudi Arabian Desert: Autobiography (The Saudi Nightmare Trilogy Book 1) Arabia Felix: An Exploration of the Archaeological History of Yemen (Origins of Arabia) Desert Diplomat: Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11 Merciless Struggle: Escaping Saudi Arabia (The Nightmare Trilogy Book 2) Saudi Arabia and Iran: Power and Rivalry in the Middle East Paramedic to the Prince: An American Paramedic's Account of Life Inside the Mysterious World of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future Sectarian Gulf: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Spring That Wasn't (Stanford Briefs) Inside the Kingdom: Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia on the Edge: The Uncertain Future of an American Ally (Council on Foreign Relations Books (Potomac Books)) Saudi Arabia in the Oil Era: Regime and Elites; Conflict and Collaboration Thicker Than Oil: America's Uneasy Partnership with Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia by the First Photographers King Faisal of Saudi Arabia: Personality, Faith and Times Folktales from the Arabian Peninsula: Tales of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (World Folklore) History: Human History in 50 Events: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Times (World History, History Books, People History) (History in 50 Events Series Book 1) History: British History in 50 Events: From First Immigration to Modern Empire (English History, History Books, British History Textbook) (History in 50 Events Series Book 11) Sleeping with the Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude Saudi Arabian Foreign Policy: Conflict and Cooperation in Uncertain Times