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Paramedic To The Prince: An American Paramedic's Account Of Life Inside The Mysterious World Of The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

A Californian paramedic answers an advertisement for contract work at a military hospital in Saudi Arabia. So his adventure begins. This is a riveting, factual account of his ten years inside a country seldom seen by the outside world. Working on the private medical staff of King Abdullah, no western writer has ever been this close to the "House of Saud". The author takes you on a journey from the desert camps of the Bedouin to the highest echelons of the Saudi royal family. From meetings between King Abdullah and Yasser Arafat to the death of Edi Amin the author documents it all. Themes explored include the contrast of cultures and the rise of terrorism in a post 9/11 world. The author's unique and often humorous perspective provides a view of Saudi society that has never before been documented by any other book in this genre. The author gives an important insight to events that continue to affect the world today.

Paperback: 316 pages

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (December 7, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1439245819

ISBN-13: 978-1439245811

Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches

Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (327 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #736,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #9 in Books > Travel > Middle East > Saudi Arabia #98 in Books > History > Middle East > Saudi Arabia

This was definitely a hard book to put down. It contained fascinating information on many levels, from what it's like to be a paramedic, to being an American in Saudi Arabia, to life with the Crown Prince (now king), to a glimpse into the lives of the Saudi elite, sexuality, and the corrupting qualities of power and wealth. I particularly liked Notestine's analysis of how Saudi life has been corrupted by oil money and by what can only be described as rampant narcissistic personality disorder (my phrase, not his). From the youngest ages, children are spoiled. Boys are raised by women they're not bound to respect. Enormous unearned wealth, combined with foreign workers who are virtual slaves, results in people with no boundaries, with an innate sense of entitlement and privilege, a feeling of being special and different, to whom the rules of ordinary mortals do not apply. Jobs are handed out based on who you are, your personal connections and influence, rather than what you have achieved through hard work and education, meaning there's little motivation to achieve anything, no sense of responsibility, and contempt for those who do work. Religion, which in some (notably the Crown Prince, who Notestine seems to respect and admire) has the potential to curb immoral or excessive behavior, is in practice seldom used in that fashion, as rampant hypocrisy leads to lives of public morality and private debauchery in clubs and on foreign vacations by Saudi princes. The sexism is simply breathtaking in its pervasive destructiveness and cruelty. It also presents horrifying glimpses into the lives of the foreign guestworkers who do the bulk of the work of the country, and their mistreatment (as seen in the worst case scenario of "Maid Jumping Syndrome").

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