| The
Kingdom
Hutchinson, 1981.
|
 |
 he
Kingdom is a mysterious place, and it unveils
its mysteries only grudgingly. Someone who
takes up the challenge, who goes to live among
its people, who visits its palaces and oil
wells and bedouin tents, and who is invited
inside the homes of ordinary Sa'udi Arabians,
humble and mighty, encounters true warmth and
hospitality, much that is banal, a few things
that are scarcely believable - and a great
deal of secrecy. This book is a mixture of
all these things…'
The Kingdom is Sa'udi Arabia - the only country
in the world to bear the name of the family
that rules it. It is the story of a country
that has haunted our imagination for centuries,
and that haunts it still. Read the book that
General Norman Schwarzkopf kept on his nightstand
during the Gulf War!
Robert took his family to live in Sa'udi Arabia
while he researched the story of the Kingdom
- a country of astonishing contrasts, where
computer print-outs open with the words 'In
the name of God', where men who grew up in goat-hair
tents now dominate the money markets of the
world, and where murderers and adulterers are
executed in the street.
The Kingdom is also the story of the House
of Sa'ud, a dynasty that has fought its way
from poverty and obscurity to wealth and power.
A family characterised by fierce loyalty among
its members, ruthlessness towards its enemies,
and dedication to one of the world's most severe
and demanding creeds. In the updated version
of his book that Robert Lacey is currently
preparing, he examines the challenges facing
the world's wealthiest royal family. What are
its chances of survival in the 21st century?
If you have had contact with Saudi Arabia in
the last twenty-five years, why not pass
along your insights to Robert Lacey? Tell
him your first hand experiences of:
- the hajj
- Islamic life and education
- the changing
texture of life inside the Kingdom for
Saudis and expatriates
- the war against
the Soviets in Afghanistan
- the Afghan
civil war and the emergence of the Taliban
- the
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf War
of 1990-91
- Osama Bin Laden, the growth
of al-Qaeda, 9/11, and terrorism inside
the Kingdom
- political opposition and
the calls for social reform
- the role
of women now and the prospects for the
future
- Saudi relations with America, China
and the outside world
Please email the author: robert@robertlacey.com
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catalogue
|
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Stop press!
Robert Lacey is currently updating
his book to tell the inside story of Saudi
involvement in 9/11 and the growth of al-Qaeda.
Contact him with your insights on: robert@robertlacey.com |
