Alwaleed : Businessman, Billionaire, Prince (ISBN 0060850302) Book Reviews 1-10 Sorted By Most Recent, at VeryWellSaid.com

Alwaleed did it with integrity and style!

There are many billionaries listed with Forbes. But in Saudi Arabia, Alwaleed rules. It is a good book to learn the strategies and success of what he did. He did not get rich, using oil money as you might suspect.
I would recommend this book to all.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-10-03 11:15:29 EST)

11-20-07

1\1

Extremely fawning treatment of the royal, but with some insightful information

This book is extremely fawning (sickeningly so), and it is obvious without it being written anywhere that Alwalweed would only participate in the biography if he had full control over the final product. He has a massive ego that comes through on every single page.

Salient points:

1. This book manages to bring up Israel *A-gain.* Big surprise.
2. Strangely, there are no pictures of any of Alwaleeds wives anywhere in the photos section. (It is said that cameras are not allowed to take photos of any of them.)
3. It is very surprising to find out that the author is from a family of moderates and that Arab royalty seems to be as much distinguished by country of origin (even though these countries are all relatively recent) as by anything else.
4. This book teaches some very interesting things about the nature of banking-- but all these facts are not presented in a technical, unapproachable way.
5. It was obviously an imporant thing to Alwaleed to make the point that he made his money from ways OTHER than oil. This is reiterated *many* times throughout the book. The conclusion that one comes away with is: No, it was not strictly oil that made his money, but royal connections/ nepotism accounted for a healthy chunk of it.
6. The prose is very light and easy to read, and the whole thing can be put away in about 2 afternoons of reading.

This is worth buying on the second hand shelf if you can find it.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 10:07:59 EST)

05-10-07

0\2

crushingly vapid

Probably the most salient thing you need to know about this book is that it's the OFFICIAL biography of the billionaire Saudi prince. Its author, Riz Khan, is a Yemenite who works at Al-Jazeera TV. The book was originally published in Lebanon.

It's doesn't actually SAY "official" anywhere on it, but the book was made with extensive assistance and encouragement from Al-Waleed himself, and explicit cooperation from the Saudi government. In a country where even Mickey Mouse and "Little House on the Prarie" have been banned, you can find a copy of it in nearly every corner bookstore (not that there are many in the region). In fact, it's quite common to see it in shops and airports all over the Middle East.

So you'd better believe there isn't a single negative word anywhere in it about Saudi culture, the Saudi royal family, or, of course, the main subject, the alluring Prince Waleed. Everything's hunky-dory!

So if we can't criticize, that pretty much leaves what . . . ?

Did somebody say praise? Why, praise it is! Did you know, gentle reader, that between loving his family wholeheartedly, wishing only the best for the world at large, and praying five times a day, the brilliant and raffish Prince Waleed is also an accomplished mountain climber, linguist, chef, author, skydiver, bodybuilder, musician, archaeologist, patriot, photographer, zoologist, pilot, historian, wine connoisseur, chess whiz, hunter, fashion designer, gymnast, philanthropist, bear wrestler, psychologist, pearl diver, stamp collector, tank commander, belly dancer, magician, software programmer, antiques buff, croquet master, Arctic explorer, pearl diver, entomologist, kappelmeister, physicist, sculptor, alchemist, mathematician, acupunturist, shark hunter, car collector, lutenist, Civil War aficionado, polo player, scrabble champion, zymurgist, yoga enthusiast, bridge player, and world-renowned expert on cigars?

Need I say more?

(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-11-21 10:47:17 EST)

05-08-07

0\1

Businessman, Billionaire, Prince

Impressive bio ... However, authot repeats a lot of facts/opinions..

(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-02 21:26:39 EST)

05-07-07

2\2

Blah, blah, blah

Not really an insightful book. Not even worthy of a gossip column.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-02 21:26:39 EST)

04-13-07

1\3

Alwaleed: Businessman, Billionaire, Prince

Not like most biographys. Not indepth enough. Does not really explain how the deals really happened. Would like for someone else to give a go at another one.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-02 21:26:39 EST)

02-13-07

2\2

A little disappointed

I really enjoyed reading the personal stories about the prince and his family but was rather bored with all the talk about business and money. I would have liked it much more if there had been more about the man, rather than the businessman. I have to say I am impressed with his attitude toward women and the fact that he employs a female pilot boosts his approval rating even higher IMO.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-02 21:26:39 EST)

02-09-07

1\3

What an exllnat book.

I am form the same country this man from ALWALEED so I know how good this book was and the documentry movie made it better.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-07-02 21:26:39 EST)

11-13-05

3\4

no substance

i agree with the previous commentator that this book is shallow and waste of tree (and time). what can we get out of a news anchor, formerly of cnn? not much!

to answer the question from craig, there is indeed a dvd attached inside the back cover.

(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-01-17 14:05:27 EST)

11-06-05

5\7

Average