This was a very good book. I was quite impressed. I definitely recommend as your next nonfiction read.
It's a longitudinal series of snapshots of the country before and after the acquisition of money, offering both a political and an anthropological view into another culture/society.

As others have noted, this book was written in the late 80's, early 90's and, given the pace of change in our society, it's not just dated but, in places, it's almost quaint.

That said, this book needs to be required reading for any serious student of the Middle East, or anyone who's wondering how we got where we are - and what can we do about it? "The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom" is a foundational primer on Saudi Arabia and serves as an excellent introduction for all your future reading on the topic.

Sandra writes, "Without doubt, the West's view of Saudi Arabia is distorted. ... Much of this anti-Westernism is born of frustration with American policy toward Israel and Europe's inability to win something concrete for the Palestinians."

However, for the Saudi's, the frustration was much more personal. Much of the confusing relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States grew out of a dawning realization of the part of the House of Saud that they literally couldn't protect their desert kingdom militarily. For many years, Saudi defense plans were based on what was called, the "American Option." This was, primarily, having just enough troops to stall an attacker until American military might could swoop in to save the al Sauds, but not enough military to organize an effective coup and depose the royal family.

Confidence in America's commitment to protecting its allies began to collapse with the events in Iran that lead to deposing of the Shah and the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini. While Carter dithered, Saudi Arabia sent increasingly more blatant signals to the US that surrender to a radical Islamic regime would be a disaster for Saudi Arabia and the entire region. The tone deaf Carter did nothing and the anti-western traditionalists in the royal family triumphantly seized on America's failure to even grant the Shah asylum as proof of western perfidy. Even the pro-western elements in the family had to be nervous at this betrayal of a long-time (if problematic) US ally. This disaster was followed by Soviet incursions in Ethiopia and Afghanistan, with only weak US opposition (boycotting the 1980 Olympic games, held in Moscow, was strongest response the Carter administration could muster.)

"The al-Sauds as a result came to believe that by tying themselves too closely to the United States they were guaranteeing neither the throne nor their personal protection in case of political turmoil. Furthermore, the United States not only failed to move protect the Shah but had allowed a regime to come to power that was determined to destroy American presence in the gulf and to pull down the House of Saud. ... [F]or Saudi Arabia, the United States as the ultimate security guarantor in a grand strategic design was a concept that had failed."

In 1986, Saudi Arabia got caught up in the Reagan administration ill-considered Iranian Arms imbroglio. "Every innuendo that linked Saudi Arabia to the affair added fuel to the widespread dissatisfaction within the Kingdom, for the revelations coming out of Washington tripped anti-Western emotions[.]"

As a consequence of the serial mismanagement of the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia (on both sides of the American political aisle), "[t]oday's Saudi is reaching not toward modernization but toward the security of Islam, the gateway to the past."

" ... [T]he great dividing line between the Saudis and the Westerners is religion. Islam for the Saudis is more than a theology, it is an entire way of life. Religion is the central force of their existence. Religion is life and life religion."

She writes respectfully about Islam and the Prophet (PBUH) who revealed it. She gets a few things wrong. In the quote above about "religion is life and life religion" Sandra acts as if this is something unique to Saudi Arabia and not the religious practices of every Muslim in the world. She also writes in various places about Muhammad (PBUH) founding a "new" religion (instead of a restoration of the authentic faith revealed to Adam, practiced by Ibrahim and all the prophets that followed - but that's another review for another time!).

Sandra suffers from none of the west's prejudices towards Islam. Insightfully she quotes "... a Western-educated, middle class Saudi, `The problem here is not Islam. The problem is too many young men with no job and no university and nowhere to go except to the mosque, where some [radical preachers] fill their heads with anger for America.'

"[t]he portrayal of internal politics in Saudi Arabia as a contest between Westernized moderates and puritanical Wahabbis is grossly oversimplified. [...] In truth, the modernizers and the traditionalists occupy parts of each other's realm. No matter how Westernized they regard themselves, the modernizers neither are able to not want to escape their own culture, for Islam weaves it's way into every aspect of Saudi culture, mandating that every Saudi is to some degree an Islamist. By the same token, Islamists have not escaped or totally rejected the forces of modernization. As an example, the most militant and influential Islamists now post their sermons calling for a return to the past on the Internet."

Sandra Mackey writes with obvious love for the Saudis, their culture and their country. As a western woman, she can't help but shake her head over what her western perspective considers injustice (the status of women) or just undesirable (a love of exaggerated flattery.) These flavor her accounts, even though she struggles, and for the most part succeeds, to remain impartial.

This is a fantastic book that gives you a great inside look into a country full of changes and hard to understand.Mrs Mackey really captures what happened in Saudi Arabia in the last years of the 1970's and the first years of the 80's regarding the oil boom in that country.She experienced first hand what the changes brought to the Saudis in their personal,cultural and religious life.This book not only helped me understand much better the Saudis and their economic impact in the oil business but also helped understand them as a people and as a culture.I believe that Mrs Mackey wrote a fascinating account that takes you deep in to arabian society.Her narrative is alive and her descriptions are sharp and capture the images and mood of the times.For me it was like i was walking thru the markets and bazaars with her at my side as a tour guide.Excellent book by an excellent author.

I read this book while living in Saudi Arabia, across the street from where the author lived. I'm surprised the book is still in print, and I am even more surprised that anyone continues to be impressed by it. Those who have spent more time there than the author, and who have made the effort to learn about the culture and context of Saudi behavior, will perceive the errors in many of her interpretations.

I truly enjoyed this book. If you want to know about the history and the people of Saudi Arabia, then this book is for you.

Sandra Mackey lived and worked in Saudi Arabia during its boom days, and wrote about her experiences in Saudi Arabia under different names to hide her identity from Saudi officials. In the early seventies, any foreigner caught writing about Saudi Arabia without the authorization of the Ministry of Communication was either imprisoned or swiftly deported from the country. Sandra Mackey had to remain undercover, and used many different names as author in the articles she sent abroad. She recounts how there were tense moments when she thought she had been identified by Saudi officials, and had to take her documents out in the desert to burn them. She also gave her articles to friends leaving the country to give them to her publishers. Those were the early days when email was still non-existent!

This book will give you a pretty detailed look at life in Saudi Arabia as lived by the Saudis and as seen through the eyes of the expatriates living there. Many situations will seem bizarre to people not familiar with this country or its people.

Sandra Mackey traces the history of Saudi Arabia back to its founder, King Abdul-Aziz. She describes how he united the different tribes together; how he then ruled over his kingdom; how he averted an uprising that almost overthrew him; how he controlled his people by the use of religion; and his strategy of keeping Saudi Arabia united and under his rule. His motto was to pay off his enemies to win them over. According to the author, this strategy is still carried out till this day.

The author then describes the lives of the next kings, the children of Abdul-Aziz. Their lives is quite interesting, and not without intrigue. One king, Saud, was overthrown by his brother, Faisal, who took the thrown. King Saud was accused of being a playboy and a drunk. He was exiled by his brother, King Faisal. King Faisal was later murdered by his nephew. King Faisal was regarded as one of the best kings Saudi Arabia has had, and the people mourned his death.

The author describes how and why King Faisal was murdered, and how the country was moving forward under his rule. She also describes the oil embargo that King Faisal imposed on the US for its role in the Israeli war. This is really a fascinating chapter.

After King Faisal came King Khalid, his brother (the crown is past from brother to brother). King Khalid was also liked by his people for he was a virtuous, religious, and just man. He was also a great poet. He did not rule for long for he suffered from ill health. Like his brother king Faisal, he was not a king concerned with the luxuries of life. He spent most of his time in the desert with Bedouins living the simple life.

After King Khalid came King Fahd. Fahd was a city man, spending almost no time with the Bedouins in the desert, and enjoyed the luxurious high life. He built palaces in almost every city in Saudi Arabia, and many abroad. He spent lavishly, and under his rule, corruption flourished. He was also very unhealthy, and at one point was so fat that he had to be carried around in a wheel chair. The last few years of his life were spent in bed, and many said that he was unaware of his surroundings. King Fahd was not liked because of his lavish lifestyle and neglect of the well-being of his people.

The chapter on King Fahd is quite interesting. She describes the effect the Ayatollah Khomeini had on the ruling family, and how scared they became of religious fundamentalists.

The book ends before the death of King Fahd and before the events of September 11. Today, Saudi Arabia is ruled by King Abdullah, a man very much liked by his people.

The author also describes the economic and political turmoil of Saudi Arabia since its founding King. She recounts the Mecca uprising, were militants took over the holy Mosque at Mecca. She also talks about life in general in this kingdom, as well as how business is conducted. A few things might shock the readers. For example, it is common to have public executions, where anyone of any religion or nationality can attend a beheading. There are stories of maids being imprisoned in their employer's homes and used as sex slaves. Some European and American workers, with their passports in the custody of their employers as per the law of the country, were unable to leave the country because their employer had a quarrel with them.

The author also describes how lucky the Europeans and Americans who came to work in Saudi Arabia were. They were paid very high tax-free salaries, and were given paid holidays. Many used those paid holidays to travel around the world and to exotic places.

I liked the author's description of the desert, and how most expatriates missed out on its beauty (as well as a few who died, underestimating the heat and dryness).

This is really a great book about the history of Saudi Arabia and one that I really enjoyed reading. Keep in mind though that life in Saudi Arabia has changed since the publication of this book, and that under the just guidance of King Abdullah, the country is moving forward at a healthy pace.

I found this book very outdated. Having lived in Saudi I can see her one-sided view of the Kingdom as viewed from inside a western coumpound. I have read many books on Saudi and the Middle east. The best by far is Paramedic to the Prince by Patrick Notestine. Just came out in march 2007. He spent over ten years in the Kingdom and gives you his view from all levels of Saudi society. From the bedioun camps to the Royal Palace. I gave that one a five stars.

Referring to the older version of the book: As a trained Political Scientist who worked in the area of economic planning part of the time she was in Saudi Arabia, the author does a very nice job of exploring the real crisis of inflexible Saudi traditionalism when first really confronted with the demands of modernity -- the weird mix of naivete, arrogance, and fear. We can see the reverberations still.

She's actually a lot less biased and more even-handed than a lot of newer books, and it's extremely readable and entertaining as well as informative. She touches on more aspects of Saudi lifestyle in one book than all of the half-dozen other books I've read combined -- urban and rural development, health care, economics, religion, education, sexuality, social psychology, and domestic and foreign politics. She is best as a political scientist-sociologist, OK as an anthropologist, and weaker as a social psychologist -- but even there, not bad.

This is a solid and fairly comprehensive foundation for understanding how modern Saudi Arabia came to be as it is, but it is not the place to stop.

I did not like this book very much. The author treats her subjects as if they were some sort of cockroach species under her idealistic American microscope. It is more accurate to say that this book is an account of how expatriates "survive" in KSA and not a true representation of the nation or its people. It is full of supercilious generalizations and patronizing commentary. It fully conforms to the biased view of Muslim nations presented in the Western media. I know many Saudis and they are nothing like the examples presented in this book. To the contrary, they are some of the most hospitable and genuine people I have come accross. If you want the "Fox News" version of Saudi, by all means read this book.

Being a Saudi Arabian woman, I was totally amazed by the false information in this book. I don't think the author should write a book about a country when she lived there for few months. She missinterpreted so many things that happen regularly in our culture. She should know that women in Saudi Arabia choose to cover up. They are not forced to do so. The same thing goes to Catholic nuns, who choose to cover up for the sake of God. I think she should have talked to more educated Saudi women who could explain things better. She may have lived in a village where the majority were uneducated (that was in 1970's) and women were less fortunate.
I'm currently working as an IT consultant in a huge company, my mother is a college professor and my father is really supportive and is proud of both of us. Nothing is stopping us from reaching our goals.
I think people should look at a broader picture. I could have judged Americans by the acts of the KKK few decades ago. However, I lived in the US for two years with my husband, who is an engineer, and I had a chance to make good American friends. I cannot say all Americans are racists!!
In concolusion, the book is a total waste of money. I do not recommend that anyone should buy it.

I had read this one before I read the author's book on Iraq and it is the best of the two, but still I felt the author was giving out second hand information. She lived so briefly in the kingdom and did not even live in a native setting, so I do not believe she is a person who needs to be writing about the Saudis. She is assuming to be an expert when in reality, that is rather a joke. I think of this book as giving me a chance to be an outsider peeking in, for about five minutes. There are plenty of good books out there on the Middle East, but unfortunately, none are written by this author. She should find a new career.

This book presents a fairly empathic view of the Saudis. It doesn't absolve them of the harshness that often makes up part of their lives, but it doesn't dwell on them either. I find it objective and balanced.

The only real problem with the book is that, as others have noted, it is very out of date. The few pages added to this edition don't really cover the incredible transformations that have happened in the country since Ms. MacKey lived there. It really should have been re-written.

A better, contemporary book is Thomas Lippman's "Inside the Mirage", current up to 2002. Even that has already been overtaken by political events in some regards, the information is far more applicable to modern Saudi Arabia.