Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing book...
Review: Since I lived in Taif & Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for 20 years, I believe I have a good grasp of the life in that country. I bought this book even though friends who lived in Saudi Arabia had warned me that I would be disappointed--that the writing was stilted, but most importantly, the author had missed too many important points about Saudi life. Actually, Ms. Mackey's distant observations made me feel she was out of touch with the real Saudi Arabia and with real Saudi Arabians. Once I realized that this book was written many years ago, and that the author had very obviously spent very few years inside the Kingdom and then has not been back for nearly twenty years, I was quite dismayed. As someone who spent many years as a guest inside the desert Kingdom, there are books on Saudi Arabia that I would recommend, including Robert Lacey's "The Kingdom" and Jean Sasson's "Princess," but I would not recommend this particular book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but dated
Review: 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The only real problem with the book is that, as others have noted, it is very out of date.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.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Interesting Book!
Review: This was a well written history of the country of Saudi Arabia
and the people who live there.You are able to get a concise history of the Royal family(Saud) and the Kings who have served in Saudi Arabia.One of the most interesting sections of the book
was the formation of ARAMCO.This is a consortium of the four oil companies who developed the oil industry in Saudi Arabia.Another
interesting part of the book was President Roosevelt's visit to
the country during World War II.I also got a kick about the
description of camel racing that takes place in Saudi Arabia.This
is a very good book about Saudi Arabia. It is very readable and
you will enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: A slow read....
Review: While this book is quite informative and details interesting insights into the Saudis, I found it to be a slow read. The writing is very bland. I only continued to finish the book because I find the subject matter interesting, but it took a long time to finish, as my attention span wained. I chose to read this book after reading PRINCESS: A TRUE STORY OF LIFE BEHIND THE VEIL IN SAUDI ARABIA, by Jean Sasson. This book peaked my interest in Saudi Arabia. I was dissapointed to find that THE SAUDIS didn't provide the intense insight into the Saudi culture like Sassons's book does.
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