A major new history of Saudi Arabia from its eighteenth-century origins to the present day
Saudi Arabia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world a major player on the
international stage and the site of Islam’s two holiest cities. It is also one of the world’s
only absolute monarchies. How did Saudi Arabia get to where it is today? In this
comprehensive account David Commins narrates the full history of Saudi Arabia from oasis
emirate to present-day attempts to leap to a post-petroleum economy. Moving through the ages
Commins traces how the Saud dynasty’s reliance on sectarianism foreign expertise and
petroleum to stabilize power has unintentionally spawned secular and religious movements
seeking accountability and justice. He incorporates the experiences of activists women
religious minorities Bedouin and expatriate workers as the country transformed from
subsistence agrarian life to urban consumer society. This is a perceptive portrait of Saudi
Arabia’s complex and evolving story—and a country that is all too easily misunderstood.
