Two Words, One Answer.
saudi arabia
 In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom $14.99 I really enjoyed the story line in this book. The author possesses a unique perspective on Islam as both a religion and culture. That being said, it was difficult for me to become immersed in the story itself. The over-abundance of descriptive language and metaphors all but crowded out the narrative. I can't tell you how many times I thought to myself "She needs a better editor." The story could have been told just as well (probably better) with half the words.  The History of Saudi Arabia $26.00 This is an interesting book. The author brings together a great many sources to present a historical analysis of Saudi Arabia. But it is very flawed in fudemental ways. Far too often, the author substitutes his opinions and analysis for a factual/historical presentation. The economic and social analysis is full of broad conclusions made to fit a narrative. That material, no matter what window-dressing it is given, ends up being nothing more than opinion. The analysis of Wahhabism and the Saudis is overly simplistic. Presented is the familiar narrative of the "partnership" that conquered arabia. Neglected are the losers and alternatives that were in competition with the Saudis in Arabia. This is very much as the title suggests a history of "Saudi" Arabia rather than Arabia itself. The book could have been better. It needed to focus more attention on the non-aaudi narratives within arabia: Turkish, British, the western gulf states and the Hashemites. The tendancy to allow the Saudi narrative to dominate the history of Arabia needs to be challenged and re-thought.  Saudi Arabia, al-Hurmah Mouse Pad $7.99 This is a brand new custom made high quality mouse pad imprinted using the latest sublimation technology. This process embeds the image permanently and gives it a smooth surface with a crisp and vivid image. It is 8 1/2" x 7" in size and 1/8 thick. It has a non skid backing to prevent slipping. It will work with any type of mouse: ball, optical, laser. |
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