Faysal: Saudi Arabia's King for All Seasons
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Book Overview
King Faysal (1906-1975) ruled Saudi Arabia from 1964 until his assassination eleven years later. By that point his legacy as one of the most instrumental actors in the development of the modern Middle East had been assured. Faysal bin Abdul 'Aziz Al Sa'ud had first served as a key diplomat and foreign minister for Saudi Arabia when he was prince and heir apparent. Always a keen decision-maker, he established important relationships not only in the region but also with European nations and the United States. By the time he ascended to the throne, Faysal understood how dependent many nations were on his country's oil, an understanding that led to the oil embargo of 1973 and the solidification of Saudi Arabia's leadership, wealth, and power. In Faysal, Joseph Kechichian offers the first biography of the ruler in decades, and the first to make use of interviews and key archival and declassified documents. Utilizing the same writing style that has earned accolades from The Economist and other publications, Kechichian offers a balanced assessment of Faysal and his impact. Any understanding of the ties between Saudi Arabia and the West is incomplete without this book.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0813032423
ISBN13:9780813032429
Release Date:October 2008
Publisher:University Press of Florida
Length:336 Pages
Weight:1.35 lbs.
Dimensions:1.1" x 6.5" x 9.2"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
A Methodical Assessment
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
A solid assessment of a poorly understood monarch's policies, this new historical biography adds significant new details on King Faysal, certainly one of the Arab World's towering figures. The reader is invited to judge for himself and while extremists and fundamentalists (whether they happen to be Jewish, Christian or Muslim) will be unhappy with its findings, the narrative provides rare insights on the King's thinking based on primary documents, speeches given by the King, declassified documents, and interviews with former American diplomats who knew Faysal well.
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