Kuwait

Cultures of the World

by Maria O'Shea, Michael Spilling (Contributor), Debbie Nevins (Contributor)

Situated at the edge of the Persian Gulf, this small and oil-rich country only became an independent nation in 1961. The whole of Kuwait is covered by a dry and undulating desert, which leads to the wealthy chalets and beach houses on the coast. The Kuwaiti people lived through the Gulf War in 1991, but since then they have experienced peace and prosperity in the otherwise tumultuous region. Readers will learn more about the Kuwaitis, their land, and their culture in this informative book, featuring vibrant photographs and rich narratives.

144 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Letitia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had the disadvantage of coming right after I read Sonnenborn's book by the same title, over the same topic, with about the same format. I much preferred Sonnenborn's "Kuwait" book. The strength in this one is actually the section on economy. I wondered, while reading, if the author were primarily an economist, because this section in particular showed understanding and depth. The other sections were simply not as insightful as Sonnenborn's writing, and I think this one is now a bit dated.

[Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting.
Apparently, women ENJOY having no rights. Women LOVE not having a say in politics. It makes them sooo happy to honor tradition by obeying either their father (before marriage), husband (during marriage), or oldest son (after marriage). Women soooo appreciate their men “saving face” (ie honor killings) when another woman misbehaves.
This whole book is nothing but Muslim-women-love-being-abused propaganda. How about this — maybe don’t abuse women!?!

[Gemini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot reading this book & thought it was nicely done, especially with the pictures they had. It was interesting to see how they rely so much on oil export. How they got invaded by Iraq & the aftermath of it all. They are such a small country but has much to offer. What I also found super shocking is the amount of people in Kuwait are actually derived from neighboring countries, it is a huge percentage that I found astounding.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Cultures of the World series. It gives such a great overview of countries I know little about. And I was really interested in this one. Kuwait is very unique in the Gulf countries - with its huge number of expatriates and unusual role of the state in peoples employment.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about the people of Kuwait, a small country in the Pursian Gulf. It would be good for ESOL students because it introduces history, culture, and georgraphy using simple language and clear pictures.