Yemen: Dancing on the Heads of Snakes

by Victoria Clark

Yemen is the dark horse of the Middle East. Every so often it enters the headlines for one alarming reason or another—links with al-Qaeda, kidnapped Westerners, explosive population growth—then sinks into obscurity again. But, as Victoria Clark argues in this riveting book, we ignore Yemen at our peril. The poorest state in the Arab world, it is still dominated by its tribal makeup and has become a perfect breeding ground for insurgent and terrorist movements.

Clark returns to the country where she was born to discover a perilously fragile state that deserves more of our understanding and attention. On a series of visits to Yemen between 2004 and 2009, she meets politicians, influential tribesmen, oil workers and jihadists as well as ordinary Yemenis. Untangling Yemen’s history before examining the country’s role in both al-Qaeda and the wider jihadist movement today, Clark presents a lively, clear, and up-to-date account of a little-known state whose chronic instability is increasingly engaging the general reader.

Genres: Middle East, History, Nonfiction, 21st Century, Journalism, Politics, Africa

328 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2010

Reviews

[Bob Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid report on a fractured nation

Just because you emerged into the world in a place, doesn’t necessarily mean that you become an expert on it thereby. However, Aden-born Victoria Clark does a good job in explaining the highly complex political situation in Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world and probably the unluckiest, though there are enough candidates for that award. Starting with history up to 1918, a history intimately if not peacefully involved with the Ottoman Empire, she relates how the British gradually got sucked into the tribal politics of Yemen from their commercial/naval outpost in Aden. To protect Aden, they had to pacify nearby local rulers with annual payments, as well as protect them from those outside the current British-influenced area. Not a desirable situation. By the 1930s, in the last colonial expansion of Western European powers, the British assumed “protection” over the vast expanse of the Hadhramaut, today’s eastern Yemen. There were thus two Yemens. One was centered at Sanaa and ruled by an Imam—a closed country with little contact with the outside world. When the Imam was overthrown in 1962, a civil war quickly started, ultimately involving Egypt. The other Yemen was centered at Aden and ruled by the British. The latter lost their appetite for empire, and in 1967, South Yemen was declared independent, soon becoming the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen backed by the USSR. Thanks to extremely complex maneuvers and associations, the two finally united in 1990. As Clark titles her chapter, it was a “Shotgun Wedding”. The southerners, the ex-Marxists, were railroaded. After that, things got REALLY complex! The Huthis, a minor sect of Islam, armed themselves in the north and after some years were threatening the capital. The southerners wished to secede, and local rebels organized themselves in some areas. Everything broke down in several different wars; after the end of this book (2010) the Saudis and the Emiratis intervened, and cholera, hunger, bombing, environmental disaster, and poverty stalked the unlucky nation. Any ruler or wannabe ruler of Yemen must dance on the heads of snakes to stay in power. (Though I think she did overuse this metaphor! Sometimes less is more.)

However, as the author points out, paying people to withhold opposition and giving dissenters back land once confiscated by Marxist government, was within the old Yemeni tribal tradition. “The imams, the Ottomans, the British, the Egyptians, and the PDRY’s Soviet backers had all had to recognize that what Yemeni tribesmen cared about most was money and land, not peace or religion or any ideology.” (p.165) She uses this statement to say that otherwise, there could be far more jihadis than there are now. Tribalism, she argues, is at the heart of Yemen’s long-term dilemma, where the state and tribes often have contradictory aims and views of the future. To realize the complexity of the situation up to 2010, you would do well to read this book, which is certainly not “easy reading” for anyone with little background, but educational.

The first part of the book, which sets the background for a reader, is more coherent than the second part which concentrates on her travels and interviews with various figures in Yemen. Also, as others have pointed out, she engaged in some journalistic trendiness in focusing on possible terrorists and connections to Al-Qaeda if any instead of just reporting on what she saw and heard. This was no doubt an attempt to sell books in Western markets where "Yemen" was far from a household word.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew little about Yemen except what makes a brief headline in some news story. This was a wonderful introduction to the history of this small, poor country in the Middle East. The first part of the book is an overview of its history going back centuries. The second half looks at the first decade of the 21st century and the connection between Yemen and terrorist groups. This is exactly what I needed and wanted, accessible, informative, relevant.

[Ricky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to Yemen for somebody who wants to get a brief and broad breakdown on its history.

This book is more of a journal of the author's travels throughout Yemen, but is interwoven with great historical background and insight to modern Yemeni politics. Clark’s work also includes valuable historical accounts from former Soviet diplomats who spent time in South Yemen during the 1970’s and 1980’s. In addition, it serves as a helpful companion to navigate through the news headlines about Yemen currently. An updated version of this book would be a good idea, due to the number of significant events that have happened in Yemen since the publication of this book in 2010 (The Arab Spring protests and the resignation of Salih, the number of terrorist attacks or attempted attacks in the west by AQAP, the killing of Anwar al-Alwaki, the new Houthi war and their capturing of Sanna and Aden, and Saudi Arabia's intervention). The pretexts to these events are all covered, yet an extended analysis and descriptions of the events would be helpful.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very difficult book to read. Still, I have great regard for the author. She was born in Yemen when her father was a diplomat stationed there during the British colonial period. She speaks Arabic. She knows a lot about Yemen and other Arab countries. She likes or at least respects the Yemeni people. Even though a British woman, she seems to be accepted by Yemeni men, and she is fearless about traveling to dangerous places. She also writes well, but there is only so many ways to present colonial rule and tribal intolerance over and over again.

Chapter 6 is entitled “A Tribal Disorder?” and can probably stand alone as an essay on why Yemen will not succeed. Her last chapter, “Can the Centre Hold?” is also worth reading as a commentary on why it cannot hold – and while I was reading the book there was a coup in Yemen and Salih was deposed after 30 plus years.

What I think I learned is that (1) colonialism robs a nation of its natural progression and (2) tribalism prevents change. I also wondered if our congress would be any worse or better if they chewed qat every afternoon – or maybe smoked marijuana.

There was one light moment on p. 83 when I learned that, during the British occupation there was a training manual for insurgents called “How to Disturb the British.”

[Azaghedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview if you're coming to the topic of Yemeni politics and history from the position of a complete neophyte. There's a brief but adequate explanation of pre-modern history, followed by the bulk of the book, which focuses on the complex and dizzying political scene of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

I imagine many readers who are looking for books on Yemen right now are doing so because of the Houthi insurgency. I think it'd be worthwhile for those people to read this book, though only because it will provide them a general overview of Yemen. Very little is written specifically about the Houthi insurgency, so you won't come away with a detailed understanding of that conflict after reading this book. With regards to the insurgency, from my vantage point now in 2019, knowing how disastrously things have played out and with the benefit of hindsight, it was a little surprising to read about how the Houthi threat wasn't given nearly as much attention as it should have, either by the government in Sanaa or journalists. It seems as though they viewed the situation with the Houthis as less of a powder keg and more of an M-80.

A very solid introduction and highly recommended. My only criticism would be that I would have liked to have read more about the sectarian divide between Sunnis and (Zaydi) Shia in Yemen. It is certainly mentioned numerous times, but I have not come away feeling like I truly have an understanding of how the Zaydi/Sunni dynamic works. Of course, perhaps that's the point -- the author did mention more than once that sectarianism, in fact religion in general, plays a distant second fiddle to economic and tribal concerns. Still, I feel like there's more there that was only lightly touched upon. There was very little about demographics in the book. How many people are Sunni and how many are Zaydi Shia? Where are they clustered? Perhaps I missed this, but I feel like this information was omitted and as a result its importance for understanding this religious dimension to the political and social reality of Yemen went unexplained.

[Frank Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yemen has sporadically drawn the attention of the West in recent years. While adventurous tourists remember it as the land where the ruins of the Palace of the Queen of Sheba lie and where local men spend a good portion of the day chewing enormous wads of semi-narcotic Qat leaves, it is also where the USS Cole was attacked by Al Queda suicide bombers in the 1990's, claiming the life of 17 American sailors.

What we in the West has failed to focus on is that Yemen has long been a violently tribal land that is now running out of natural resources such as water and oil and in its place is becomig an incubator for a new generation of terrorist planning and activity - a third generation of Jihad.

And, as importantly, Yemen is geographically poised to wreak havoc two of the most critical aspects of the global economy (namely, Saudi oil and all shipping coming and going through the Suez Canal - which comprises more than 60 percent of all shipping globally).

Moreover, it is an increasingly clear it is drifting into what foreign policy experts refer to as a "failed state" with remarkable similarities to Afghanistan and even Pakistan in terms of tribal and intra-regional rebellions.

In her penetrating and quite fascinating new book, Victoria Clark, offers a number of unique perspectives of this centuries-long troubled land. A former foreign correspondent for the Observer and the daughter of the BBC's former South Arabian Correspondent, the late Noel Clark. She was born in what was Britain's colonial city of Aden, Yemen.

Clark divides up the book into several parts, all of which weave into a rich and multifaceted portrait of Yemen.

The first half of her book presents the history of the country, century upon century of which was consumed in tribal fighting when not at war with the outside world. Clark points out, since the earliest days of the Ottoman Empire and advance of "Frankish" invaders up to and including British colonization, Yemenis have, in essence, been fighting foreign intrusion almost literally forever.

But this is not to say Yemen does not have its charms and a unique cultural heritage. It is from Yemen, Clark reminds us, that coffee was first cultivated and grown. Where the ancient (and now crumbling) city of Mocha once served as the greatest exporter of this most addictive bean to the rest of the world.

But the romantic memories are in large part drowned out as Clark takes us through Yemen's bizarre civil war 30 years ago the resulting plinterring into two states, one of them the Marxist Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen - the only predominantly Muslim country aside from Afghanistan to turn Marxist since the end of World War ll.

Clark then takes into the current "reunified" Yemen: A corrupt, confused and qat-addicted state struggling with at least two signficant tribal/regional insurrections as well as a revived Al Queda branch (Al Queda of the Arabian Peninsula - AQAP. We forget Osama bin Laden is A Yemeni and a surprising number of Al Queda members are of Yememi heritage).

All the while with Saudi Arabia hovers over the country as it increasingly sees Yemen as a potentially significantly distablizing force for them as well as the rest of the region.

As we watch the continued chaotic free-fall and Islamic radicalization of Somolia just across the Gulf of Aden with their growing piracy activity,Clark's book is an important and highly instructive primer on a nation and a region we cannot continue to ignore. And we can only hope it returns to a time - albeit a very brief time in Yemen's history - where peace and tourism returns.

[Estelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Introduction to Yemen: Dancing on the Head of Snakes, Victoria Clark states her goal: to write for western readers "an accounting of the roots and growth of jihadism in the wildest and most remote part of the Arabian peninsula." And this she has done. The book first gives an overview of Yemen's turbulent history from 1538 through 1918 - tribal culture, the clashes with other Arab countries, notably Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the British Protectorate at Aden. The rest of the book is about the next approximately 100 years, from 1918 to about 2010.

Clark is British but was born in Yemen when her father was a foreign correspondent. It is this fact that gave her entree to talk with many players in Yemeni politics and society. What emerges is a portrait of a nation that exists in symbiosis with powerful, and oftentimes, rivaling tribal leaders. According to one leader, Yemen is "a nation and tribes" and it appears these two are mutually exclusive. Tribal interests are in money and land; bribes, violence and nepotism are their hallmarks. They are so ingrained that when the Republic of Yemen emerged in the latter part of the 20th century the elected Parliament took a back seat to the tribes. The President described making deals deals as "dancing on the heads of snakes;" hence the title of this book, and the conclusion of Clark that the large number of jihadists in the country was farther down on government list of priorities, giving them a chance to thrive.

Yemen is, of course, a Muslim country. Although I haven't mentioned religious tension here, it is threaded throughout its tribal history. However, it isn't the main focus of this book.

This book provides a good background for our understanding of Middle Eastern politics. But it was slow reading for me. There is a lot of detail - be prepared to have Google maps and Wikipedia handy!

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really impressed with the author and her fearlessness in engaging some jihadis and exploring the inner and often times off-limits hinterlands of her birthplace. Everyone could benefit from learning both the history of this challenged country and the dynamics of its current political scene, which has much less to do with Jihad and a lot more to do with Moola. However, I felt the organization of the book into a textbook like history of the first half to be followed by the author's own rambling journeys to fill in the contemporary political issues to be far from a satisfying approach. Her own biases, being an Imperialist Adeni, showed through far too much in who she chose to be sympathetic towards, and she never really found an engaging way to tell the story of her unfortunately doomed home-country.

Definitely worth reading for those interested in a contemporary view of this ever-important country to American interests (the first US casualty to fall under Trump, etc.), but far from a stirring read for the non-specialist.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the section on the country's historical background got a little dry for me, Victoria Clark's Yemen presents a commendable summary of this troubled nation's past, present and unlikely future. I have long felt a strange, random fascination in Yemen - dating back from before I even knew it was officially one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Flying to England when I was thirteen, I remember staring at the live map on my chair-back TV screen. We were flying over a part of the world I knew nothing about, and I decided I would choose one of the strange country names I could see and henceforth always remember it and maybe one day learn about it. Captain Obvious would inform you the country was Yemen.

This book does not disappoint in offering the reader an in-depth look at the chaotic, often violent, always turbulent situation that for many Yemenis is just a part of life. I would usually say I intend on visiting one day. Unfortunately, in the case of Yemen, my lack of interest in being kidnapped and beheaded prevents me.

[Shira Baharin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A competently written overview of Yemen's political history, with some context setting for its past before delving into contemporary politics. As someone who knows very little about the country or the region, this was a decent introduction. Dancing on the heads of snakes isn't a particularly interesting analogy though, I wasn't a fan of the author's overuse of it in the book.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Clark's deeply personal study of Yemen is in part a history, in part a travel memoir, and in full a complete study of the Yemen of today that no observer of the Middle East should be without.
To answer the most important question first, is this book rendered irrelevant by recent events such as the Houthi coup d'etat and subsequent Saudi airstrikes? To answer bluntly, no.
Yemen's woes and internal fracturing run deep, in both the country's history of division and separate directions under the Imamate of the North, and British Colony of the South, to the subsequent Nasserist North and Marxist South, to the graft and tribal politics of today.
The book begins partly as a travel memoir, opening with an interview of Osama Bin Laden's former bodyguard, and then transferring to a twentieth century history of Yemen. Working from the unity in 1990, it unfolds into a rich and varied study of the Yemen of today, encompassing economy, politics and societal issues.
Toward the end focus turns to the former President, Ali Abdullah Salih, and how he is both part of the problem as he is the solution. Nothing is entirely clear with Mr Salih, at first one gets a picture of a corrupt soldier turned politician who thrives on graft and cronyism, to a skilled administrator who deeply understands Yemen's tribal politics, to perhaps the most Liberal leader in the modern Middle East, who permitted a climate of free expression inconceivable in any of Yemen's Northern Neighbors.
Victoria Clark has an unusual narrative, as the text frequently changes between the present conversation being recalled, and the overall narrative, but this work is perhaps 20% travel memoir, 80% historical and sociological study.
What matters is that Victoria Clark has written a book that is both immensely readable and informative. It is a true pleasure to read, and one comes away from it with a much better understanding, and indeed, sympathy, toward this beautiful yet misunderstood land.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit tedious in the beginning, but provides a great overview of both the history of Yemen, beginning with the Ottoman and British days, and the origins/nature of the al-Houthi and Southern Movement conflicts. I will keep it for my reference shelves! (I just wish I had read it all before I left for Yemen in June.)

[Alessandro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Half pompous memoir, half garbled history. Ms Clark's only credentials for writing a book about Yemen appear to be having been born in British-occupied Aden (she was bureau chief for the BBC in Moscow, nowhere near the peninsula) and having briefly traveled there in the late 2000s. She alternates praise for the colonial rule, going as far as describing RAF punitive raids as somewhat fair and well-what-were-you-expecting, to pure disdain for Yemenis, who are depicted as "hordes" (sic) "infesting" (again sic) the wadis, and refractory to education, law, order, and even trousers. She even delights us (not) with a hearsay tale of tribesmen descending upon Sana'a to admire a fabled beautiful woman because, get this, they did not understand what the word jumhuria (republic in Arabic) meant, and the word has feminine gender. Wonder which alcohol-fueled veteran of the British occupying forces told her this patently bs story. Finally, she has a poorly disguised love for the "dazzling Predator technology", the drone strikes that have been laying waste to much of Afghanistan and Pakistan and killed countless civilians. What a pile of imperialist garbage. Crazy that this utter crap still gets published, but I picked this up at the Imperial War Museum so what was I expecting. Not to mention that it is really poorly proofread, there's plenty of missing commas, conjunctions and misspelled words (Beverley Hills, really?). Did I mention it's not a good book?

[Amy Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

For years I have been interested in Yemen but was entirely unsure where to start, finally I had "Yemen: Dancing on the Heads of Snakes" recommended to me as "the book for English language speakers". It tells the history of Yemen from 1530s - 2010. That history is deeply complicated and has layers of political and tribal affiliations that might be impossible to understand as a non-Yemeni or non-scholar. The author is careful to try to provide as much context as possible without weighing down the book.

As with all books that touch almost-current politics or history "Yemen" is plagued by ending a few years before the start of the war. There are signs of things to come, references to the Houthis, and an afterward that suggests a near-inevitable descent into war, but things are still somewhat calm by the end of the book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about this complicated and deeply interesting country. If you are broadly interested in reading about global jihad or Al-Qaeda you'll notice that some of the standard characters will appear: al-Zawahiri, Abu Hamza etc.

I'll likely pass the book on, but did really enjoy reading it.

[Kawing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly one of the best read about Yemen - and a number of good chapters on both northern and southern Yemen.

It's as interesting as it is informative. Certainly the situation of Yemen had changed quite a bit since this book was published, sadly because of the war with the Saudis - but nonetheless for a country as complicating as Yemen, with history stretching back millenniums, much of this book is still appreciated and a must-read before a visit.

[Sufia Safri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, an effective crash course in Yemen's history - mostly pertaining to how it relates to the rest of the world. It offers some insight into how Yemen became an outlier in the Middle East based on its history and socio-cultural background.

The writing is clear and easy to follow - though at times I find the unnecessary or excessive use of jargon / clichés distracting.

A good start to understanding more about the country.

[Will Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall a bad book—poorly written, fairly orientalist, marketed as a history of Yemen yet devoting far too much attention to Al-Qaeda instead of the actual country of Yemen.

[Bill Adamsen]

Excellent ... read prior to the war and provided some keen insights

[Nathan Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victoria Clark‘s book does a great job weaving her personal anecdotes with the history of Yemen. An enjoyable read for an otherwise daunting topic.

[Rachel Cece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and engaging! I learned so much about I country I knew so little about.

[Grant Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tough read and all over the place with references, storytelling, and interest.

[Greynomad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Layed out in simple language and explains Yemen's problems from the
turks onward

[Steve Cran]

Yemen or Arabia Felix. beautiful mystifying and ultimately unknown. Even Western visitor who have visited this enchanted land must admit they have not seen or solved half the mysteries of this country. Far from being a unified country Yemenis often identify more with their tribe, region or religion than they do with their nationality.
At the Southern Tip of the Arabia Peninsula governing a strategic inlet into the Red Sea and important land area near the Hijaz area where Mecca is foreign invaders have often tried to gain control over this country. One things has always stood in their way the Northern Tribes or the Zaydis.

The Ottoman Turks were the first to try to take control. They were invited by the residents of Tihama who often were on good terms with the Turks. Yet it was the Northern Tribesmen who offered the Turks fierce resistance. After a series of battle with the Northern Tribes there was a truce of sorts. The Turks never had complete control over the tribal areas. The Turks eventually over stayed their welcome with over taxing and corruption and felt it was best to leave. They did. Occupying Yemen in too costly and not worth it.

In the Port city of Aden the British set up a colony. It was modern and very business oriented. Many of the entrepeneurial businessmen their had a Western mind set. Many Indians, Jews and others were successful there. But after a time things would get difficult for the British as well. They ended up leaving as Arab Nationalism gained favor.

The Turks would try a second time to occupy Yemen. They attempted governorship from Yemen. Eventually it was the same things that would drive them out. The British tried to Unify Yemen and get it to accept democracy and a unified governemnt. It ended up in conflict.With the Raoyalist going against the Rebels.

Imam Yahya ended up controlling the Northern yemen. Southern Yemen having a different government was more marxist. Imam Yahya governed with cooperation and help off the Northern Tribes. He ran everything until he was assassinated. In 1948. After that his son took control Imam Ahmad ran verything and micro managed everything. Imama Ahmad ruled until his death of natural causes. He was nicknamed the devil because he survived many assassination attempts. The Zadi sheik are Zayyids which means they are descended from the prophet. That gave them the right to rule.

Imam Badr was not so fortunate. Civil war ousted him or a REBELLION. He fled first to Saudi Arabia and then to England where he lived out his days. The rebellion happened because people wanted change. Egypt baccked one side and Saudi Arabia backed another side. Fro that point on there was a president, prime minster and ministers.

Victoria Clark was born in Aden when it was still a British Colony. She has since gone back as a journalist. I her book she covers the history of the country, her interactions with different individuals and the subtle nuances of Yemen. Such subjects that are covered are the corruption of the government and why the country is failing. Victoria Clark also dsicusses the rise of Jihadism and what it ultimately means for the Country. Yemen has been reunified since 1990 but thing have never been smooth. THere have been rebellions and civil wars. In 1994 Northern Yemen took over southern Yemen. Since them the Al Huthi clan has rebelled in six different wars from Saadah and there was a secceionist movement in the the South..

It is hard to ascertain what Yemen's future holds. To govern such a place is like dancing on the heads of snakes....in other words it is tricky.

[Grafakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction which provides exactly the background needed in order to understand why the current civil war in Yemen erupted (indeed, why it was nearly inevitable), and who are the major factions involved in the fighting.

The first half covers the history of this dusty corner of the Arabian peninsula from 1538 to 2000, and the second half focuses on 2000-2009. It's admirably concise (288 pages, with a single but quite useful map), and manages to be accessible to the general reader, one who hasn't done much reading about the Arabian peninsula aside from daily news articles, while still providing a great deal of useful info.

If you are like me and didn't start paying any attention to Yemen until the Arab Spring of 2011, then this book is the perfect background.

I'm only giving it four stars out of five because the writing isn't particularly great, with enough clunky sentences that it takes longer to read than it should. There are also a surprisingly large number of typos, more than one would expect from a publication by Yale University Press.

[hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much information in this book, but look at it as a crash course on modern day Yemen. The first half of the book comprises the significant historical events that transformed Yemen into the wild animal and failed state that it currently is. The second half of the book hits on the key issues of the nation that continue it's demise. Both insurgencies are discussed, one of which is possibly a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the other being a complete separatist movement in the southern portion of Yemen. The book also hits on the key elements that make Yemen such a permissive environment enabling al-Qaeda elements in the region. Finally, the book ends with the corruption that surrounds President Salih. If you read this book, prepare yourself to get lost in Arabic names. I also recommend stopping and referencing a map when geographic locations are discussed. It helped immensely.

[Carol Wakefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equally fascinating and confusing. So many sheiks, so many tribes, so many would be outside allies. Neighboring countries on the Arabian peninsula, Iran, western nations, Russia. Lots of players have tried to influence Yemen, for a while. A poor country with an oil supply that is diminishing, water supply diminishing, too much land devoted to cultivation of qat, Yemenis drug of choice. Frequent wars between regions with a long term hostility between the north and the south. And concern about a failed country becoming a training ground forjihadists. Worth knowing something about and watching.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Yemen descends (further) into anarchy and famine, I wanted to know a bit more about the history of the place. This book does a good job of laying out the modern history of the Yemeni people and the various factions that hold power there. Unfortunately, it was published before the surge in fighting and foreign intervention that's taken place over the last few years, so we only get about half the story of the Houthi insurgency and (obviously) nothing on the current climate. Good reading for background knowledge. The Kindle edition has some weird typographical errors that probably aren't present in the physical book, so watch out.

[Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relatively brief but thorough account of the complicated, tribal political history of this most ill-understood Arab state. This book served as my first foray into the study of Yemen, and now I'm utterly enchanted by this complicated corner of the Arabian Peninsula: I'm interested in reading some more about it!

[Michael Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read too much like a history book and would put me to sleep within pages of reading without fail. Took me forever to get through because of this but did give me an interesting glimpse into a country I knew lilttle to nothing about and that's the only reason it didn't get 1 star

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly, the history of Yemen is a bit more complicated than 'they get them terrists over there'.