Crosswinds: The Way of Saudi Arabia

by Fouad Ajami

Saudi Arabia has always held some mystery to Westerners. Writing in 2010 and looking back over two decades, the late Fouad Ajami provides deeper insight into the political culture on the Arabian Peninsula, presenting a firsthand look at Saudi Arabia’s leadership, its rival factions, and its conduct and influence in foreign lands. From the influence of Islam in public life to Saudi rulers’ attitudes toward the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, the author fills a significant gap in our understanding of that country. During the course of those two decades, Ajami gained access to Saudis from all walks of life. In these pages he reveals, largely in their own words, their true feelings on a broad range of subjects. He also draws from a new wave of Saudi literature, revealing works of fiction and biography that afford us a fresh view of the Saudi reality. In addition, he conveys the thoughts of the bloggers, with all their verve, irreverence, and immediacy, providing a window into the world of the skeptics and the modernists in that land.

Genres: Politics, Middle East

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 2, 2010

Reviews

[Young Eagle 于高鹰 · Rating 4 out of 5]

沙特自始以来就在原教旨主义与实用主义之间拉扯，一边觉得外部世界都是不信者，不接触最好，另一边又不得不主动下场下地缘大棋。石油财富不过是增加了最保守的内志核心区的权力。对沙特王室最大的挑战，其实来自比建制更加极端的瓦哈比主义。世俗倾向的新中产，哪怕心里并不喜欢，也只能指望王族中的“改革者”。如果没有王室，他们恐怕就得独自面对本·拉登了。然而，伊朗巴列维王朝的命运，总像悬在沙特王室头上的达摩克利斯之剑，让他们不敢大刀阔斧地采取自上而下的现代化措施。原书写的时候还没有小萨勒曼，现在则已经是新时代了——而他看上去，似乎是那种以雷霆手腕推动现代化的彼得大帝式君主？