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Title: Disappointing book...
Review: Since I lived in Taif & Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for 20 years, I believe I have a good grasp of the life in that country. I bought this book even though friends who lived in Saudi Arabia had warned me that I would be disappointed--that the writing was stilted, but most importantly, the author had missed too many important points about Saudi life. Actually, Ms. Mackey's distant observations made me feel she was out of touch with the real Saudi Arabia and with real Saudi Arabians.Once I realized that this book was written many years ago, and that the author had very obviously spent very few years inside the Kingdom and then has not been back for nearly twenty years, I was quite dismayed.As someone who spent many years as a guest inside the desert Kingdom, there are books on Saudi Arabia that I would recommend, including Robert Lacey's "The Kingdom" and Jean Sasson's "Princess," but I would not recommend this particular book.
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