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MBS
MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman | Ben Hubbard
6 posts | 4 read | 3 to read
A gripping, behind-the-scenes portrait of the rise of Saudi Arabias secretive and mercurial new ruler A rare and penetrating look behind the curtain of the worlds most important family and its dangerous new leader.Lawrence Wright, author of The Looming Tower MBS is the untold story of how a mysterious young prince emerged from Saudi Arabias sprawling royal family to overhaul the economy and society of the richest country in the Middle Eastand gather as much power as possible into his own hands. Since his father, King Salman, ascended to the throne in 2015, Mohammed bin Salman has leveraged his influence to restructure the kingdoms economy, loosen its strict Islamic social codes, and confront its enemies around the region, especially Iran. That vision won him fans at home and on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley, in Hollywood, and at the White House, where President Trump embraced the prince as a key player in his own vision for the Middle East. But over time, the sheen of the visionary young reformer has become tarnished, leaving many struggling to determine whether MBS is in fact a rising dictator whose inexperience and rash decisions are destabilizing the worlds most volatile region. Based on years of reporting and hundreds of interviews, MBS reveals the machinations behind the kingdoms catastrophic military intervention in Yemen, the bizarre detention of princes and businessmen in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton, and the shifting Saudi relationships with Israel and the United States. And finally, it sheds new light on the greatest scandal of the young autocrats rise: the brutal killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul, a crime that shook Saudi Arabias relationship with Washington and left the world wondering whether MBS could get away with murder. MBS is a riveting, eye-opening account of how the young prince has wielded vast powers to reshape his kingdom and the world around him.
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review
DGRachel
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Mehso-so

There‘s some interesting/good information here, but it was delivered in a very dry way that left me bored. Is MBS wholly evil? No. He‘s made some positive changes. Is he a good leader, thoughtful and fair? Absolutely not. Saudis live in fear of arrest, torture, and death if they say the wrong thing to the wrong person, but the US has no moral authority, so I can only condemn the human rights abuses, of which there are many.

BarbaraBB Great review nevertheless 🤍 3y
Megabooks I really enjoyed this, but I was in the mood for some very nonfiction-y nonfiction. I can see what you‘re saying though. He‘s definitely a complicated leader, and it will be interesting to see what continues to evolve over in SA. I think the most disturbing part for me, from a global perspective, was the abduction and torture of Lebanon‘s prime minister. 3y
See All 6 Comments
DGRachel @Megabooks Definitely! The way SA interacts with other Arab countries is unnerving. I think what was most disconcerting though, was seeing similarities between their global politics and ours. I kind of miss the days when I was ignorant and idealistic and saw my country through rose-colored glasses and we were a superpower. 😭 3y
Megabooks Totally agree. I don‘t feel like we have a leg to stand on morally when we point fingers. It‘s all shades of gray, unfortunately. 3y
Librarybelle Great review! 3y
50 likes6 comments
review
Smrloomis
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Pickpick

This was insightful and terrifying at the same time. A fascinating, well-researched read.

review
Megabooks
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Pickpick

A terrifying look at the duality of Saudi Arabia‘s crown prince. At once one of the worst human rights violators in the world and one of the biggest reformers since the founding of the Kingdom, it‘s hard to get a handle on where he‘s headed next. This is the second biography I‘ve read about him and both cover fairly similar territory. (Other linked ⬇️) His rule may last several decades, so it‘s important to know as much as we can. #audiobook

Tamra Synchronicity - I‘m in the middle of writing a paragraph on the status of polygamy in Saudi Arabia. 4y
Megabooks @Tamra oh interesting! 4y
See All 6 Comments
Cinfhen I remember your review on Blood & Oil. Which one would you recommend if I was only going to read one?? 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen this one had more (but not a ton) about MBS‘ perspective on Israel, plus it was more of a biography than B&O. Those authors were former McKinsey consultants, so while it covers similar material, I think you‘d appreciate the personal side in MBS (the book) more. I hope this makes sense. Plus Hubbard brought in the personal stories of other Saudis he‘d covered for the NYT, which I think you‘d find interesting. 4y
Cinfhen Cool! Thanks 😊 always appreciate your insightfulness (edited) 4y
80 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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Smrloomis
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This is about a man who reached a position where he tried to prevent abuses like this.

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Smrloomis
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The rest says she retrieved a government textbook that listed Christmas and Thanksgiving...

Librariana Wow... that seemed to be going along rather innocently enough. Can't say I was expecting for the conversation to take that turn 🤔 4y
Smrloomis @Librariana yeah, clearly her Dad didn‘t expect it either 😳 4y
Megabooks I‘m adding this book because I loved this one about MBS‘s rise to power. 4y
Smrloomis @Megabooks oooh thanks for the recommendation 📚📚📚 4y
33 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Smrloomis
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This looks interesting. Ben and I were in the same classes years ago and I can attest that he was a serious student of Arabic and the Middle East even then. I follow his New York Times writing and will be getting a copy of this for sure. NPR interview here: http://rssr.link/UsMN