Living Behind Walls: Inside the Desert Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Bruce Petty, author of numerous oral history books on the experience of military personnel during World War II, returns to provide an insightful and moving story of life in Saudi Arabia during the height of the post-9/11 international war against terrorism. He explores the people who come from all walks and countries; going behind the scene to learn their backgrounds and, for whatever reason, why they chose to live in a country that few westerners would consider visiting. Written with candor and ease, Petty provides a user-friendly summary of the eye-opening encounter that can be expected for the traveler seeking to witness this unique culture. Everyone who reads Petty s own personal undertaking, as well as the interviews he carried out with people of all nationalities, will greatly enhance their knowledge of a region that has managed to remain eerily elusive in today s contemporary global environment. This book is strongly recommended for anyone planning to travel or reside in the region and, in fact, could quite possibly save them a lot of unnecessary grief. Embassy staff can only do so much for their citizens in such environments and Petty s own experience may just be the remedy to ensure such pleas for help are not required.