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AcidBurn
Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 28
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject: Book: Saudi Arabia Exposed |
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I�ve never been to Saudi, but I�m reading this book called Saudi Arabia Exposed by John R. Bradley. It�s proved to be very interesting so far.
For some background, John R. Bradley is the former editor of the ArabNews, which is an English-language Saudi news agency based in Jeddah. He worked there for two and a half years. Last year, he was fired from his post. The Saudis accused him of pedophilia and he denies it.
I had heard of Bradley before when he was the editor at the ArabNews. He was really, really pro-Saudi at the time. Since his departure, his tone has changed dramatically, which is why he wrote this book.
So far it�s good. I wonder if it will be available in Saudi. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 445 Location: Qatar
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: Book: Saudi Arabia Exposed |
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| AcidBurn wrote: |
| I wonder if it will be available in Saudi. |
I somehow doubt it but I'd be interested to read it.... |
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Cleopatra

Joined: 28 Jun 2003 Posts: 3657 Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I wonder if it will be available in Saudi. |
You may stop wondering. There is less chance of this book appearing on Saudi bookshelves than there is of watching "Fahenheit 9/11" in your local friendly Riyadh cinema. Even the LP guide to Saudi Arabia is unavailable in the Kingdom, as are all but the most anodyne coffee-table books dealing with KSA.
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I had heard of Bradley before when he was the editor at the ArabNews. He was really, really pro-Saudi at the time. Since his departure, his tone has changed dramatically, which is why he wrote this book.
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And that is the intriguing thing. During his time at the Arab Snooze, Bradley was, as you say, a notorious sycophant. One of my collleagues and I used to have regular giggle sessions at his unctious articles, where he would be known to pat himself on the back for his great social sensitivity and ability to "fit in" with the locals. And now that's all changed. It's unlikely to be because he "discovered" new things about life in the Kingdom which changed his views of it - instead, it's much more probable that he had a major falling-out with someone high up.
None of which neccessarily means his book is a bad read. Even though his articles certainly were... |
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True Dreamer

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 41 Location: Land of the Sand
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:50 am Post subject: Re: Book: Saudi Arabia Exposed |
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Is there a catch here??!
Last edited by True Dreamer on Sat Aug 27, 2005 11:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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True Dreamer

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 41 Location: Land of the Sand
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:51 am Post subject: Re: Book: Saudi Arabia Exposed |
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| QatarChic wrote: |
| but I'd be interested to read it.... |
Why?! |
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scot47

Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 11:05 am Post subject: |
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| He was also a frequent poster on this forum. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 445 Location: Qatar
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Book: Saudi Arabia Exposed |
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| True Dreamer wrote: |
| QatarChic wrote: |
| but I'd be interested to read it.... |
Why?! |
erm..out of curiosity??  |
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True Dreamer

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 41 Location: Land of the Sand
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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Since life is too short... no offence Qatachic.... I'm sure you'd better off read something more interesting than this weirdly voluminous account of Saudi Arabia from a bigot who used to work IN Saudi Arabia and earn Saudi Riyals where at one stage he used to praise Saudi Arabia as the most GENEROUS country in the world prior to this book
Thought you may want to do better things in your spare time Chic  |
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Cleopatra

Joined: 28 Jun 2003 Posts: 3657 Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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I'm beginning to think that some of us - including myself - might be being just a wee bit hard on Bradley? True, his sycophancy during his Arab Snooze days was a bit hard to stomach, but having looked through his website:
http://www.johnrbradley.com/
it does seem that he's fairly well-informed and seeks to give a balanced view. So the notion that he's jumped on the knee-jerk Saw-dee bashing bandwagon may be a tad unfounded. Given the incredible amount of misinformation that has circulated about Saudi Arabia over the past few years, it's just possible that Bradley may have more to contribuite than most. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 445 Location: Qatar
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Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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