MBS

The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman

De: Ben Hubbard

Narrado por: Robert Petkoff

“Brilliant . . . a detailed and disturbing portrait” (The New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice) of Saudi Arabia’s secretive and mercurial ruler, a key player in Trump’s vision for the Middle East

“Revelatory . . . a vivid portrait of how MBS has altered the kingdom.”—The Washington Post

Finalist for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, Kirkus Reviews

MBS is the untold story of how a mysterious young prince emerged from Saudi Arabia’s sprawling royal family to overhaul the economy and society of the richest country in the Middle East—and 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 kingdom’s 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. 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 world’s most volatile region.

Based on years of reporting and hundreds of interviews, MBS reveals the machinations behind the kingdom’s 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 autocrat’s rise: the brutal killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul, a crime that shook Saudi Arabia’s 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.

Interesting & Entertaining

Great writing - I wasn't bored for a second! And I learned so much about events that have shaped the world, but I didn't recognize the significance of at the time. The author provided a lot of context by describing Suadi culture and history, as well as the geopolitical situation, which I loved. Great narration, too.

Shame on the PGA tour!

After learning in greater detail than I ever knew about MBS, I am outraged that the PGA tour is allowing him to whitewash his evil deeds by using the golf tour as a cleansing solution.

Good

This book is well-articulated and provides valuable insights; however, it places considerable emphasis on MBS's censoring and Machiavellian aspects, with less focus on his personal narrative, background, and future plans. As someone relatively new to the complexities of the Arab world and current regional politics and economy, I had hoped for more contextual information. The author strives to maintain neutrality and does a commendable job of acknowledging the positive dimensions of MBS’s political approach.

Despite the various concerns surrounding MBS, I see him as a potential world leader and a promising figure for the future of Islamic politics and economic development.

Fascinating

This clarified the inner workings and history of Saudi society while at the same time showing the challenges to making profound societal change- we wish the Saudi people and their ruler well.

Lot of details that would not have come to attention

Very detail oriented, balanced, lot of valuable information. Ben Hubbard had done a good job of putting all the details he set out to put forth and thus the readers can make up their own opinions of MBS.