Jeddah - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
The Kingdom by Robert Lacey is a great discussion of the origins of the country, although now a little dated (banned in the country, but they won't check your luggage, or if they do, they won't speak English). I haven't read the more modern update Inside the Kingdom. When in the Arab World by Rana Nejem had a lot of great advice. On Saudi Arabia by Karen House is a great resource for understanding the history and culture. Cradle of Islam by Mai Yamani has a lot of great info on the history and culture of Jeddah and the Hijaz, and how it is different from and interacts with mainstream Saudi culture (the culture imposed by the Najdis when the Saud family took over the Hijaz). The Bro Code of Saudi Arabia was entertaining, although I didn't interact enough with adult Saudis to know how accurate the observations were in general. - Oct 2022
None in my option but Id read up on the Saudi Kings Vision 2030 plan. - Aug 2022
TV Show: Anthony Bourdain did a segment on food in Jeddah. Movie: Wadjda Movie: Barakah meets Barakah (available on Netflix) Movie: Queen of the Dessert (Nicole Kidman) Movie: The Kingdom (Tom Hanks), though not fully accurate and a little cheesy Movie: Lawrence of Arabia TV Series: The Last Post (British BBC, based in Aden, Yemen, but has some cultural context for the region that is beneficial to understand). Book: The Kingdom: Arabia and the House of Sa'ud (banned within the country, so pick up a copy before you arrive) Book: Inside the Kingdom: Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia Book: A Year Under Sharia Law: Memoir of an American Couple Living and Working in Saudi Arabia (haven't read this yet, but have heard good things about it). - Nov 2020
Nope. - Oct 2019
The bin Ladins by Steve Coll. The bin Ladin family is an institution here, and seeing the family dynamic beyond their most infamous son is a good way to learn about the area as a whole. - Mar 2019
Succession in the Kingdom - Nov 2010
