Kingdom of Sand and Cement by Peter Bogaczewicz explores the challenges Saudi Arabia faces today as it rapidly transforms from a conservative and tribal desert culture to an influential world power. In less than a century the Saudis have experienced profound change as they transitioned from living in traditional mud buildings to commencing work on the world's tallest skyscraper. Examining this legacy through large-format color photographs, Peter Bogaczewicz documents a country of sharp contrasts where visual traces of an old reticent society can be seen in the midst of a burgeoning modern culture reflecting the ambitious agenda of the new King and his charismatic son and successor, the Crown Prince, a decisive risk-taker whose bold policies have received a warm welcome by some, yet have alienated others.

With over thirty years of experience writing about Saudi Arabia, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and former publisher of "The" "Wall Street Journal "Karen Elliott House has an unprecedented knowledge of life inside this shrouded kingdom. Through anecdotes, observation, analysis, and extensive interviews, she navigates the maze in which Saudi citizens find themselves trapped and reveals the sometimes contradictory nature of the nation that is simultaneously a final bulwark against revolution in the Middle East and a wellspring of Islamic terrorists.
Saudi Arabia finds itself threatened by fissures and forces on all sides, and "On Saudi Arabia" explores in depth what this portends for the country's future--and our own.