A penetrating spur to imagine an alternative political system of civil liberties in a now firmly repressive Saudi Arabia.
Another damning exposé on the authoritarian crown prince of a problematic state.
Al-Rasheed, a longtime Saudi expat scholar and professor living in London, makes an important addition to the literature on Mohammed bin Salman (often known as MBS), offering a surgical delineation of his repressive measures in the name of "reform"—while arguing that real reform is possible. The charming prince, who assumed the role of heir-designate in 2017, was seen as a modernizer and reformer, and he has both celebrated and hindered the aspirations of young Saudis. Before the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the Western press mostly celebrated MBS, allowing him a sliver of legitimacy as he simultaneously promoted his purge of opponents and seduced the public with more liberal entertainment policies. The author, who displays keen knowledge of her former home, looks deeply at some of the troubling and persistent currents plaguing MBS's Saudi Arabia: a new populist nationalism, which she believes "covers up" nefarious economic, social, and regional policies of the crown prince; persistent tribalism and celebration of tribal purity; and the consistent targeting of the Saudi feminist movement. The chapter entitled "Women and Rights" is an excellent examination of a contradictory element that is ever present in the prince's policy: the ostensible empowerment of women (allowing them to drive and be more visible) versus punishment for chafing against the paternalistic "guardianship system." Al-Rasheed is especially familiar with the Saudi diaspora and the increased activism since the murder of Khashoggi. All of these developments, she writes, "puncture the official narrative about Muhammad bin Salman’s modern new Saudi Arabia." However, the author notes that low oil prices, continued war in Yemen, the erosion of state services and salaries, and the ravages of the pandemic may prompt Saudis to challenge the policies of the prince. Read this one alongside Bradley Hope’s Blood and Oil and Ben Hubbard’s MBS.
A penetrating spur to imagine an alternative political system of civil liberties in a now firmly repressive Saudi Arabia.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-19-755814-0
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Oxford Univ.
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
A determined if self-regarding portrait of a candidate striving to define herself and her campaign on her own terms.
An insider’s chronicle of a pivotal presidential campaign.
Several months into the mounting political upheaval of Donald Trump’s second term and following a wave of bestselling political exposés, most notably Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s Original Sin on Joe Biden’s health and late decision to step down, former Vice President Harris offers her own account of the consequential months surrounding Biden’s withdrawal and her swift campaign for the presidency. Structured as brief chapters with countdown headers from 107 days to Election Day, the book recounts the campaign’s daily rigors: vetting a running mate, navigating back-to-back rallies, preparing for the convention and the debate with Trump, and deflecting obstacles in the form of both Trump’s camp and Biden’s faltering team. Harris aims to set the record straight on issues that have remained hotly debated. While acknowledging Biden’s advancing decline, she also highlights his foreign-policy steadiness: “His years of experience in foreign policy clearly showed….He was always focused, always commander in chief in that room.” More blame is placed on his inner circle, especially Jill Biden, whom Harris faults for pushing him beyond his limits—“the people who knew him best, should have realized that any campaign was a bridge too far.” Throughout, she highlights her own qualifications and dismisses suggestions that an open contest might have better served the party: “If they thought I was down with a mini primary or some other half-baked procedure, I was quick to disabuse them.” Facing Trump’s increasingly unhinged behavior, Harris never openly doubts her ability to confront him. Yet she doesn’t fully persuade the reader that she had the capacity to counter his dominance, suggesting instead that her defeat stemmed from a lack of time—a theme underscored by the urgency of the book’s title. If not entirely sanguine about the future, she maintains a clear-eyed view of the damage already done: “Perhaps so much damage that we will have to re-create our government…something leaner, swifter, and much more efficient.”
A determined if self-regarding portrait of a candidate striving to define herself and her campaign on her own terms.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781668211656
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: yesterday
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A powerful reiteration of principles—and some fresh ideas—from the longest-serving independent in congressional history.
Another chapter in a long fight against inequality.
Building on his Fighting Oligarchy tour, which this year drew 280,000 people to rallies in red and blue states, Sanders amplifies his enduring campaign for economic fairness. The Vermont senator offers well-timed advice for combating corruption and issues a robust plea for national soul-searching. His argument rests on alarming data on the widening wealth gap’s impact on democracy. Bolstered by a 2010 Supreme Court decision that removed campaign finance limits, “100 billionaire families spent $2.6 billion” on 2024 elections. Sanders focuses on the Trump administration and congressional Republicans, describing their enactment of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” with its $1 trillion in tax breaks for the richest Americans and big social safety net cuts, as the “largest transfer of wealth” in living memory. But as is his custom, he spreads the blame, dinging Democrats for courting wealthy donors while ignoring the “needs and suffering” of the working class. “Trump filled the political vacuum that the Democrats created,” he writes, a resonant diagnosis. Urging readers not to surrender to despair, Sanders offers numerous legislative proposals. These would empower labor unions, cut the workweek to 32 hours, regulate campaign spending, reduce gerrymandering, and automatically register 18-year-olds to vote. Grassroots supporters can help by running for local office, volunteering with a campaign, and asking educators how to help support public schools. Meanwhile, Sanders asks us “to question the fundamental moral values that underlie” a system that enables “the top 1 percent” to “own more wealth than the bottom 93 percent.” Though his prose sometimes reads like a transcribed speech with built-in applause lines, Sanders’ ideas are specific, clear, and commonsensical. And because it echoes previous statements, his call for collective introspection lands as genuine.
A powerful reiteration of principles—and some fresh ideas—from the longest-serving independent in congressional history.Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9798217089161
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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