On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future by Karen Elliott House, 2012

I picked up On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future by Karen Elliott House since I know so little about the country.

Having covered Saudi Arabia and the Middle East as a reporter, House is extremely knowledgeable about the history, current affairs, and social and political climate of Saudi Arabia.

Known for its wealth, Saudi Arabia is still ruled by the Al Saud monarchy.   Ascension is a bit complicated since Saudi men have multiple wives, resulting in dozens of Princely sons.

Women are not allowed to appear in public without a related male and are covered head to toe in shapeless black material called an abaya.  Saudi Arabia remains one of the few nations with no female athletes in the Olympics. Men do not shake women's hands

Despite this gender backwardness, Saudi Arabia remains relevant due to its oil exports - one in every four barrels of oil exported around the globe is from Saudi Arabia.

Oil is the only economy in Saudi Arabia and despite its support of sending youth abroad to be educated, the Saudi culture remains a non-entrepreneur, complacent spirit heavily influenced by religion and appearances.

Cars come with prayer mats while hotels include arrows pointing to Mecca for the four-times-a-day prayers.  Despite the relevance of prayer though, only men are allowed in mosques.

House warns of  a murky future for Saudi Arabia as the succession between Princes in their 70s remains uncertain, compounded by a society/youth that is becoming bored and frustrated by the lack of opportunities within Saudi Arabia.

With the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, Saudi Arabia will need to keep its people, both men and women, content.  Complacent and non-revolutionary by culture, Saudis are known for their patience and ability to put up with hassles, which buys Saudi Arabia time.

However, changes will be needed when Saudi Arabia is no longer able to remain prosperous and keep its people content through its oil.

On Saudi Arabia provides an extremely well-researched and knowledgeable overview of Saudi Arabia.  Although it can be a bit dry at times, it provides a comprehensive overview of the country.

Having gleaned a few bits of information about Saudi Arabia from various news stories throughout the decades, I had a very hazy picture of the country.  After reading this book, I have a much better knowledge and understanding of the country.