Product Description
Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include:

* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken

"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

So Different, So Interesting, So Glad I Live Elsewhere

'Culture Smart' Series Review:

First, I am a culture junkie and am a big fan of the 'Culture Smart' series with seven guides thus far in my growing collection. * Germany, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Cuba, Croatia, Brazil and Morocco * This series offers a compact look into the cultures of the world: their customs, attitudes and behaviors, etc. These books provide perhaps as close of understanding to many of them as a reader will have. It also does not hurt that I take in fun/unusual facts like a sponge. I highly recommend this series before traveling to another country or just to further your knowledge of other cultures.

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Product Description

A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette in Saudi Arabia

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Customer Reviews (4)

Not accurate in my experience
I disagree with the reviewer who suggested that Americans will not be visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) except to relocate; several male and female colleagues and I are traveling periodically for business and will not be relocating.I also acknowledge that I was not privy to all aspects of the culture.However, reading this book prior to my trip was a mistake.

The authors must have encountered a different culture than exists today on their original visits.Although this book says it is from 2009, my impression is that the changes from 2003 to 2009 versions were mostly typographical.I found the book to be overwhelmingly negative with very little advice for the typical business visitor, especially a female visitor.Today, even in the most conservative region of the country (Riyadh), women are wearing colorful abaya trim and Western visitors are sometimes seen with their heads uncovered.

Of course, many cultural restrictions still apply.But some examples contrary to the authors' indications include that our luggage was not searched, advertisements in local newspapers portray women in Western clothing, and we were treated with respect.I found my initial negative impression from the book to be unfounded.Although you may still opt to read this account, I recommend supplementing with other material as well.

Not so useful...
This book is not useful, at all.

First of all, American's are not going to be traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia unless they're guest workers.In which case, the superficial treatment of subject matter does not nearly provide the level of detail or specificity of information required by someone relocating to Saudi Arabia.

The actual level of detail and attention paid to subject matter is casual and almost done in passing.Yes this book mentions many subjects, but, with about a paragraph paid to each, it's no where near enough time to adequately address the subject matter.

For a "Survival Guide" one would expect more of the "how to" type of narrative, this work presents information in a "by the way" style, but rarely succeeds in providing concrete advice.Contrary to other reviewers, the information is actually out of date and often incorrect.For example, there is some attention given to the use of cell phones.The authors explicitly state "camera phones are not allowed in the Kingdom."However, one of my coworkers laughed when I mentioned this and told me how everyone has one...

If one is to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, let alone relocate there, the amount of information provided by any travel guide should be of much higher quality, more in depth and accurate.

One of the better references for general readers
This is a useful and detailed reference.

Most other works on the cultures, culturally-influenced national dress, and customs in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region re superficial dreck by comparison.

Hope this helps.

Stephen H. Franke
San Pedro, California
[Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2006-2007,
1990-1991, and 1970-1971]

Culture Shock! Saudi Arabia
Very very current and informative for the area.Quite useful for someone that may be spending time there on business.Easy to read and understand. ... Read more

Product Description
With over 1.5 million copies sold worldwide, the Culture Shock! brand name is recognized as the leading reference source for international customs and etiquette.

Notable features of the entire Culture Shock! line of titles:* A comprehensive source of detailed information about more than seventy travel destinations* Written by individuals, often ex-pats, who have lived in each country and experienced life there * Full of anecdotal information that is insightful and useful to know before you leave home

CULTURE SHOCK! COUNTRY guides:* Provide full explanations of social and business customs* Use practical examples and personal stories* Include a helpful Appendix of Dos and Don'ts * Provide a cultural quiz to test your understanding* Include a calendar of festivals and holidays ... Read more

Product Description

Saudi Arabia is a young nation with an ancient history. It is one of the most conservative traditional societies in the world grappling with the impact of modernization wrought by the influx of great oil wealth beginning only in the mid twentieth century. Saudi culture is in constant flux, and the culture gap between the West and Saudi Islamic culture is wide. Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia is the first cultural overview of country and provides timely, authoritative insight into a major Middle Eastern power.

The Saudis are a proud people with a closed society, but circumstances have caused them to play an important role in current world affairs. The author has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia and has extensively used his contacts there to provide up-to-date material. Saudi culture developed through age-old interactions between the Arabian peoples and their harsh desert environment. Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, and the basic Islamic values of Saudi culture have remained to this day. The themes of an ancient desert society infused with Islam values on a collision course with modernity are interplayed throughout chapters on the land, people, and history, traditional Islamic culture and modernization, the extended family and gender roles, cuisine and dress, social customs, rites of passage, and holidays, communication and mass media, and artistic expression. Color photos and a map, chronology, and glossary round out the narrative.

Product Description
Discusses the geography, history, government, economy, and culture of the country that is Islam's birthplace and probably the driest large country on the face of the earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Truly and well respected homeland of Islam
Saudi Arabia is a great country to learn about for several reasons.

One reason is that in Saudi Arabia, Islam and the Arabic language are the dominant religion and language of culture and society.

A second reason is in Saudi Arabia, There is a mixed population of not only Saudis, but also large numbers of Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Indians, Egyptians, Sri Lankans, Yemenis, Palestinians, Sudanese, Filipinos, Indonesians, Americans, Europeans, Syrians, and Turks. ... Read more

Product Description
In her revealing memoir, the author shares insights into the Saudi Arabian culture which were previously hidden to the Western world. She was taken into the inner circle of the royal family and now has chronicled her 10 years of living with a princess. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Shifting Sands
In Shifting Sands: Life in Arabia with a Saudi Princess, the author recalls her experiences while living in Saudi Arabia. The author and her husband are Christian Americans but had always wanted to experience life in Saudi Arabia. With the Gulf War looming, it seemed as though the couple would never realize their dream. Nonetheless, in March 1991, the couple began their adventure that lasted ten years.

Initially, the author experienced horrible culture shock: living in a country where she did not speak the language, where she had no friends, where she had nothing to do all day, where there were stringent rules for women, and where her religious beliefs were illegal. At first, the author was completely overwhelmed and miserable. However, slowly she adjusted and eventually thrived in her new surroundings. She made some deep friendships, got a job that she adored, and had some truly amazing experiences that few individuals are privileged to experience.

Shifting Sands: Life in Arabia with a Saudi Princess is a touching story that illustrates that despite our cultural differences we all treasure the same things: family, friends, and a sense of worth. Moreover, the author gives us a glimpse into a world that few Westerners could even imagine let alone experience. Her story leaves the reader with new understanding and perhaps even a deeper respect for those of other cultures and beliefs. This is an important message, especially in these troubled times, when we tend to lump all Muslims together as terrorists and religious fanatics.

A deeply personal viewpoint of the intersection between vastly different cultures and the bridges to be built between both
Written twelve years after the fact, Shifting Sands: Life in Arabia with a Saudi Princess is the memoir of T.L. McCown, who shared a deep friendship with a princess in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for ten years. The experiences of two women from vastly different backgrounds in a nation divided between centuries old traditions and the ongoing press of modern globalization. Terrorism and pressure from Islamic religious police are ominous shadows over both women's lives, and the dream of bringing more independence in a nation where women are, among other things, legally forbidden to drive, is a difficult one to pursue. The ups and downs of their long journey are recounted in this personal and touching recollection of good times shared, and a sober reflection that what ultimately split true friends apart was not the dictates of world or religion, but rather utterly unforeseen circumstances. A deeply personal viewpoint of the intersection between vastly different cultures and the bridges to be built between both.

A deeply personal viewpoint of the intersection between vastly different cultures and the bridges to be built between both
Written twelve years after the fact, Shifting Sands: Life in Arabia with a Saudi Princess is the memoir of T.L. McCown, who shared a deep friendship with a princess in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for ten years. The experiences of two women from vastly different backgrounds in a nation divided between centuries old traditions and the ongoing press of modern globalization. Terrorism and pressure from Islamic religious police are ominous shadows over both women's lives, and the dream of bringing more independence in a nation where women are, among other things, legally forbidden to drive, is a difficult one to pursue. The ups and downs of their long journey are recounted in this personal and touching recollection of good times shared, and a sober reflection that what ultimately split true friends apart was not the dictates of world or religious, but rather utterly unforeseen circumstances. A deeply personal viewpoint of the intersection between vastly different cultures and the bridges to be built between both.

A spellbinding must-read
Shifting Sands is a spellbinding must-read for anyone who wants to understand the culture of Saudi Arabia (and who doesn't, after the events of Sept. 11?) This book resonated with me personally since my husband lives and works in Saudi Arabia. The author provided vivid descriptions of what it would be like to live on a company compound in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia (one chapter is called "Extreme Boredom" - say no more!) The book allowed me to relive the joys and frustrations of visiting Saudi Arabia. The joys: sunshine, extremely hospitable people, beautiful architecture, exotic shopping, mouthwatering foods. The frustrations: The list is long. Women have no rights there. Women cannot drive, and they face harassment from religious police if they do not cover themselves with the black abaya. (The author had several frightening run-ins with religious police regarding her failure to cover her hair with a headscarf.) I was thrilled to learn that the author, risking her own safety, had advanced the cause of women's rights there by opening a clandestine school for women. T.L. McCown's writing also reminded me of the utter frustration of trying to visit shops and restaurants when they close multiple times a day for prayer time. Frustration, however, turns to fear with the growing threat of terrorism. McCown lived in Saudi Arabia during the June 26, 1996 bombing of Khobar Towers, a place where she had taught public speaking to military personnel just two months previous. She describes in vivid detail how she fought to keep her family safe with the prospect of terrorism looming right outside her doors.
In conclusion, this book has one major flaw. For 354 pages, the author successfully foreshadows the demise of her extraordinary relationship with a Saudi princess and the need for the author's family to eventually leave Saudi Arabia. In the end, the author never explains precisely why any of this happened! The last sentence seems to imply that the author is working on a sequel. Still, to come to the end of a book and have it drop off the end of a cliff with no proper conclusion is extremely irritating.

Interesting
T.L. McCown did a great job of revealing life in Saudi to the reader.It amazes me the life the royal lead.I still can't get over the camping trip they took!I reccomend this to anyone! ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Thecultural setting of Saudi Arabia is Arab andMuslim. Many proscriptions of behaviour and dressare enforced. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited,for example, and there is no theatre or publicexhibition of films (until recently . EducatedSaudis are well informed on issues of the Arabworld, the Muslim world, and the world at large, butpublic expression of opinion about domestic mattersis not encouraged. There are organizations such aspolitical parties or labour unions to provide publicforums. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Baloot, Death of a Princess, Culture of Saudi Arabia, Mabkhara, Bukhoor, Ardha, Sirwal, Samri, Public Holidays in Saudi Arabia, Mizmar, Jenadriyah, King Fahad National Library. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 45. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Baloot (Arabic: ), is a popular trick card game played in Saudi Arabia, which is similar to the French game Belote. The game is related to the french Belote, the commonality between the game rules strongly suggest that Baloot was originally Belote. And have reached Saudi Arabia by the french minority in this country. The few differences between the two games are because of the bad translations and the heavy french tongue. Today the game is played in every city in Saudi Arabia by young and old people. There are four players in partnerships of two teams. A standard 32-card set is used. 8 for each player. There are two ways of playing "Judges suit, Arabic: / (Hokom)" and the other way call "Sn Arabic: (Sn)". the suits ranking are : Assume the Hokom suit is the Sherya (Clubs) (for example) Baloot seating arrangement.The two members of each team are seated across each other, often on a table in such a way that no player can see the cards of other players . The first dealer is chosen at random and after each hand the turn to deal passes to the right. The cards are shuffled by the dealer, and cut by the player on the left. The player on the left of the dealer can either say "go" without cutting the deck, shuffling it (just once), take the first card as the public card, or can give the bottom three cards to the teammate. If the dealer gives a player a card and was mistakenly flipped, the player has no right to refuse it, unless it is an Ace, then the shuffling starts again from the same dealer. The dealer has 32 cards , he has to sort t...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=9858996 ... Read more

Product Description
Ad Hoc Arabism is a revealing look at advertising and consumer culture in Saudi Arabia. Through careful study of the marketing strategies and hidden meanings behind the advertisements featured in a leading Saudi women's magazine, Roni Zirinski examines the process whereby international advertisers strip products of any cultural overlay, and then reattach them to localhistorical symbols. Each chapter is devoted to a specific family of products, such as watches, cars, food items, cosmetics, and electronics. This book provides an invaluable exploration of the inner workings of global advertising through a deep understanding of the cultural economics of the Middle East. ... Read more

Product Description
Mosque expansion and renovation. Many photos, maps, and some description of the enlargement of buildings around the ka'aba. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Saudi Mosques: Kabba & Mohammad's
(from another's review): "Expansion of al-Harameyn al-Sharifeyn" by Dr. Mohamed Abdu Yamani (undated, c. 1967-1982);Published by The Ministry of Information, Saudi Arabia; 104 unnumbered pages;Paperbound book; English. This book gives the history, in text and in beautiful photos, of the Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca and of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. It tells of the expansion of both that was beginning under the reign of H.M. King Khaled Bin Abdulaziz (reigned from 1975-1982). In addition to its text and photos, the book also has 2 colored foldout maps showing the location of both of these mosques; the most sacred places in Islam. Although, there is no printing date on this book, I would assume it to have been published in 1982 as the expansion of these mosques (according to the information I have been able to locate) was from 1982-1988, but this book shows King Khaled Bin Abdulaziz to be current ruler at the time of printing and he died in 1982. ... Read more

Product Description
THIS IS VOLUME FOUR OF A FIVE VOLUME SET. THIS IS BOOK 4 QATAR-SAUDI ARABIA ... Read more

Product Description
Due to inefficiencies, under utilization, and diminishedresources, the delivery of healthcare worldwide is a major issue.Health Care Development Stratrategies in the Kingdom of SaudiArabia acquaints readers with the current health policyenvironment, organization and delivery of health services in theKingdom. Present financing means, both government and private, andfuture financing methods such as a proposed national health insuranceprogram and user-changes are presented and reviewed. Importantstrategic issues are discussed in regard to cost effectiveness,quality of services, utilization management, certificate of need, andthe necessity for integration and cooperation among health sectoragencies.Providing information on the Saudi health system and any planned orproposed reformation in the health sector, is beneficial to healthcaredirectors, planners and strategists and will be of interest to expertsand international investors in health system reorganization. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very Good
Well written and organized. I'm a master student in health management in Australia , and I have been using it as a source for my academic works.I like how it was written in a clear and easy english. I strongly suggest it for anyone who has an interest in the Saudi health system, and the major reforms that have been undertaking.
Thanks,
Mohamed Alshamari
[...]

Unique resource
There is simply no other comprehensive review of the Saudi health care system in the English language. Dr. Mufti's book is both broad in its coverage of the whole system and benefits from a historical perspective. It is enthusiastic in support of the achievements of the nation, but the areas of improvement are also clearly delineated, and the discussion on the priorities for the future was very helpful. I feel there is an imbalance between the weight of statistics and the depth of analysis of those statistics in some sections. One could also wonder about the accuracy of some of the data from the Ministry of Health. Overall, an important document for anyone interested in development of health care systems, especially in the Gulf area.

Saudi Health Care
This is an extremely well written account of the Saudi healthcare systemwritten by a surgeon who is also the CEO of a well-respected hospital inRiyadh. The author speaks from a wealth of experience and research into theproblems facing the further development of the Saudi healthcare system. Thebook outlines the incredible achievements Saudi Arabia has accomplished aswell as taking an honest look at the areas that still need improvement. Thebook is a well-layed out, organized blueprint of necessary steps to makethe healthcare delivery system more efficient and even better. ... Read more