Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Geographical Review, published by American Geographical Society on July 1, 2003. The length of the article is 6294 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Jeddah's environmental problems*.(GEOGRAPHICAL RECORD)
Author: Peter Vincent
Publication: The Geographical Review (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2003
Publisher: American Geographical Society
Volume: 93Issue: 3Page: 394(19)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Science and Its Times, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1364 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The histories of science, technology, and mathematics merge with the study of humanities and social science in this interdisciplinary reference work. Essays on people, theories, discoveries, and concepts are combined with overviews, bibliographies of primary documents, and chronological elements to offer students a fascinating way to understand the impact of science on the course of human history and how science affects everyday life. Entries represent people and developments throughout the world, from about 2000 B.C. through the end of the twentieth century. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Cartography and Geographic Information Science, published by American Congress on Surveying & Mapping on January 1, 2002. The length of the article is 4314 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Qibla, and related, map projections (1).(retro-azimuthal projections)
Author: Waldo Tobler
Publication: Cartography and Geographic Information Science (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2002
Publisher: American Congress on Surveying & Mapping
Volume: 29Issue: 1Page: 17(7)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Saudi Arabia occupies a unique and distinctive geographic location, bridging civilizations between continents. In ancient times it served as a corridor for trade; therefore, the kingdom saw the beginning of many civilizations, the relics of which are still evident today. Thirteen ancient Towns have been discovered in Saudi Arabia up to the present date. There are still more ancient towns in Saudi Arabia, but unfortunately there is currently no information available on them. The Saudi Arabia government has recently established the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities who has responsibility for the preservation of these cities. ... Read more

Product Description
The Arabian peninsula is a vast and diverse land full of surprises. The traditional Western view, reinforced by literature and films, is of a forbidding monotonous region, dominated by deserts. This book aims to dispel the myth by portraying a subcontinent where soaring juniper-clad mountains, inhabited by leopard, baboon, unique birdlife and rare gazelle contrast with beautiful sand-deserts, home of adapted wildlife like Ruppell's fox and rheem gazelle. It examines the natural history of the peninsula and delves into the marine worlds around its shores. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An interesting view of a curious land.
As a frequent visitor to the Middle East, I have made it my business to learn something about the various countries, the peoples and their customs in addition to the local flora and fauna.Of course, my main interest is the underwater world in general and it's many outstanding shipwrecks in particular.Whilst there is plenty of published material about both the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, finding other information - that is both accurate and up-to-date, is not always easy.

In this book, the author skilfully avoids the conflicts which have beset the region for the past 100 years or more and concentrates on the ecology.Portraying the haunting deserts with their unique flora and curious creatures alongside mountains bedecked with juniper and inhabited by even more curious - and often dangerous, creatures, this author has done an excellent job of bringing the various habitats to life.

With the inclusion of chapters on both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, this is as complete a work on the subject as one would hope to find and is also a most interesting read.

NM

... Read more

Product Description
The sand seas of Saudi Arabia, although well-known in literature, remain poorly explored scientifically. This is the first book to analyze, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the patterns, nature, and communities of the vegetation of the sand seas, using new techniques which the authors hope will prove adaptable for similar studies in other areas. The book covers such topics as the natural environment of the sand seas, vegetative paleohistory, and the importance of the sand seas as a recreational area. ... Read more

Product Description
This introductory text is the first new study of economic development in the Arab World since the Gulf War of 1991. It evaluates the means by which states as different as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Morocco and Jordan have sought to achieve economic advances in relation to the cultural contexts from which they emerged. The book also highlights the continuing distinctions between Arab and Western interpretations of what ``development'' means. Allan M. Findlay demonstrates that external involvement in the region has been responsible for many of the development dilemmas faced by Arabs today. He argues that Arab states must identify clear development objectives which satisfy both their rising economic aspirations and their strong attachment to Arab identity and Islamic values. ... Read more

Product Description
Disruption following the Gulf War, and the need to satisfy both rising economic aspirations and the Islamic values of the region's peoples, demands fresh examination of development issues in the Arab world. This introductory text assesses how agricultural, industrial and urban development has evolved in the Arab region. Contrasting Arab and Western interpretations of 'development', it draws on case studies covering states as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Morocco and Jordan. The author suggests that until the Arabs define their own identity, there will continue to be 'change' but not necessarily 'progress' in the region. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

1970s travels in Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Arabia
Initially I thought that this thick book regarding the Fernea family's travels through Arab countries would be informative, somehow.I agree with another reviewer's observation that while this book contains lots and lots of "personal encounters" with mainly Muslim Arabs, it is primarilly ofa lot of `pleasentary commentary' between the Ferneas and their Arab hoats -- no real substantive socio-economic `insight' regarding the Muslim families is illustrated.Although the wife, Elizabeth, produced films regarding women's issues throughout Arabia, they are not really discussed in this book: no `lessons learned' are revealed.This book does reinforce the 1970s stereotype of the rural, poor `backwardness' of the generic Arab - and the hassles of dealing with government `red tape' in getting permission to travel to remote `restricted areas'; it is not very hopeful.I found a couple of tidbits to download into my computer regarding a handful of Arabic phrases, but then dumped the book into my trashcan - just not really worth keeping for sharing with anyone else - just no long-term `substantive knowledge' worth being retained.

The Arab World is a Great Intro. to Middle Eastern Studies
I should know - this book is the reason why I studied Lebanon in college. No, its not the most in-depth "analysis" on Middle Eastern culture and politics, but it provides an excellent personal experience for the reader, with a dash of scholarly insight from the authors. I would highly recommend this book to someone who is really interested in learning about the Arab world from those who have lived and studied the culture. My only hope is that they have an updated edition post-911.

Retrospective Collection
This book is a collection of personal essays by Elizabeth and Robert Fernea concerning aspects of daily life in the several corners of the Arab world where they lived and conducted their anthropological research.The areas covered include Beirut (Lebanon), Amman (Jordan), Marrakech (Morocco),Cairo and Nubia (Egypt), Hail (Saudi Arabia), the West Bank, and Baghdad and Al-Nahra (Iraq).The Ferneas began their acquaintance with Arabia in 1956, when in their first year of marriage, Robert Fernea chose to do his doctoral research in Al-Nahra Iraq, and Elizabeth accompanied him there. After Robert was awarded his doctorate, the Ferneas went to Egypt, where Robert took a teaching post at the American University in Cairo.While in Egypt, Elizabeth wrote her now-classic description of women's life in Iraq, Guests of the Sheikh.Later research projects took the Ferneas, together with their three children, to Nubia and Marrakech.In each location, the Ferneas observed local cultures for their formal academic publications.But they also kept journals of their daily experiences in dealing with the culture and trying to learn the answers to anthropological questions as Westerners, and it is excerpts from these journals that appear here.Interspersed with these descriptions of their personal experiences are short background or follow-up essays that provide further information about some of the associated topics.

For readers who are not familiar with the Ferneas' previous work, especially Elizabeth Fernea's, the title of the book, The Arab World, may be a bit misleading.It is not the goal of this book to provide a comprehensive historical or political analysis of the region.Instead, the book provides mainly a collection of personal experiences of a family who lived and conducted research in the region off and on for over 40 years.In each country covered in this book, the Ferneas have made multiple visits over time, allowing them to compare the changes brought about development.The book also provides an epilogue of sorts for readers of the Ferneas' other books, such as Guests of the Sheikh or A View of the Nile.As they return to their various "hometowns", the Ferneas look up old friends and bring us up to date on how life has treated them.

Very Disappointing
I bought this book thinking I would get a good overview of each of the countries the authors lived in.Instead the book consists of lengthy conversations between them and their friends, intersperesed with really trivial and banal comments.Given that both authors are academics, I expected some depth--but there was none. A real waste of money.

Too PC, but still worth reading
The Arab World - Forty Years Of Change had a tendency of praising most things that are in some ways connected to arab culture. Everything is "wonderful" or "interesting" and so on. This tendencyis enhanced by the fact that the authors seems to have more interest inachieving insight in Arab culture than Western culture, and thus have apretty narrow and onedimensional view on issues that concerns Westernpolitics and behaviour. Issues that are far more complex than the authorsseems to believe. Anyway, The Arab World is also a book written by twopeople who seems to be genuinely interested in the matters that they aredealing with, and the analytical approach that the end of every chaptercontains is a delight to read. In the next update of The Arab World, Iwould like a more balanced and critical view. It would double the qualityof the book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the most important single source of historical material on the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia. Lorimer's Gazetteer was compiled with the original intention of providing British agents and policy-makers in the Gulf, India and London with 'a convenient and portable handbook to the places and interests with which they are likely to be concerned'. Better documentation was regarded as an essential prerequisite to the strengthening of British influence in the area during a period of increasing international tension. The original edition was issued as a secret document by the British Government in India in 1908 and 1915. The range of the Gazetteer is extensive and complex, with descriptive text supported by a variety of annexes and appendices, including historical analyses, texts of treaties and special essays on subjects of interest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Muhammad Battles
"The Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad" (ISBN 81-7151-153-8) by Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah (1908-2002 A.D.) was researched by the author during the late 1930s, early 1940s, and again in 1964 when he traveled throughout Arabia in search of the Muslim prophet's battlefields.His book is part of the "Centre Culturel Islamique, Paris, Series No. 3" works, with a 3rd Revised Edition in 1983 and a 4th Reprinted Edition in 1992 in hardback.The hardback was printed in New Delhi, India at "Chaudhry Printers" by "Nusrat Ali Nasri for Kitab Bhavan" The author produced several, brief maps of the battlefields - but nothing extensive like a modern battle map replete with military symbols.The author also provided many photographs of the battlefields, but due to poor reproduction the pictures are very grainy and a reader has to have a vivid imagination in recognizing the features in the photos.The author describes about 9 of Prophet Muhammad's military battles, unfortunately, he had to rely pretty much only on the hadith - so sometimes his analysis is a little shaky - as were his sources.Having traveled in Arabia, the author attempts to describe both the physical terrain and historical attributes of the battlefields, as well how long it would take a camel-burden army to travel between various locations.The nine chapter titles are: Preliminary remarks; Badr: one of the `ifs' of History; Uhud; The Battle of the Ditch; The Conquest of Mecca; The Battles of Hunain and Ta'if; wars with the Jews; Military Intelligence in the time of the Prophet Muhammad; and Military Department of the Muslim State in the time of the Prophet.On page 3 he shows a chart detailing how many troops were engaged by both sides, and lists the number of Muslims and non-Muslims killed.At the date of publication, this book was probably one of the better ones available.But the author does have an obvious Muslim bias. His "Wars with the Jews" chapter is still worth reading.He details a couple of times that the Holy Benevolent Prophet had to use torture a couple of times to get Jewish prisoners to reveal their treasure or plans, but as the author opined: it was just after a `little torture' (p. 114) or beheaded (p. 129) - nothing really inhumane for `The Perfect Man' Prophet to engage in, unless you consider placing smoldering coals on a Jew's chest a little `too much.' Oh, and that time that the `Perfect Man' turned his head aside to avoid watching the massacre of some 600-900 Jewish males who had surrendered, the author opined it really wasn't the Prophet's fault that he didn't recommend leniency because the punishment was really due to ungrateful, traitorous Jews' own Torah recommendation in Deuteronomy XX, 13-14 (see pg. 3 footnote.). Also,the Muslim victory at Badr was "unpalatable to the Jewish capitalists at Medina" (p. 123). I do not recommend this book for the novice historian, but it would be good for a scholar's collection; better books include:"Khalid bin al-Waleed: Sword of Allah" by Brig. Akran; "Muhammad: Islam's First Great General" by Richard Gabriel; and "War, Terror and Peace in the Quran and in Islam" by Cpt. T.P. Schwartz-Bancott.

Muhammad Battlefields
"The Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad" by Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah (1908-2002 A.D.) was researched by the author during the late 1930s, early 1940s, and again in 1964 when he traveled throughout Arabia in search of the Muslim prophet's battlefields.His book is part of the "Centre Culturel Islamique, Paris, Series No. 3" works, with a 3rd Revised Edition in 1983 and a 4th Reprinted Edition in 1992 in hardback.The hardback was printed in New Delhi, India at "Chaudhry Printers" by "Nusrat Ali Nasri for Kitab Bhavan" The author produced several, brief maps of the battlefields - but nothing extensive like a modern battle map replete with military symbols.The author also provided many photographs of the battlefields, but due to poor reproduction the pictures are very grainy and a reader has to have a vivid imagination in recognizing the features in the photos.The author describes about 9 of Prophet Muhammad's military battles, unfortunately, he had to rely pretty much only on the hadith - so sometimes his analysis is a little shaky - as were his sources.Having traveled in Arabia, the author attempts to describe both the physical terrain and historical attributes of the battlefields, as well how long it would take a camel-burden army to travel between various locations.The nine chapter titles are: Preliminary remarks; Badr: one of the `ifs' of History; Uhud; The Battle of the Ditch; The Conquest of Mecca; The Battles of Hunain and Ta'if; wars with the Jews; Military Intelligence in the time of the Prophet Muhammad; and Military Department of the Muslim State in the time of the Prophet.On page 3 he shows a chart detailing how many troops were engaged by both sides, and lists the number of Muslims and non-Muslims killed.At the date of publication, this book was probably one of the better ones available.But the author does have an obvious Muslim bias. His "Wars with the Jews" chapter is still worth reading.He details a couple of times that the Holy Benevolent Prophet had to use torture a couple of times to get Jewish prisoners to reveal their treasure or plans, but as the author opined: it was just after a `little torture' (p. 114) or beheaded (p. 129) - nothing really inhumane for `The Perfect Man' Prophet to engage in, unless you consider placing smoldering coals on a Jew's chest a little `too much.' Oh, and that time that the `Perfect Man' turned his head aside to avoid watching the massacre of some 600-900 Jewish males who had surrendered, the author opined it really wasn't the Prophet's fault that he didn't recommend leniency because the punishment was really due to ungrateful, traitorous Jews' own Torah recommendation in Deuteronomy XX, 13-14 (see pg. 3 footnote.).I do not recommend this book for the novice historian, but it would be good for a scholar's collection; better books include:"Khalid bin al-Waleed: Sword of Allah" by Brig. Akran; "Muhammad: Islam's First Great General" by Richard Gabriel; and "War, Terror and Peace in the Quran and in Islam" by Cpt. T.P. Schwartz-Bancott. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Gertrude Bell: The Arabian Diaries 1913-1914
My purpose in reading this volume of Gertrude Bell's diaries was to learn about this powerful Englishwoman's adventures and discoveries in the Middle Eastwritten in her own words.
Rosemary O'Brien did an excelllent job of editing this material which I used as part of a book report on THE DESERT QUEEN. It helped me understand both Bell's professional life in which she helped create the modern Mesopotamia. It includes descriptions of life on the desert and in the city, and letters and the passions of her love life. The book also included many interestng photographs taken by Gertrude Bell.

Not for the average reader
This is a book you cannot read like a novel; even as a diary, it is hard to understand, because entries are short and there are many unintelligible initials and half-words. It is a book for scholars, not for the average reader.

Very highly recommended reading for women's studies
Gertrude Bell was an English woman who lived an extraordinary life of adventure. She rode with bandits, braved desert shamals, was captured by Bedouins, and sojourned in a harem. The counselor to kings and prime ministers, her illustrious colleagues included Lloyd George and Winston Churchill. Very highly recommended reading for women's studies, and 20th century studies reading lists and library collections, Gertrude Bell: The Arabian Diaries, 1913-1914 is wonderfully illustrated with her photography and exemplifies her elegant, vibrant prose, as well as documenting her on of the 20th Century's most daring, resourceful, independent, and larger-than-life characters. ... Read more

Product Description
Holy Places is a delightful new series that looks at holy places around the world, and examines religious beliefs and practices through these significant places. - full-colour photographs clearly illustrate each book. - examples taken from each of the six major faiths examine the link between each faith and its "holy place" - examines the historical background, the roots of each faith and how the beliefs originated and why the holy place is significant ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first comprehensive and visitor-friendly guide to this modern grouping of states. It covers the seven states of Abu Dhabi, Ajam, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Guide UAE
It is a very good guide for those who have never visit the UAE.

Little Bits of Everything
Although a fine overall introduction to the U.A.E., the work understandably bogs down in the more traditional tourist centers of Dubai and Abu Dabhi. Since the city of Al Ain has grown so substantially so quickly, perhaps the lack of current information is forgiveable. Compared to other guides, this is still among the best. Fine photos and maps.

Wonderful photography and useful information
This is a terrific book for the tourist.The photography was excellent and the information was logically organized. ... Read more