Book Review: Arabian Jubilee
| Published date | 01 March 1954 |
| Date | 01 March 1954 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070205400900125 |
| Author | Howard A. Reed |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
74
INTERNATIONAL
JOURNAL
the
beginnings
of
the
Palestine
war.
The
second
part
deals
with
the
Palestine
war
and
its
effects
upon
relations
between
the
Arab
world
and
the
West.
The
third
part
is
a
discussion
of
the
cur-
rent
economic
and
political problems
of
the
Arab
countries
as
a
result
of
the
Palestine dispute
and
of
the
new
international
im-
portance
of
the
Middle
Eastern
Arab countries.
Arab countries
outside
of
the
Arab
League
are
also
considered.
The
third
part,
which
constitutes,
almost
half
of
the
book,
is
full of
interesting
observations
and
suggestive
generalizations,
although
these are
sometimes
blurred
by
a
sentimental tone.
The
author
is
critical
of
the
ruling
classes of
the
Arab
countries
and
repeatedly
describes
the
lack
of
foresight
and
disinterested-
ness
in
their
policies.
She
also
criticizes
British
rule
and
policy
and
appeals
for
co-operation
between
Great
Britain
and
the
United
States,
on
the
basis
of
a
partnership
and
solidarity.
The
author
urges
them
to
help
raise
the
standard
of
living
to
encour-
age
a
land
reform
and
to
educate
a
new
elite
to
combat
economic,
political and
social
problems
in
the
Arab
countries.
Miss
Hol-
lingworth correctly
emphasizes
that
these
problems
are
the
real
causes
underlying
the
present-day
misery
of
the
masses,
the
political
anarchy,
the
lack
of
a
sound
cultural orientation,
and
the
distrust
towards
the
West
which
are
apparently
in
the
Arab
Middle
East.
McGill
University,
Institute
of
Islamic
Studies
NiyAzi
BERKES
ARABIAN
JUBILEE.
By
H. St.
J.
B.
Philby.
1952.
(London:
Robert
Hale;
Toronto:
McGraw
Hill.
xiv,
274pp.
$675)
This
is
the
eleventh
book
on
Arabia
published
by
Mr.
Philby
the
great
explorer
and
outspoken
friend
of
the
late
Sultan
H.
M.
King
'Abdul-'Aziz
Ibn
Sa'ud.
It
celebrates
the
fiftieth
anniver-
sary
of
the
accession
of Ibn Sa'ud
to
the
Sultanate
of
Najd,
his
ancient
patrimony.
Although not
a
definitive
biography
of
King
Ibn Sa'ud,
who
bears
many
an
unconscious
resemblance
to Harun
al-Rashid,
the
paragon
of
the
Arabian
nights
who
dominated
Baghdad
some
eleven
centuries
ago,
this
fascinating
book
traces
the
major
and
typical
events of
Ibn
Sa'ud's
career
from
his
very
youth
until
the
jubilee
year
of
1950.
It is
an absorbing
book
to
read
as
it
is
replete
with
unique
photographs
and
frank
dis-
cussion
of
such
matters
as
the
King's
favourite
wives,
the
numbers
of
his
concubines
and
male
children,
his
devotion to
his
strict
religious ideals,
the
indiscriminate
slaughter
of
creatures
like
the
gazelle
and
ostrich,
now
heedlessly
threatened
with
ex-
tinction
in
Arabia, early
Russian
attempts
to
influence
Arabia,
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