Thomas W. Lippman is a journalist specializing in Middle Eastern affairs and American foreign policy. He is a former Middle East bureau chief for the Washington Post, as well the author of numerous magazine articles and books, including Egypt after Nasser: Sadat, Peace, and the Mirage of Prosperity; Inside the Mirage: America’s Fragile Partnership with Saudi Arabia; and, most recently, Saudi Arabia on the Edge: The Uncertain Future of an American Ally (Potomac Books, 2012).
"Tom Lippman has done it again. Saudi Arabia on the Edge is a
worthy successor to his classic, Inside the Mirage: America’s
Fragile Partnership with Saudi Arabia. Meticulously researched,
this fascinating book debunks the myths and stereotypes about Saudi
Arabia that pervade Western observations. The author shares with us
his wisdom honed by decades of experience in Saudi Arabia. He
presents a realistic and occasionally alarming picture of an
economic and political giant beset by a gathering storm of
challenges in a rapidly changing world. I highly recommend this
thoughtful perspective."—Robert W. Jordan, former U.S. ambassador
to Saudi Arabia
"The consummate inside guide to Saudi Arabia by Tom Lippman, the
insider’s insider."—Robert Lacey, author of Inside the Kingdom:
Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi
Arabia
"Saudi Arabia weathered the Arab Spring of 2011 without the
convulsions of many of its neighbors. But Tom Lippman understands
that the country has actually undergone social, economic, and even
cultural changes over the last four decades as momentous as the
political upheavals other Arab countries are now experiencing. His
book is a good introduction to the Saudi paradox of social change
and political stability and an invaluable guide to the challenges
the country faces."—F. Gregory Gause III, chair of the Department
of Political Science and former director of the Middle East Studies
Program, University of Vermont
"Saudi Arabia on the Edge is an important book by an important
writer. It offers a place to start for anyone looking to understand
Saudi Arabia and the multiple challenges the country is facing.
Lippman shows that Saudi Arabia’s leaders are fully aware of them:
a demographic youth bubble, increasing energy consumption at home,
an aging leadership, and troubles with Iran, among others. The
challenge, of course, is how to manage all of this. One place to
start is by reading Lippman’s book."—Rachel Bronson, author of
Thicker Than Oil: America’s Uneasy Partnership with Saudi Arabia,
and vice president for studies, Chicago Council on Global
Affairs
"Thomas Lippman's Saudi Arabia on the Edge is an excellent
introduction to Saudi Arabian politics as well as the economic and
social challenges facing the Kingdom today. He manages to show the
complexities of this country without over simplifying and treats
these in a balanced way, eschewing the excessive praise or the
vilification that often typify books on the Kingdom. He has been a
keen observer of the Saudi scene for a number of decades and his
deep insights inform this work. This is best book available for an
introduction to contemporary Saudi Arabia."—Bernard Haykel,
Professor of Near Eastern Studies; Director, The Transregional
Institute, Princeton University
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