Recommended Reading
Read the following non-fiction books if you have an interest in the UAE in particular, or the Middle East and Islam in general:
- From Rags to Riches – A story of Abu Dhabi by Mohammed Al-Fahim (ISBN 1900404001)
- Arabian Heritage Series: A Portrait of Ras Al Khaimah by Shirley Kay (ISBN 1860631371)
- A Diamond in the Desert by Jo Tatchell (ISBN 9780340953396)
- Arabian Destiny – The Complete Autobiography by Edward Henderson (ISBN 9781860630293)
- City of Gold – Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism by Jim Krane (ISBN 9780312655433)
- Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond by Christopher M Davidson (Kindle Edition)
- Mother Without A Mask by Patricia Holton (ISBN 9781860632136)
- Telling Tales – An Oral History of Dubai by Julia Wheeler & Paul Thuysbaert (ISBN 9768182644)
- Those Were the Days – Journals of Dubai by Shahnaz Pakravan (ISBN 9781860632440)
- Seafarers of the Emirates by Ronald Codrai (ISBN 9781860631320)
- Faces of the Emirates (An Arabian Album – A collection of mid-20th century photographs) by Ronald Codrai (ISBN 9781860631207)
- Abu Dhabi Life & Times – Through the lens of Noor Ali Rashid (ISBN 1860630227)
- Zayed: From Challenges to Union – Jayanti Maitra (ISBN 9948050665)
- Ras al-Khaimah: Flame in the Desert – Michael Deakin and Robin Constable (ISBN 0704321289)
- Filling in the Blanks: Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Abu Dhabi – Peter Hellyer (Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey Project) (ISBN 1860630243)
- In the Land of the Emirates: The Archaeology and History of the UAE – DT Potts (ISBN 9781905486571)
- Qasr Al Hosn: The History of the Rulers of Abu Dhabi – Dr Jayanti Maitra and Afra Al-Hajji (ISBN 1860631053)
- Beyond Dubai: Seeking Lost Cities in the Emirates – David Millar (Kindle Edition)
- Sand Hut and Salty Water: The Story of Abu Dhabi’s First School Teacher – Ahmed Mansour M Khateeb (Kindle Edition)
- The House of Nahyan: The Story of an Arabian Dynasty – James Edmonds (Kindle Edition)
- Troubled Waters: The Story of the Dispute between the UAE and Iran over the Tunbs and Abu Musa Islands – Bassem Ajami
- Sultani: Traditions Renewed – Dr Reem Tariq El-Mutwalli
- The Oil Sheikhs – Linda Blandford
- Arabia – Jonathan Raban
- Arabian Gulf Sayings: A Guide to Life through Desert Arab Proverbs – Paul McIvor (Kindle Edition)
- Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger (ISBN 9781860632839)
- A History of the Arab Peoples by Albert Hourani (ISBN 9780571226641)
- The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century by Ross E Dunn (Kindle Edition
- Memoirs of An Arabian Princess from Zanzibar by Emily Ruete (Kindle Edition)
- The Sultan’s Shadow: One Family’s Rule at the Crossroads of East and West by Christiane Bird (Kindle Edition)
- Three Thousand Miles for a Wish by Safiya Hussain (Kindle Edition)
- Two Old Fools on a Camel by Victoria Twead (Kindle Edition)
- Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar – Robert Lebling (Kindle Edition)
- Tales from the Queen of the Desert – Gertrude Bell (Kindle Edition)
- Married to a Bedouin – Marguerite van Geldermalsen
- Seven Pillars of Wisdom – TE Lawrence
- The Southern Gates Of Arabia – Freya Stark
- Muhammed: Prophet for Our Time by Karen Armstrong (Kindle Edition)
- Islam by Karen Armstrong (Kindle Edition)
- If the Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran – Carla Power (Kindle Edition)
Watch:
- A glimpse into what life used to be like just before, and after the formation of the UAE
Arabia through the looking glass by Jonathan Raban is a good read. So is your blog!
Thank you so much Ken, and thanks for the recommendation. I will most definitely see if I can find it.
Excellent list!
Thank you.
Hi Jolandi, I wanted to ask you about an idea. I don’t think I have your email. Is it possible you can contact me through my blog? Kindness, Kristin in Holland
E-mail sent. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Oh my goodness. Your blog is causing me a problem: I have too many interests, and it’s threatening to add exploring the culture of the UAE to it. I should just close this tab now and walk away from the computer…but your blog is so well done that I don’t think I’ll be able to do that.
I’m also a person who’s tried to explore the world by travel, but nothing like your resume — I merely studied in France (from which I saw a bit of Europe) and taught English in Japan (from which I went to various places in Asia and Australia). I wish I could see more. Thanks for offering those of us who can’t visit in person a chance to glimpse the culture of the UAE.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Jessie. I’ve always made use of every opportunity I was afforded to travel, and am very grateful for the places I managed to visit thus far. I strongly believe that it is this exposure to other cultures, and different ways of thinking that has made me more tolerant in general. I had a quick glance at your blog, and it is clear that it is one that demands a closer look, and I am looking forward into delving deeper into your thoughts and views.