MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman

Review by Ruhama Bekele

The short:

Amid tremendous social and political change in Saudi Arabia, one man stood alone, hell-bent on consolidating power by any means necessary: Mohammed bin Salman.

The long:

Ben Hubbard’s MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman delves into the contrasting persona of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince. To some, he is a reformer, intent on modernizing the kingdom by promoting projects like the NEOM megacity, lifting the ban on women driving, and liberalizing entertainment services in the Kingdom. To others, he is a ruthless autocrat whose thirst for power overshadows familial loyalty, implicated in the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an "anti-corruption" crackdown aimed at consolidating control, and the devastation caused by the war in Yemen. The book highlights MBS's contradictory nature by tracing his journey from adolescence to adulthood, seeking to contextualize his actions through the lens of his personal experience.

To read or not to read:

Read! Hubbard’s retelling of MBS’s life is fascinating as MBS’s actions as Crown Prince are thoroughly rooted in his developmental years in Saudi Arabia. If you’re interested in the personal level of Middle Eastern politics, this book is definitely for you!