
Pulitzer Prize-winner Karen Elliott House unveils Saudi Arabia's contradictions through five years of unprecedented access - from terrorists to royalty. What secrets did she uncover about this oil-rich nation that eerily mirrors the Soviet Union's final days? A chilling masterclass in investigative journalism.
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What happens when a medieval kingdom collides with the 21st century while sitting atop the world's largest oil reserves? Saudi Arabia stands as one of the world's most paradoxical nations-where women can't drive but own businesses worth millions, where religious police patrol streets yet princes party in European nightclubs, where ancient tribal codes govern a society awash in smartphone-wielding youth. This isn't just another Middle Eastern monarchy. It's a high-stakes experiment in whether absolute power, religious authority, and modern wealth can coexist indefinitely. The answer matters far beyond the kingdom's borders, affecting global oil markets, terrorism networks, and the stability of an entire region that supplies energy to the world.
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