Exploration usually demands the qualities of bravery, curiosity and organising ability. Arabia demanded more of the voyager: linguistic ability of a high order, scholarship and an imaginative temperament. It was also necessary to be able to pass as a native, if not of Arabia then of part of the Islamic world. The early explorers faced untold dangers, travelling in a region riven by religious and tribal conflict. This book, first published in 1978, presents the carefully selected accounts of some remarkable travellers, ranging from the Renaissance to the Victorian era, all of whom have...

For many the story of this small Arabian state begins and ends with the wealth that has accrued from its vast oil deposits. But the real fascination of Kuwait lies in its geological and archaeological history; in its long struggle for survival among powerful neighbours; in its ambitious plans for industrial and economic development. This book, first published in 1972, shows the effects of the new material wealth opened up by oil in relation to the country's remote past and its Islamic background.