Mirage: Power, Politics, And the Hidden History of Arabian Oil

Keating's authoritative narrative is based on years of research in original archives across the world. She explodes many myths, including the widely held notion that oil companies and geological experts of the time really did know that there was oil in Arabia but kept the knowledge under wraps to keep competitors away. Against an exotic backdrop of international intrigue and folly in high places, Keating also underscores the fact that the Arab sheikdoms after World War I were virtual outposts of the Raj (British rule from India), which helps to explain much about the political manoeuvring that kept the Arab kingdoms from gaining independence and profiting from their own oil reserves for many decades. Complete with maps and photos, a 'who's who' of key persons, and copious notes, "Mirage" is both a work of in-depth scholarship and an engaging story of power and politics with striking relevance for our time.