Dubai has become the watchword for all things new, glittering and very bling - a billionaire's dream world and a haven for international expatriates promising a fantasy land of tax-free fun, sun and sin. In less than a generation, this small city-state on the Arabian Gulf has been transformed from a sleepy smuggler's cove to a global financial and entertainment hub home to a number of world records, including the world's tallest building, the largest man-made island and the biggest shopping mall. But what is life really like for the people who live and work in the city of Dubai, beyond the towering skyscrapers, luxury resorts and opulent mansions?
Rather than just desert Sheikhs and designer-clad Emiratis, Raymond Barrett also encounters a dizzy melange of expatriates - Iranians, Ethiopians, Indians, Afghans, British and Chinese - all living their own version of The Dubai Dream. Behind the hyperbole and marketing spin, what are the real stories the city has to tell? From seven-star hotels to immigrant labour camps, from Sunni mosques to Hindu temples and from the courthouse to a back-alley speakeasy, Barrett draws a fascinating picture of the brave new world emerging from these desert sands. He reveals the hidden side of this playboy paradise and considers whether Dubai is a doomed Plastic Arabia or an authentic 21st century success story.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
The revelry may be over for some of Dubai's fast-buck artists but, as Barrett reveals in this intimate portrait, the glitter Kingdom continues to be a magnet for Iraqis fleeing carnage in their homeland and others in the region with the age-old dream of re-inventing themselves. * Kevin McKiernan, journalist and filmmaker, covered the Iraq war for ABC News * A no-holds-barred, blow-by-blow account of the majesty and depravity of boom town Dubai. The best narrative so far of the tiny emirate's explosion onto the global scene. * Dr. Christopher M. Davidson, author of the bestselling Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success * Raymond Barrett's book delivers in an entertaining and personal way. Having lived in the Middle East for nearly a decade, he is well placed to give an overview of how the tiny emirate grew from a desert trading post into a boom town. Dubai Dreams explains the cultural and historical background to this extraordinary place. This book is a good, accessible primer. * The Irish Times * Raymond Barrett's portrait of the rhinestone emirate is beautifully observed, packed with surprises, epigrams and sage analysis. Dubai, as much state of mind as city-state, has long been crying out for such a psychogeography as this. * The Irish Times *
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Höhe: 234 mm
Breite: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-85788-527-9 (9781857885279)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Raymond Barrett has lived in the Middle East for nearly a decade and writes regularly on the region for Ireland's Sunday Business Post. He has also written for newspapers across the Middle East and in the United States.
Contents: The Kingdom of Bling / Dubai Dreams / Genuine Fake / Maktoum Inc. / Hail Britannia / The Best City in India / Bringing the Mountain / From a Doodle to a Theme Park / Looking for a Lost Arabia / City of Gold / Shine on Your Crazy Diamond / East of Eden / Dirty Linen / Secret Dubai Diary / First Among Equals / She Sells Sanctuary / Last Orders / Cameos
