MBS : The Rise to Power of Mohammed Bin Salman

MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed Bin Salman

Format: Paperback
Pages: 364
Date of Release: 10 March 2020

Literary awards: PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography Nominee for Shortlist (2021)

MBS is a gripping and deeply reported account of the dramatic rise of Mohammed bin Salman, the most powerful—and controversial—leader in modern Saudi Arabian history. From his early years as one prince among thousands to becoming the kingdom’s de facto ruler, this book reveals how ambition, opportunity, and unchecked power reshaped a nation and destabilised a region.

When King Salman ascended the throne in 2015, MBS seized his moment. As a hands-on ruler, he launched sweeping reforms to transform Saudi Arabia’s economy, loosen rigid social restrictions, and challenge regional rivals, particularly Iran. Initially hailed as a bold moderniser, his vision attracted global investors and international support. Over time, however, doubts emerged about his authoritarian tendencies, impulsive decision-making, and appetite for absolute control.

Based on years of investigative reporting and hundreds of covert interviews, MBS uncovers the inner workings of the Saudi regime and examines key events including the disastrous war in Yemen, the detention of Lebanon’s prime minister, the mass arrest of princes and businessmen, and the global shock surrounding the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Riveting, unsettling, and meticulously researched, this book asks a crucial question: is Mohammed bin Salman a reformer reshaping his country—or a determined autocrat whose actions are shaking the Middle East?

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