A Diamond in the Desert is the story of Abu Dhabi’s meteoric rise. This poor fishing community perched on the Arabian desert has, in less than forty years, become the world’s richest city.
When my family arrived there in 1974 it was a small, sandy oil outpost. Falcons and gazelles were everywhere. Now, it has major stakes in Western economies and ambitious plans to become a bridge between East and West. After leaving Abu Dhabi in the 90’s I watched it hit the headlines with huge schemes (building a Guggenheim, a Louvre, an F1 track). I felt inspired to get behind the headlines and see whether the city could realise such a vision.
The book is an exploration of Abu Dhabi’s past and present through the eyes of the people living there – from sheikhs to Indian immigrants, housewives to ex-pats. And I’ve told some of my own story, too.
Here are some review quotes:
‘This is a place we need to know more about and Tatchell provides a smart, informed and flavorsome guide… the best thing I’ve read on the Gulf Coast boom town to date… it leaves you feeling you have come to grips with the realities of a land steeped in fable. The contradictions of its Islamic culture emerge starkly.‘ George Walden, Bloomberg
‘Her accounts of people and their conversations are delightfully acute…unusually engaging… a compelling read…’ Sunday Telegraph
‘A welcome addition to the list of books on Abu Dhabi… engagingly written and sympathetic.’ Guardian
‘She is unsentimental and writes very well, with a keen journalistic eye for detail and drama.’ The Telegraph
As it says on the book jacket…. “Tales of traditional Bedu hospitality and of expeditions into the desert mingle with accounts of hair-raising decadence and double standards, as she reveals a society and culture almost derailed by sudden, extreme wealth. And yet, as she discovers, Abu Dhabi is about to change again. Its rulers have a grand vision of a cultural bridge between Islam and the West, which might just transform our world.”
Jo Tatchell 