Karen Elliott House is one lucky lady. The publication of her biography of Mohammed bin Salman, “The Man Who Would Be King,” comes just as the Saudi crown prince and the kingdom he leads move to the center stage of world history. Israel’s stunning victory against Iran and its regional network of proxies and allies has shaken the old Middle East balance of power. MBS, as bin Salman is universally known, will play a critical and perhaps decisive role in shaping the new regional order. As they ponder their next moves, diplomats and policymakers will be turning to Ms. House’s lively and deeply sourced account to better understand Saudi Arabia’s leader. The rest of us, from seasoned Middle East experts to casual readers, will be entertained and instructed by this comprehensive overview of the kingdom and its leader.
Ms. House knows her subject well. As a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, she first began covering Saudi Arabia in the 1970s. Her reporting on the Middle East and the kingdom won a Pulitzer Prize in 1984, and her 2012 book, “On Saudi Arabia,” remains indispensable.