Picture this: a barren patch of desert in the 1960s, home to pearl divers and Bedouins, suddenly morphs into a glittering metropolis of supertalls and supercars. That's Dubai in a nutshell, and Jim Krane's City of Gold pulls back the curtain on how it all happened.
Dubai wasn't born rich—it was built that way. The ruling Maktoum family spotted opportunity where others saw sand, inviting Western investors and unleashing a flood of money that turned dunes into destinations. Krane, who reported from the city for years, walks you through this transformation with vivid details: the pearl trade's fade, oil's brief boost, and then the pivot to trade, tourism, and real estate that made Dubai a capitalist beacon in the conservative Gulf.
Forget dry history books. This one's alive with voices from all levels—chatty business titans sealing deals over shawarma, exhausted South Asian builders stacking the Burj Khalifa brick by brick, even glimpses into the nightlife that keeps the city buzzing. Krane doesn't shy from the shadows: insane traffic jams, environmental strain from AC-chilled malls, and a population where locals are outnumbered 10-to-1 by expats.
The 2008 crash hit hard, exposing cracks in the model, but Dubai bounced back leaner. Krane ponders if this 'oasis of freewheeling markets' is a blueprint for stability or a cautionary tale of overreach. Reading it feels like strolling Sheikh Zayed Road at dusk, skyscrapers glowing against the horizon.
Grab this paperback for your next flight, book club debate, or just to understand why Dubai captivates the world. It's not just a book—it's your ticket to the most improbable success story of our time. Around 400 words of pure insight await.
