The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century

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The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century

by Steve Coll

3.89 · rating details · 404 ratings · 106 reviews

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the national bestseller Ghost Wars, Steve Coll presents the story of the Bin Laden familys rise to power and privilege, revealing new information to show how American influences changed the family and how one members rebellion changed America

The Bin Ladens rose from poverty to privilege; they loyally served the Saudi royal fa...moreTwo-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the national bestseller Ghost Wars, Steve Coll presents the story of the Bin Laden familys rise to power and privilege, revealing new information to show how American influences changed the family and how one members rebellion changed America

The Bin Ladens rose from poverty to privilege; they loyally served the Saudi royal family for generationsand then one of their number changed history on September 11, 2001. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Steve Coll tells the epic story of the rise of the Bin Laden family and of the wildly diverse lifestyles of the generation to which Osama bin Laden belongs, and against whom he rebelled. Starting with the familys escape from famine at the beginning of the twentieth century through its jet-set era in America after the 1970s oil boom, and finally to the familys attempts to recover from September 11, The Bin Ladens unearths extensive new material about the family and its relationship with the United States, and provides a richly revealing and emblematic narrative of our globally interconnected times.

To a much greater extent than has been previously understood, the Bin Laden family owned an impressive share of the America upon which Osama ultimately declared warshopping centers, apartment complexes, luxury estates, privatized prisons in Massachusetts, corporate stocks, an airport, and much more. They financed Hollywood movies and negotiated over real estate with Donald Trump. They came to regard George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Prince Charles as friends of their family. And yet, as was true of the larger relationship between the Saudi and American governments, when tested by Osamas violence, the familys involvement in the United States proved to be narrow and brittle.

Among the many memorable figures that cross these pages is Osamas older brother, Salema free-living, chainsmoking, guitar-strumming pilot, adventurer, and businessman who cavorted across America and Europe and once proposed marriage to four American and European girlfriends simultaneously, attempting to win a bet with the king of Saudi Arabia. Osama and Salems father, Mohamed bin Laden, is another force in the narrativean illiterate bricklayer who created the family fortune through perspicacity and wit, until his sudden death in an airplane crash in 1967, an accident caused by an error by his American pilot.

At the storys heart lies an immigrant familys attempt to adapt simultaneously to Saudi Arabias puritanism and Americas myriad temptations. The family generation to which Osama belongedtwenty-five brothers and twenty-nine sistershad to cope with intense change. Most of them were born into a poor society where religion dominated public life. Yet by the time they became young adults, these Bin Ladens found themselves bombarded by Western-influenced ideas about individual choice, by gleaming new shopping malls and international fashion brands, by Hollywood movies and changing sexual moresa dizzying world that was theirs for the taking, because they each received annual dividends that started in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. How they navigated these demands is an authentic, humanizing story of Saudi Arabia, America, and the sources of attraction and repulsion still present in the countries awkward embrace.(less)

Hardcover, 688 pages

Published April 1st 2008 by Penguin Press HC, The

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May 01, 2008

Sandra D rated it

Shelves: middle-east

Well-written and a (relatively) quick read, this book answered many, but not all, of my questions about Osama and the Bin Laden family. I also appreciated the info on the history of Saudi Arabia, its ruling family and the Wahhabi sect.

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Feb 05, 2009

Bookmarks Magazine added it

Most reviewers were extremely impressed by The Bin Ladens and found it much more than a supplement to the array of existing Osama biographies. They praised Coll's choice of the family as framing device, which allows him to explore a century's worth of geopolitical intrigue, economic forces, and cultural change in the Middle East while also constructing an engaging personal story that helps explain recent events. A few reviewers named The Bin Ladens as one of the most important books for helping

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Mar 05, 2010

Spencer rated it

Shelves: biography

While this book was not quite as gripping as the author's previous book (Ghost Wars - which tells the story of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan up until 9/11), this was nonetheless a very interesting and well-written book. While Osama is the most famous Bin Laden, he was only one of 54 children of Mohammed Bin Laden - a poor Yemeni immigrant who created a multi-billion dollar construction empire in Saudi Arabia. The most interesting themes in this book to me were the Bin Laden's intimate con...more

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Aug 10, 2009

Steven Peterson rated it

When one thinks of Bin Laden, of course, one thinks of Osama, Al Qaeda, and 9-11. However, this book looks at a fascinating family history, with Osama Bin Laden as only one small part of the larger familial tapestry. A genealogy at the front of the book helps to identify the family's background, from Ali (circa 1820) to Aboud, to Awadh (born around 1875) to Mohamed (born around 1905) and Abdullah, brothers who came to bring the family wealth and recognition. Finally, the 54 children of Mohamed B...moreWhen one thinks of Bin Laden, of course, one thinks of Osama, Al Qaeda, and 9-11. However, this book looks at a fascinating family history, with Osama Bin Laden as only one small part of the larger familial tapestry. A genealogy at the front of the book helps to identify the family's background, from Ali (circa 1820) to Aboud, to Awadh (born around 1875) to Mohamed (born around 1905) and Abdullah, brothers who came to bring the family wealth and recognition. Finally, the 54 children of Mohamed Bin Laden, born in the time frame from the mid-1940s through 1967.

Mohamed and his brother grew up in Yemen, in poor circumstances. They suffered bad luck. Finally, they moved to Saudi Arabia and began to become more successful. Mohamed, especially, was the brother with more drive, and the story of the family takes off with the depiction of his worming his way into the royal family's graces by his hard work and willingness to do as he was bid. A "rags to riches" story. . . . The family Saud is, obviously, the central power in a country bearing the family's name (how often does that happen!?).

And that family's history is intertwined with Mohamed's family. This part of the story begins with Abdulaziz Ibn Saud. After working his way upward, Mohamed had the good fortune of beginning to do projects for the royal family. What he did not know about construction, he learned or he hired people who did know what to do. Over time, he became the "go to" person for construction (whether for palaces, or roads, or. . . .) in Saudi Arabia. The quality of his work was sometimes open to question, but his willingness to do whatever the royal family wanted served him well. But enough of a simple chronology.

The book looks at the evolving views of the royal family and the development of Bin Laden's "empire." The story is also filled with tragedy--both Mohamed and perhaps his most promising son, Salem, were killed in air crashes. Osama moved on to a very different life, which is discussed pretty well here. From American support for his work against the Soviet Union to enemy of the United States. . . . An interesting tale here.

Anyway, for readers interested in the Bin Laden family, this represents a very solid piece of work. Research seems done well. Many readers will doubtless come away from this book with a different view of our Saudi "friends."
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Jul 19, 2011

Catherine Richmond added it

What goes into the creation of a Hitler or Pol Pot or Osama Bin Laden? The reasons are complex and could include: Osama's father died in an airplane piloted by a US pilot. Osama received religious instruction from a member of the Muslim Brotherhood during his high school years. And Osama achieved notoriety in the Afghan war against the Soviets.
This book offers greater insight into the experience of Arabs in Middle East through the story of one prominent family. Their story becomes so inte...more

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Feb 17, 2009

Greg rated it

Shelves: biography, history

I read the book as sort of "Where's Waldo?" exercise. My bet is that Osama Bin Laden is hanging out in Peshwar province, although Somalia, Yemen, or Saudi Arabia are all good bets.

I gave a low rating to the book because the analysis was so shallow. Yes, the bin Ladens are rich and like fast planes and cars. I get it. The men have multiple wives, so they tend to have huge families. Many have contributed to jihad in the 1980's when the Soviet Union fought the Taleban in Afgh...more

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Jan 17, 2012

Elizabeth Managan rated it

Once again, Steve Coll shows his skills as a storyteller, as that's how this nonfiction book reads. It's not quite as good as Ghost Wars, but that's not a knock, Ghost Wars did win a Pulitzer after all. The book really gives a history of the overall family, as well as giving lots of insights into the history of the Saudi royal family as well, with the ultimate goal of helping us understand what shaped Osama's ultimate personality. It's clear that he takes nothing for granted in his research, ...more

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Apr 06, 2009

Erika rated it

Super interesting! This book focuses on the history of the whole Bin Laden family, from a generation before Osama's when his father, Mohamed Bin Laden came to Saudi Arabia from Yemen as a very poor youth who basically built a construction empire worth millions, all the way to about 2006/7. Mohamed took a lot of wives and so the Bin Laden family of Osama's generation is upwards of 50 siblings. Basically, there are some in the family who are somewhat more religious, but nothing out of the ordina...more

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Sep 30, 2010

Jade rated it

The Bin Laden family raised itself from humble beginnings in a Yemeni valley to become one of the wealthiest and most influential in Saudi Arabia. The author first explores the origins of the Bin Laden connection to the Saudi royals and carries the reader at a good pace to present day. This book masterfully intertwines the varied stories of the vast numbers of Bin Laden children as their family's wealth takes them across the globe. During their globe-trotting adventures, conflicts between bus...more

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Jul 25, 2008

Bob rated it

Excellent book on the family of Osama Bin Laden. Gives a good background on Sudia Arabia and the middle east in general. If you interested in world events, this book is an excellent source of information.

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Jun 02, 2009

Colin rated it

Bravo Steve. Bravo.

Again Coll writes an amazing book. This time Coll tackles the subject of the patriarchal business empire of the Bin Ladens. You might have already heard of one of 50+ children by the name of Osama. Osama's life is the tip of the iceberg for family that is as well connected as an family in the entire world based on its ties to the Saudi Royal family.

Coll understands and explains the complexity of the family. I welcome this approach more than someone ...more

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Oct 30, 2010

Kristen rated it

A slow reading but very detailed and interesting book about the Bin Laden family in Saudi Arabia. The book covers the Bin Laden's genology, their pathway to wealth, relationships with Saudi royality, historical politics at various points of time that eventually lead to life outside of Saudi Arabia to America and throughout Europe for many of the Bin Ladens, and of course Osama's pathway to Jihad. A very good inside look into the family and it's individual characters, their relationship dynamics...more

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Jul 20, 2009

Diane rated it

This history of the bin Laden family begins with Osama bin Laden's father's childhood and carries through to the present. The book is a history of the whole family, and in fact, Osama is a relatively minor character in it. The author appears to be concentrating on the members of the family that lived in the West, likely because information about them was more readily available. He provides a good overview of the family as a whole, as well as a window into the privileged world of rich Saudi Ar...more

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May 28, 2011

Andrea rated it

Shelves: american-history

Ironically this book was sitting atop my "to read" pile when news broke of Osama's death.

In the words of an FBI agent who was wrapping up investigations in 2003, there are "millions of Bin Ladens running around, and 99.999% of them are of the non-evil variety."
Their story begins in remote part of Yemen around the turn of the 20th century when Awadh Bin Laden had a borrowed ox accidentally die on his watch. Unable to repay the debt, he fled to a new village and...moreIronically this book was sitting atop my "to read" pile when news broke of Osama's death.

In the words of an FBI agent who was wrapping up investigations in 2003, there are "millions of Bin Ladens running around, and 99.999% of them are of the non-evil variety."
Their story begins in remote part of Yemen around the turn of the 20th century when Awadh Bin Laden had a borrowed ox accidentally die on his watch. Unable to repay the debt, he fled to a new village and produced two sons of note- Mohamed and Abdullah. The two brothers left, probably in their early teens, to look for work outside the province and wound up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. There, after working odd construction jobs, Mohamed founded his own building company. By the 1960s, when he was accidentally killed in one of his private jets, he was worth hundreds of millions as the preferred contractor of the Saudi royal family. His fortune was divided up among his 54 children in accordance with Islamic law.

Also by law, Mohamed's elder son Salem took over the family construction business and all other patriarchal duties for the siblings like managing inheritance payments and arranging marriages. He proved an able businessman, if something of a goofball. By maintaining his father's ties to the Saudi royal family, despite their own internal power struggles, Salem landed a number of contracts that expanded his father's business beyond its already massive presence. In the 60s and 70s, the Bin Ladens built major highways, international airports, a national phone network, and did major renovations to modernize holy sites in Mecca and Medina. Like most large families, the Bin Ladens were diverse... some sought a Western education and became engineers or executives in the Bin Laden companies; some lived off their inheritance without every working a day in their lives. Some full on moved to the West, others stayed behind as devout Muslims. No doubt many Western ideals were transported back to Saudi Arabia by the family, including the "Disneyfication" of holy sites like the newly air-conditioned Prophet's Mosque in Medina (surrounded by new condos and parking lots), or the new construction of a public restroom atop what was believed to be the Prophet's house in Mecca. In the late 80s, Salem died in a plane accident. His brother Bakr took over the patriarchal role, and though less of a jokester, expanded the business even further so that the family was and continues to be unimaginably rich.

Osama was born sometime in the early 1950s, placing him somewhere in the middle, age-wise, of his 53 siblings. Due to his age and lower social status of his mother, he was unremarkable for most of his early years. Always devout, he chose to remain in Jeddah for his education, and in high school was introduced to a fundamentalist take on Islam by his biology teacher who had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Still, Osama took business and engineering classes at the local university and went to work in the family companies. According to Coll's research, Osama didn't appear to be particularly good at managing work sites. He also occasionally annoyed his older half siblings with his growing religiousness.
Meanwhile, it was the mid 80s and the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan. The war took on a "spring break" mentality for young radicalized Saudis... it was fashionable to spend a week or two of vacation touring the jihad battlefield, helping Afghan refugees, and maybe firing a few shots.. the way Christian youth groups might send kids on a week-long Habitat for Humanity trip. Because he was rich and believed the Soviets were infidels, Osama took on a larger role in Peshawar, Pakistan by setting up camps for Saudi visitors and purchasing relief supplies and weapons. Osama and those who came to his camps clearly believed they were engaged in righteous holy war, but a CIA operative who surveyed Afghan commanders at the time found that the Afghans viewed the Arab recruits as a tiny, disposable faction.

Osama was beginning to find his (pro-Jihad, anti-Semitic) voice among the Arab recruits, though by shrewdly advertising the humanitarian cause of Afghan refugees, he continued to operate with backing from the Saudi royal family and charitable donations from rich families (including his own). Then the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in the late 80s, leaving Osama with recruits and training camps - the beginning of the organization Al Qaeda - but no war. He turned his attention to Yemeni rebels along the southern border of Saudi Arabia, but the royals weren't interested in supporting him. Worse, in 1990, Saudi Arabia brought in American forces to protect the Iraqi border from invasion by Saddam Hussein... Osama lobbied hard that the protection of the country containing Islam's holiest cities was the highest and most honorable form of jihad. For the royals to ignore him, and give the job to Westerners, was profoundly insulting.
Osama fled to Sudan, where he increased his following by publishing essays, poems, and speeches condemning the West and Jews. The Bin Ladens, who relied on the Saudi royals and many Western partners for their ever-growing business, tried one by one to get him to return or face true exile. He held firm and lost his Saudi citizenship. In 1993, though he didn't appear to be directly related to its funding or execution, the WTC bomber cited Osama's teachings as his influence. The Bin Ladens couldn't bear having Osama's inheritance and company dividends paying for terrorism, so he was supposedly cut off at this time.
With dwindling funds, and facing a Sudanese government that wanted legitimacy from the West, Osama bitterly returned to Pakistan. There he continued publishing his views, which brought in more money and recruits to Al Qaeda. Soon he formed a friendly relationship with Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. Presumably fueled by his newfound support, and his rage over his brother's continued incorporation of Western technology and ideals into Saudi construction, Osama delved further and further into outright terrorism. Of course we know the rest. Coll speculates that in the days following 9/11, he became a news junkie, issuing statements in direct response to mass media and Internet broadcasts. Who knows what he was up to in the months before he died.

The rest of the Bin Ladens appeared stunned by their half brother. While he was in exile, a majority of the 54 siblings had expanded their wealth, through continued construction projects, investments in technology, utilities, real estate, retail, aviation, and just about anything else one might invest in, all secured in offshore accounts. This, combined with cooled relations between the US and the Saudi royals, and departmental divisions within the CIA and FBI, slowed the post-9/11 investigations. Finding Osama's money trail proved an enormous challenge, letting alone finding the man himself.

The relationship between Americans and the Bin Laden family remains murky. We have certainly heard the last from Osama, but we are probably only beginning to hear from the Bin Ladens.(less)

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Nov 05, 2010

Kristina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Over 500 pages of meticulously researched details of the Bin Laden family history and the beginnings of Saudi Arabia. Very interesting, although at times the amount of information is a bit overwhelming. Coll also gives detailed information about Wahhabism and its rise in Saudi Arabia. It was ironic to see how materialistic these supposedly very religious Saudi Arabian royalty are and how they waste money on an unbelievable scale. When the oil runs out, or we finally turn to renewable energy sour...more

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Dec 10, 2009

Justin Mitchell rated it

· review of another edition

Whew! Like Ghost Wars, Steve Coll shows such a thorough and complete understanding of his subjects that they come alive like characters in a Tolstoy novel. While this one went on a bit long, its subject was so massive- chronicling a family with over fifty members in a single generation- that I think Coll actually pulled it off quite well, and I left really feeling like I knew these characters and their place within the zeitgiest of their time. Coll manages that alchemical shred of philosophic...more

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May 10, 2009

Chris rated it

Excellent and very insightful look deep into the history of the Bin Laden legacy. There was a lot of stuff that I never knew about Osama's background, his personality, and how his extremist views came into being. This book exposes all of this. Coll, does an excellent job of digging deep into the everyday life of the Bin Laden family. When talking about Osama though there were a lot of "what ifs" and not enough research was focused on how Osama acquired funding for his terror network. I...more

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Mar 22, 2009

Jglhome rated it

This book is meticulously and creatively researched and reported. Coll weaves together all his sources into a narrative that reads better than most fiction. I had no idea that Osama bin Laden came from the Rockefellers of Saudi Arabia, and was an active member of the family up until the early 1990's . . . . The book paints a picture of Saudi Arabia and its neighbors that provided me with a context in which to view not only Osama's activies, but to grasp a bit more what's happening in the Sudan...more

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Jun 13, 2009

Bryan rated it

Steve Coll is one of my favorite authors of books, as well as periodical articles. This book traces the story of one of the most notorious family names in the world. It was a family involved in the creation and moderinization of the state of Saudi Arabia. Due to Islamic law and their progenitor's prolificacy, there were dozens of children and hundreds of grandchildren.

This is as close to an episode of the American television program, Dallas, as one could find in reality. Perhaps ...more

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Mar 09, 2011

thewanderingjew rated it

As the 20th century begins, the Bin Laden saga does as well. It is almost an accident of fate, the death of an oxen, borrowed by Awadh, that begins the Bin Laden clan in earnest. The book examines the rise and fall of this prominent family beginning with the line of Ali. His descendant, Aboud has one son, Awadh. Awahd has four sons, two of which, Mohammed and Abdullah are the early focus. At first, it reads almost like a fairytale or a nightmare as their very survival seems to depend on magical...moreAs the 20th century begins, the Bin Laden saga does as well. It is almost an accident of fate, the death of an oxen, borrowed by Awadh, that begins the Bin Laden clan in earnest. The book examines the rise and fall of this prominent family beginning with the line of Ali. His descendant, Aboud has one son, Awadh. Awahd has four sons, two of which, Mohammed and Abdullah are the early focus. At first, it reads almost like a fairytale or a nightmare as their very survival seems to depend on magical moments or accidents of fate. Since much of the history is handed down orally, it is really hard to separate fact from fiction, sometimes.
The Bin Laden family fell into the good graces of the King by sheer force of events, unplanned and unchoreographed. When Abdulaziz wanted help to build shelters for his ever growing fleet of cars, the Americans and the British refused. Had they accepted, perhaps Mohammed Bin Laden would not have stepped up to fill in the construction gap which eventually brought him prominence and fortune. Perhaps the clan would have deteriorated into oblivion instead of infamy.
King Abdulaziz, of Saudi Arabia, was brought up in strict observance to Wahhabism, and in spite of his religious background or in consequence of it, he is a womanizer. He has wives or slaves or mistresses in the hundreds. Women are property. In all other ways he is an observer of the Koran, praying often during the day. Although he loves toys and new technology, often prohibited, he finds outlandish excuses to be allowed to use them. Those that disagree too strongly with him are merely eliminated.
The very reading of this book will likely enrage some because of the obvious debauchery displayed and lived out by the very wealthy Saudis in the Bin Laden family. Their wealth and power gives them tremendous access to the most famous royal families and well known personages of the world. Their personal pleasure governs them. Their toys are of the exceptional variety. Price is never an object or concern. When the mood strikes them, they pick up and follow their whims, but they also respond immediately when the royal family beckons. The Bin Ladens were there at the ready to do their bidding.
Mohammed Bin Laden was either a business genius or the hapless recipient of accidents of fate which I tend to doubt. I think he was very clever and inserted himself into situations which provided him the advantage he needed with the royal family. Even if he was unprepared, and not up to the task presented to him, he accepted it and managed to pull it off. He took the risk, carved out deals which projected him into the spotlight, married strategically and made influential alliances. Sometime in 1958, his 14 year old bride, Alia, gave birth to Osama Bin Laden.
Salem, Osama’s brother, rose to power after the death of Mohammed, in a plane crash. He was more fun loving and as the brother in power, managed to endear himself to many of the Saudi princes in power and to King Fahd. Although, he too liked to play a lot, he was pious and professed to do everything for Allah.. He had ruder manners and behavior, loved the party life, the night life and also took many wives and had many children.
The hypocrisy and decadence with which the Bin Ladens lived their lives is almost hard to read about because of its extravagance. They seemed to worship money as much as Islam. They practiced the art of “do as I say, not as I do”, with a vengeance.
When I reached the half way point in the book, I was struck by a comment made by Carmen, wife of Yeslam, ½ brother to Salem. She noted that when the brothers came together, you never knew when they would turn from carousing to being very pious. One minute you would think they were westernized but then small things made you realize that they were not. She said they cannot cut the bond that is embedded in them. She said her own husband cannot cut the bond that is his early childhood. It gave me pause and I wondered about Barack Obama, who had been educated in madrassas as a small child, until around the age of 8, I believe. Can he cut that bond? Has he? Will it resurface at some point in time? She posed an interesting concept.
Osama became a radicalized member of the Muslim Brotherhood at around the age of 15 because of the influence of his teacher, Ahmed Badeeb, who was active in the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization believing in Sharia law and violence. Using participation in sports as a bribe, the teacher enlisted young men to join him in the movement. Osama was a quiet and well behaved young man, easily swayed by the teacher. Osama was more religious than most and even believed in ancient traditions and modes of dress. In Saudi Arabia, Islam is part of the culture and even in more moderate households, it is a major theme of life. Someone in every home believes in Islam and there is always a Koran evident. The Brotherhood messages were filled with political dissent and preached teaching and proselytizing. Obama was a devout and obedient follower. Even as a young man, he disliked America and its policies toward Jews and Christians which he felt certain was a policy intent on destroying or undermining Islam. He believed wholeheartedly in Jihad.
Osama makes influential relationships in the holy cities and when he begins funneling money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and than Afghanistan, under the tutelage of Badeeb, who has risen in the ranks of the government, he fosters these with the informal exchange of money in informal gatherings.
Osama’s connections with the Brotherhood mentors is kismet and coupled with his influential connections, make it possible for his love/hate relationship with the United States to begin, with an increasing involvement in the Muslim Brotherhood making him an important arm of their movement.
While reading the book, you discover that it is not hard to understand how an intelligent person could become involved in such a radical cause. His declaration of war against America provides him with a legitimate reason to plot and plan the attacks against America and then to happily witness the death and destruction. He has accomplished his goal. The idea that this madman is still walking around with his followers and protectors who may or may not be mad, but who follow him blindly as haters, is mindboggling. I cannot reconcile that in my mind. He should have been caught and but for the lack of fortitude on the part of the United States, might well have been early on, possibly preventing 9/11 from even occurring. We will never know. Someone out there must be protecting him…but whom? I could keep on summarizing but than you would not have to read the book which is really a fount of information for anyone wanting to learn about the Bin Ladens and in particular, Osama’s rise to power with such an evil intent in the name of his G-d, Allah.

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Jan 07, 2009

Tripp rated it

teve Coll's Ghost Wars is one of my favorite nonfiction books of the past decade. It details CIA activity in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion to 9/11. His follow up book, the Bin Ladens, is related in subject matter, it is quite a different book. Unlike Ghost Wars which deals mostly with governments and guerillas in conflict, the Bin Ladens reads like a tragic family story. Imagine reading Ron Chernow's House of Morgan, with the addition of a rogue scion who turns anarchist and tries to blow...moreteve Coll's Ghost Wars is one of my favorite nonfiction books of the past decade. It details CIA activity in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion to 9/11. His follow up book, the Bin Ladens, is related in subject matter, it is quite a different book. Unlike Ghost Wars which deals mostly with governments and guerillas in conflict, the Bin Ladens reads like a tragic family story. Imagine reading Ron Chernow's House of Morgan, with the addition of a rogue scion who turns anarchist and tries to blow up Wall Street.

While the Bin Laden name in the West is associated almost exclusively with Osama, in the Arab world it is equally known for wealth and connection to power. Mohammed Bin Laden, father of 50+ children, formed the Bin Laden construction company and became a partner with the House of Saud in building the country. With the relationship came money and an expansion into other businesses.

The book's subtitle is An Arabian Family in an American Century and a key element of the book is the split in the Bin Laden family (representing in some sense a tension in the broader Arab world) between those who wanted to take advantage of the freedoms of the West and those that rejected the West and sought to live a pure Islamic life.

While the book is a tad too long, it reads well. In addition to the challenges of being Islamic in an American world, the Bin Ladens were (and are) fabulously wealthy. Coll details the unbelievable lifestyles, which included a fixation on aviation. That family trait would be taken up by many, including of course Osama.

While the book is in one sense a business family history, it is also the story of Osama. Coll discusses him here mostly in the context of the broader family. Given the huge number of children, it isn't too surprising that there would be outliers, but messianic mass murderers are in a special class of outlier.

This is a book well worth reading, but don't expect a lot of action. While the Afghan jihad plays a part, there is much more on business deals, airplane lessons and trying to be both Islamic and Western. (less)

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May 28, 2009

mark rated it

Recommends it for: all humans

Shelves: nonfiction, relationships

This is a must read for humans. Guess what? The bin Laden clan is not so different from any other family--they've got personalities that span the spectrum. Osama's father had 54 children and died in a plane crash. Daddy was an ambitious, clever, can-do sort of man. A charismatic opportunist, and a capitalist. He built a company up from nothing and, by Islamic law, his fortune and business were passed on to his children. Osama got his share. He was an only child from a Syrian wife. He was a quie...more

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Dec 02, 2008

Shivesh rated it

Shelves: political

A dispassionate and haunted history of the most infamous family of the new century, 'The Bin Ladens' is a crucial read for anyone interested in the rise of the clan's resident fundamentalist. As author Coll asserts, most important to our understanding of this man is the familial history that provided the backdrop for his radicalization. But this is a book about a family, and their distinct rise through a society. This book has been absolutely hailed by critics everywhere, and I can see why. ...moreA dispassionate and haunted history of the most infamous family of the new century, 'The Bin Ladens' is a crucial read for anyone interested in the rise of the clan's resident fundamentalist. As author Coll asserts, most important to our understanding of this man is the familial history that provided the backdrop for his radicalization. But this is a book about a family, and their distinct rise through a society. This book has been absolutely hailed by critics everywhere, and I can see why. It is a tight and absorbing read from the first page onward. I have no idea if the bin Ladens were really compelling characters that this book suggests, but Steve Coll does an amazing job of portraying this family fairly and critically appraising them with a top journalist's eye.

Mohammed bin Laden was one of two brothers who emerged from a dusty valley deep in the Saudi desert in the early 1900s, driven by poverty to find their fortune in the relatively new city of Riyadh. Coll recounts a brief history of the Saudi royal family, including their early days of carrying all their money in a wooden box carried by the "treasurer" and various other silly stories. Until the discovery of oil, this was a poor and quite a backward country (and in many ways remains so). The country was as it was in the days of Muhammad, a desert nation with many warring, nomadic tribes. After brutal battles and political killings, the Sauds took over the country in time for oil to become the fuel of the new century. They embarked on thousands of building projects, which costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Mohammed and his sons were there to do the job for handsome fees. Thus, the bin Ladens became one of the richest families in the world. I do find it ironic that a distinctly American work ethic and penchant for opportunism helped the bin Ladens to grow from two poor brothers to an extremely wealthy family of hundreds.

Osama is the only son of a minor wife of Mohammed bin Laden. As you can imagine, this results in some social tension between the wives and their children. Much of what passes for respect in the Saudi culture lies in your paternity and lineage. Osama did not always belong in the larger bin Laden family because of his youth, his inexperience and his status as a son of a minor wife. There is a suggestion throughout Coll's book that Osama used his inherited wealth to seek respect as an important Muslim leader, or 'emir' of downtrodden peoples in other Islamic countries. This part of the book follows Osama to Sudan, Afghanistan and all the way to his fateful attack on 9/11. Zwahiri and other influential figures in his life aren't examined as much as fathers and father figures. Looming over this story is Salem bin Laden, who was Mohammed's eldest son and the patriarch of the family until his untimely death. He dominates the middle narrative, and his ghost haunts the future of the family, which has not been as powerful or as consolidated as when Salem was living.

The true stars of this history are Mohammed and Salem. Very powerful, strong minded men, and Coll does a wonderful job in fleshing them out. These are the first two parts of the book and are incredibly engaging and fascinating. The true picture of these men develop in various personal tales and anecdotes, not all positive. The third and final part of this book bogs down in exposition and a rapidly expanding scope, to include the various travels of Osama and the many new people he meets on the way. His terrorism is surprisingly only barely described in favor of his movements, his family relations and his business ties. Only as we approach 9/11 do his terror activities become examined. Up to that point we get the distinct impression that Osama was being used by the jihadis for his money and influence more than ideology. Indeed, Osama is probably the most genuine fundamentalist among the terrorists he hangs out with, who are largely uneducated and ready to die for any cause you can persuade them towards. He is not a hardcore Islamist intellectual like Zwahiri but certainly not like the rest of the bin Laden clan, immersed in Western culture and educated in Western schools. He walks in two worlds but belonging to neither.

Osama is a specter and a puzzle. He is a figure you can't interview directly or necessarily separate from the legends that surrounded Al-Queda, so Coll fills in much of his character from anecdotes and family stories. In this case it is just disconcerting to compare his destiny to what the rest of his family came from and are going. His upbringing and education hinted at no radicalization, but it happened anyway and in spectacular fashion. Osama really becomes the most unlikely terrorist even as he remains the most wanted one.(less)

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Jul 01, 2011

Karen rated it

This book provides a fascinating look inside the royal house of Saud and the Bin Laden family. While it does not provide any new information about Osama Bin Laden, it does provide riveting details of what is essentially a rags to riches story. What struck me most is the reality that the Bin Laden family is not really any different than the average American family. Both aspire to have financial security, and well-educated and happy children. Definitely worth reading.

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May 20, 2009

Jacquelyn rated it

Fascinating book about Al Saud Royal Family and the Bin Ladens. The book is well researched. I was amazed at the self indulgence and double standard the Saudis showed when in their own country and outside. It is hard to understand their lack of sensitivity to the poverty and need in their country and their outlandish spending. It was interesting to see Osama influenced at an early age by a school teacher and his evolution into a hateful media loving terrorist.

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Sep 07, 2008

Pooch rated it

Though the narrative glides along like a novel, I soon found myself in unfamiliar territory. Essentially, I had very little prior knowledge to provide context to my reading. After a while, I realized that I had shifted to textbook reading because this biography of an enormous family in an exotic land was loaded with learning for this reader.

I searched for and printed two maps of the Middle East to help me coordinate to the settings in the book. In fact, that is a suggestion I would m...more

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Jun 22, 2009

Bridget rated it

Shelves: currentevents

A fascinating book which gives background about the vast Bin Laden family. It gives incredible detail about the family structure and dynamics, in particular the difficulty managing the Western influence on a Muslim family. What it does not do is tell you what made Osama the man he is now. The focus is clearly the Bin Laden family, it addresses Osama in that context. Excellent non-fiction read.

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Sep 04, 2009

Chris rated it

· review of another edition

Very lengthy, very interesting book about the modern history of the Bin Laden family, starting with Osama's father through 9/11. At times a tad tedious, the most interesting parts are about the hedonistic excesses of Osama's brothers. I knew next to nothing about Arab and Saudi history, and this book will give you a good idea of what happened in the last century.

· see review

Sep 11, 2009

Heather Denkmire rated it

Shelves: gave-up

Tossed it aside after... a few chapters. First I was thinking I'm just not a biography person. I love memoir, personal stories, personal essays, autobiographies, but, maybe not biographies.

No. I just think this sucked. A recitation of names and dates and locations with almost no meat on any of the stories. Blech. Boring. (Sure, a little bit interesting to get the background on the tech- and marketing-savvy Osama Bin Laden, but, not worth much of my time.)

· see review

Jun 24, 2009

Brent rated it

· review of another edition

Steve Coll is an amazing writer, Ghost Wars is still one of my favorite books. Sadly I don't think that this book lended itself to the intrigue that was maybe expected befor he started his research. Read Ghost Wars or Looming Towers before you pick this up. Good audio to listen to in the car.

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About Steve Coll

Steve Coll is President & CEO of New America Foundation, and a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. Previously he spent 20 years as a foreign correspondent and senior editor at The Washington Post, serving as the paper's managing editor from 1998 to 2004.

He is author six books, including The Deal of the Century: The Break Up of AT&T (1986); The Taking of Getty Oil (1987); Eagle on the Street ...more

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Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001

The Deal of the Century: The Breakup of AT&T

The Taking of Getty Oil: The Full Story of the Most Spectacular & Catastrophic Takeover of All Time

Private Empire: Exxonmobil and American Power

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