--- product_id: 48317158 title: "Dubai: The Story of the World's Fastest City" price: "$32.49" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/48317158-dubai-the-story-of-the-worlds-fastest-city store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Fastest-growing city insights Deep historical narrative Iconic skyscraper evolution Dubai: The Story of the World's Fastest City **Price:** $32.49 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🏙️ Discover the city that redefined fast growth and luxury living! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Dubai: The Story of the World's Fastest City - **How much does it cost?** $32.49 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/48317158-dubai-the-story-of-the-worlds-fastest-city) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Balanced Narrative:** Celebrates luxury while confronting environmental and social challenges. - • **Cultural Deep-Dive:** A must-read for understanding the Middle East beyond the surface. - • **Insider Perspectives:** Authentic accounts revealing both glamour and grit. - • **Architectural Marvels:** From humble beginnings to a skyline of shimmering skyscrapers. - • **Unrivaled Growth Story:** Explore Dubai’s meteoric rise, outpacing even China’s economy. ## Overview Dubai: The Story of the World's Fastest City chronicles Dubai’s astonishing transformation from a modest pearl-diving town to a global metropolis. Combining vivid storytelling with insider insights, this book offers a nuanced look at Dubai’s rapid economic boom, iconic architecture, and complex social fabric, making it essential reading for curious professionals eager to grasp the forces shaping one of the 21st century’s most dynamic cities. ## Description Today, Dubai is a city of shimmering skyscrapers attracting thousands of tourists every year. Yet just sixty years ago Dubai's population scraped a living by picking dates, diving for pearls, or sailing in wooden dhows to trade with Iran and India. Dubai is everything the rest of the Arab world is not. Until recently it was the fastest-growing city in the world, with an economy whose growth outpaced China's while luring more tourists than all of India. The city has become a metaphor for the lush life, where the wealthy mingle in gilded splendour and luxury cars fill the streets, yet it is also beset by a backwash of bad design, environmental degradation and controversial labour practices. Dubai tells its unique story. Review: A Gem of a Book - After a short visit to Dubai last Christmas I couldn't believe how strange and peculiar it was and I needed to find out what was underneath all the glitz. First I read Dubai Dreams by Raymond Barrett but it did not provide the historical depth or detail. Jim Krane's book is excellent and beautifully written, forgive me for saying this, I know there are many great American writers out there but I really thought the book had been written by an Englishman as it was so smoothly crafted. This book answered many of my questions and has provided me with more understanding of the Middle East and a thirst to learn more and travel to that region again but to areas with greater authenticity like Oman. Review: Couldn't put it down - Having visited Dubai twice recently, I was keen to learn more about just how this incredible place came to be. Jim Krane's book provides all the answers. Vividly told and relying on accounts from people who know the city inside out, the book is gripping and, at times, quite the page turner. It's snappy and fast, just like the place it describes. And it doesn't shy away from telling the story of the shadier side of Dubai, which it's important to know about to understand the place fully. The book also provides excellent insight into the Ruler of Dubai and his family. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 290,825 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 2,260 in Travel Writing (Books) 6,503 in World History (Books) 8,133 in Social & Cultural History | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 119 Reviews | ## Images ![Dubai: The Story of the World's Fastest City - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81zLrPGYPnL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Gem of a Book *by E***E on 20 October 2011* After a short visit to Dubai last Christmas I couldn't believe how strange and peculiar it was and I needed to find out what was underneath all the glitz. First I read Dubai Dreams by Raymond Barrett but it did not provide the historical depth or detail. Jim Krane's book is excellent and beautifully written, forgive me for saying this, I know there are many great American writers out there but I really thought the book had been written by an Englishman as it was so smoothly crafted. This book answered many of my questions and has provided me with more understanding of the Middle East and a thirst to learn more and travel to that region again but to areas with greater authenticity like Oman. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Couldn't put it down *by R***N on 17 February 2014* Having visited Dubai twice recently, I was keen to learn more about just how this incredible place came to be. Jim Krane's book provides all the answers. Vividly told and relying on accounts from people who know the city inside out, the book is gripping and, at times, quite the page turner. It's snappy and fast, just like the place it describes. And it doesn't shy away from telling the story of the shadier side of Dubai, which it's important to know about to understand the place fully. The book also provides excellent insight into the Ruler of Dubai and his family. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A good introductory book to start understanding Dubai. *by D***Z on 1 June 2013* This is a very good book, which gives a good account on how Dubai developed into what it is today. The author, a former corresponsal for the whole Middle East, used (in my view abused) his journalistic background to produce a book that is lively, easy to read, very illustrative and informative, but it leaves the reader with many questions without answers. The information given in the book is well supported by references to either other books, or interviews, conducted by the author, to some already historical fugures (in the Dubai development context), academics and other comentators of the political and economic developments of the region. These last references make this book to be in between a history book and a compilation of extended newspaper articles. It is not easy to see what, of the many points made in the book, are historical facts and what is just the author or his interviewes interpretation. However, as a regular visitor to Dubai (have a relative working there), I highly recommend this book to start understanding what it has been achieved in terms of the social relations withing this city and its place within the United Arabs Emirates and the rest of the Middle East. ## Frequently Bought Together - Dubai: The Story of the World's Fastest City - My Story - UAE - Culture Smart!: the Essential Guide to Customs & Culture --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/48317158-dubai-the-story-of-the-worlds-fastest-city](https://www.desertcart.us/products/48317158-dubai-the-story-of-the-worlds-fastest-city) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-07-20*