In the Secret Country

Antoni Vives spent six years in Saudi Arabia, at the helm of Neom, the most ambitious and grandiose project in history, and is probably one of the Westerners who has had the closest dealings with the controversial Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in recent years. Neom is an autonomous development region the size of Belgium, intended to become the cornerstone of the country’s transformation away from its dependence on oil. Its projects include The Line, a 170-kilometre linear city; Oxagon, an industrial city; and Trojena, a ski resort, among others. What is being built there is closer than ever to science fiction.

From his unique vantage point, Antoni Vives has written a compelling memoir of these six years, evoking the people and situations at the heart of Saudi power. From royal palaces to the humblest homes, from early-morning meetings with the Crown Prince to prayers in the mosque, he offers an unprecedented glimpse into a key country on the international chessboard, one undergoing dizzying transformation and with significant ties to Catalonia and Barcelona.