Disorientations was written by Peter Lienhardt as part of a book on the Gulf shaikhdoms, which was near completion at the time of his death in 1986. It relates to his journeys and studies in Kuwait from 1953 onwards, a time when Kuwaiti society was changing rapidly. Oil revenue was bringing a new prosperity to the country, immigrant workers were forming an ever greater proportion of the population, and yet the shaikhs still governed and brought stability through their power and influence with both the settled and nomadic communities. In Disorientations, Lienhardt blends anthropological observations with his own personal impressions and feelings, with anecdotes, humour and historical perspectives. His capacity to portray details richly and vividly brings the events of thirty years ago to life, as freshly as if they had happened only yesterday.
