Throughout the process of researching, writing and publishing this book I have benefited greatly from the assistance of Dr Marc Valeri, and I would like to convey my deep gratitude to him for directing and advising me and for offering positive feedback. My heartfelt thanks are due also to my family for their love, support and inspiration which have motivated me to succeed in this project. To my wonderful wife, who has always encouraged me, I give special thanks, and I am grateful to my sons Mohammed, Saad and Talal, and to my parents, who have always done their utmost to show their confidence in me and to support me, my wife and our children.

Undertaking research in Gulf Studies as part of the groundwork for this book was demanding, but the assistance of the following people facilitated and eased my efforts: Yahya al-Kandari, Ali al-Kandari, Talal Al-Rashoud, Ibrahem al-Gami‘a, Ahmad Al-Faraj, Abdullah Al-Obaid and Bader al-Qallaf. For your generosity in making source materials available to me, I am grateful to you all. It would not have been feasible to achieve my ambition of producing this book without the assistance of the libraries, archives and institutions in Kuwait which have welcomed me and enabled me to carry out my research, and I convey my thanks to them. I would like especially to acknowledge the assistance of ʿAbd al-‘Aziz al-Khatib at the Center of Research and Studies on Kuwait (CRSK); Mohammed al-Hosaini at the Kuwait National Library; and Mohammed al-Otaibi, who most kindly allowed me to access his father's and grandfather's papers.

I want also to express my gratitude to Gerlach Press and to Kai-Henning Gerlach, whose endeavours have made possible the publication of this book. Lastly, I could not have completed this project without the unstinting support of my friends Page Allende and Maher Younis, and I give them my warmest and most sincere thanks. I have greatly enjoyed and valued all our discussions.