Saudi Arabia.

A colourful photobook, gifted to a delegate to an international geological conference held in Jeddah. Published midway through the second Five-Year Development Plan, it documents "the concrete achievements of recent years which have witnessed the rapid transition from a traditional society towards a technological one" (rear cover). Tipped onto the title page verso is a sheet, in English and Arabic, stating that this copy was "presented on occasion of the international symposium on evolution and mineralization of the Arabian-Nubian Shield", which was convened in February 1978 at the Institute of Applied Geology, King Abdulaziz University. Some of the photographs celebrate recent achievements in Saudi science and technology. No publication date is given, and we have traced a number of editions with unknown priority, including one spiral-bound and one in three languages. Large quarto. Colour illustrations throughout. Original pictorial wrappers, spine lettered in black, front cover lettered in white, map on inner front cover. Spine ends bumped, covers creased, some leaves proud where volume somewhat crudely bound, photographs bright: a very good copy.…