Reddit reviews The History of Saudi Arabia

Instead of stepping on a possible landmine, I'd recommend asking her about it to learn as much as you can from her. The national narrative differs quite a bit from most books.

So you've got the standard Fromkin:
A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East

http://www.amazon.com/Peace-End-All-Ottoman-Creation-ebook/dp/B003X27L7C/

Karen House as an overview:

http://www.amazon.com/On-Saudi-Arabia-People-Religion-ebook/dp/B007MDK5GM/

Then you've got the . . . interesting take on it from Alexei Vassiliev.

http://www.amazon.com/History-Saudi-Arabia-Alexei-Vassiliev-ebook/dp/B00F21X5Y0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

There's more stuff but that should give a fairly comprehensive overview for what you're looking on.

Muhammad ibn Saud founded KSA before oil was discovered (and without the help of the British), and at that time he was one of the most powerful warlords in the region. Al Saud consolidated its power after the Arab revolt when the British switched its support from Hussein to Al Saud (but this point he had already conquered most of the peninsula). The British didn't even know about the oil at this point. Oil wasn't even discovered till 1938, long after Saudi Arabia was a established nation

I agree the country wouldn't be as powerful today if not for oil but I hardly see how that's relevant.

A good read if your actually interested in the hisotry the