http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1352235...

This really covers only the last two centuries - the period to 1800 is covered in a breathless 35-page first chapter - but I learnt a lot from it. Although I knew the general outline of the fall of the Ottoman Empire (including the Arab revolt) and was also fairly familiar with the highlights of post-1948 history, there was a lot from the three decades between that was new to me, specifically the various imperialist engagements with Arab governments and governance. Really the notion that the US and/or the Europeans could be credible advocates of democracy in the Middle East was always nonsense.   ( )

Although the last chapter is outdated since the book was published in 1991, this is a very readable and utilitarian history book. ( )

This first edition is quite different from the second edition, which was revised by another author. ( )

The author chronicles the last two centuries in the Middle East’s history, from the decline of the Ottoman Empire, through European colonialism, onto decolonization and the advent of nationalism and ending at the present with the rise of militant Islamic fundamentalism and efforts at reform. Although the subject matter is emotionally charged, I found the book to be fair and balanced, relying on meticulous historical research. Good if one wants a fairly impartial and well written overview of the deeply imbedded and complex reasons for the current upheaval in the region – including the seemingly intractable Arab-Israeli conflict. ( )