American Journal of Islam and Society (Jan 2010)
A History of the Modern Middle East, 4th ed.
Abstract
This extensive and lucid book provides a laudable introduction to the political history of the Middle East, tracing its development from Islam’s rise in the seventh century to the recent direct American military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the opening chapters start with Islam’s “rise and expansion,” however, the book’s main chronological focus centers on the late eighteenth century onward. This only adds to its current status. The geographical area covered is from Egypt to Iran, and from Turkey to the Arabian Peninsula. Some omission, however, was necessary (e.g., western North Africa, Sudan, and Afghanistan) in order to keep the book manageable (p. xiii). While extensiveness and generality frequently lead to unavoidable simplification and superficiality, this book nevertheless contains an insightful analysis of the continuum of events and transformations that have helped shape the region’s history and geography. The authors are to be praised for their grasp and clear conceptualization of core issues, as well as for their effort to maintain a good measure of narrative neutrality and thus eschewing the usual prejudices and biases ...