This comprehensive work provides a penetrating analysis of modern Middle Eastern history, from the Ottoman and Egyptian reforms, through the challenge of Western imperialism, to the Iranian Revolution and the Gulf War. After introducing the reader to the region's history from the origins of Islam in the seventh century, Cleveland focuses on the past two centuries of profound and often dramatic change. While built around a framework of political history, the book also carefully integrates social, cultural, and economic developments into a single, carefully crafted account. The revised and updated third edition of this benchmark text places the developments of the 1990s in a new historical perspective and includes an examination of key events of the early twenty-first century. An epilogue offers a critical evaluation, from a historian's perspective, of the al-Qa'ida attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the early phases of the US occupation of Iraq.
A readable text on a difficult topic. ^ Listening or reading the news nowadays becomes increasingly difficult as we hear about unknown nations going through wars and events that we don't understand. Whether your a student or not, "A History of the Modern Middle East" will help you get a better understanding of foreign affairs. With Cleveland's comprehensive explanation, you will be able to hold an intelligent conversation about today's "New York Times'" international news section without sounding like an empty show-off! "I have no clue" will leave your vocabulary.
NB: Consider getting the newer edition, though. Since there is a section on modern politics in this book, the newer version obviously has more valuable, updated information (if that's something you care about.)
Poor customer service ^ I ordered this book on September 3 and by October had still not received it. The seller Andrew Oberstadt never answered my e-mail asking where my book is. I will never order from this seller again as he is very unreliable.
Excellent Text Book ^ So far a very informative unbiased approach to the development of the Middle East. I have enjoyed this thoroughly thought out text book. It doesn't feel like you are reading a text book.
An impressive and substantial work of seminal scholarship ^ America's military, financial, and cultural involvement with the Middle East is as on-going as it is problematic both in terms of suppressing attacks on America targets and our economic reliance on Middle Eastern petroleum resources. Yet before the emergence of a beligerant and violent Muslim extremism that led to attacks on the American homeland, most Americans know very little about the history and cultures that comprise this area of the world. Now in a newly revised and significantly updated fourth edition, "A History Of The Modern Middle East", co-authored by the late William L. Cleveland (who was a Professor of History at the Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) and Martin Bunton (who is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada), is a comprehensive historical overview of the region beginning with an insightful analysis of the Ottoman and Egyptian reforms through the rule of European colonialists, down to the American invasion and occupation of Iraq. This latest edition addresses the evolving developments of the past few decades that have transformed Middle Eastern societies and the consequent tensions between the forces of modernization and conservative cultural and religious ideological resistence. Of special note is the new chapter on "America's Troubled Moment in the Middle East" which focuses upon the aftermath of the Iraq war and Iranian nuclear ambitions. Informed and informative, "A History Of The Modern Middle East" is an impressive and substantial work of seminal scholarship. Accessibly written for both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the 20th and 21st century history of the Middle East, "A History Of The Modern Middle East" is a highly recommended addition for academic and community library World History collections and supplemental reading lists.
One week later,... still not received ^ This book was ordered well before my class and the class has been over for two weeks today. I would still like the book, however my patience is growing extremely thin!(
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