The Middle East for Dummies
by Jr. Davis Craig
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jr. Davis CraigEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-07-01
ISBN: 0764554832
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: For Dummies
Book Reviews of The Middle East for Dummies
Book Review: Makes sense of a complex region
Summary: 5 Stars
The relevant history of the Middle East spans several thousand years. This book tries to cover that entire history in about 370 pages. This is a daunting task, but the author pulls this off reasonably well.
This book is written in the standard Dummies format. If you have read any of the other the other books in the Dummies series, then you already know that the Dummies books usually contain humor mixed with the main subject matter. As this book was published in the context of the post-9/11 world and the U.S. invasion of Iraq, humor is a tall order. Once again, the author succeeds admirably. There are a few tongue-in-cheek remarks, but not too many.
The coverage of the ancient Middle East is limited. This was probably necessary because of space limitations. Nevertheless, you will finish this book with at least a basic idea of who the ancient Egyptians, the Babylonians, and the Sumerians (etc., etc.) were. Here the Middle East for Dummies provides a good foundation for further reading of a more in-depth text, like "Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization" ISBN 0226631877 by Oppenheim. (I highly recommend this book if you want to take a deep dive into the ancient Middle East.)
The birth of Islam, the original Islamic conquests, and the Crusades are rolled into a chapter entitled "The Medieval Middle East." This chapter may disappoint some readers, not through any fault of the author, but because there is so much compressed into one chapter. The Crusades are a topic that most readers will probably want to read about in-depth, but they are covered in only two pages. (Consider Karen Armstrong's "Holy War" ISBN: 0385721404 for a detailed though somewhat politically correct account of the Crusades.)
The book succeeds in giving a succinct portrait of each of the major countries in the modern Middle East, and the history that shaped each country since the early twentieth century. The chapters on the modern Middle East include descriptions of the major wars in the region.
One of the most useful sections of the book is Chapter 25 (Ten Key Militant Groups). Here you get the history not only of Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah, but also lesser known groups that are active in Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey.
Davis also includes short descriptions of the multiple religious sects in the Middle East (not just the Shias and the Sunnis, but also the Copts, the Jacobites, and the various permutations of Judaism.)
If you are new to the history of the Middle East, this is not a bad place to start.
Review by Edward Trimnell, author of "Understanding the Middle East: History, Religion, and the Clash of Cultures" (ISBN: 0974833061)
Summary of The Middle East for Dummies
Demystifies the area's culture, politics, and religionsExplore Middle Eastern history from ancient to modern times
Looking to better understand the Middle East? This plain-English guide explains the importance of the region, especially in light of recent events. You'll meet its people and their leaders, discover the differences and similarities between Arab and Western mindsets, and examine the wars and conflicts - including the Israeli-Palestinian turmoil - that led up to the current political situation.
The Dummies Way
* Explanations in plain English
* "Get in, get out" information
* Icons and other navigational aids
* Tear-out cheat sheet
* Top ten lists
* A dash of humor and fun
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