A Concise History of the Middle East

by Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., Ibrahim Al-Marashi

Overview

A Concise History of the Middle East provides a comprehensive introduction to the history of this turbulent region. Spanning from pre-Islam to the present day, it explores the evolution of Islamic institutions and culture, the influence of the West, modernization efforts in the Middle East, the struggle of various peoples for political independence, the Arab–Israel conflict, the reassertion of Islamic values and power, the issues surrounding the Palestinian Question, and the Middle East post-9/11 and post-Arab uprisings.

The twelfth edition has been fully revised to reflect the most recent events in, and concerns of, the region, including the presence of ISIS and other non-state actors, the civil wars in Syria and Yemen, and the refugee crisis. New parts and part timelines will help students grasp and contextualize the long and complicated history of the region.

With updated biographical sketches and glossary, and a new concluding chapter, this book remains the quintessential text for students of Middle East history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138623972
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/21/2018
Edition description:	New
Pages:	512
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. is Professor Emeritus of Middle East History at Penn State University. He is the author of Modern Egypt: The Formation of a Nation-State, and the recipient of the Amoco Foundation Award for Outstanding Teaching and the 2000 Middle East Studies Association Mentoring Award.

Ibrahim Al-Marashi is Associate Professor of Middle East History at California State University, San Marcos. He is the co-author of Iraq’s Armed Forces: An Analytical History and The Modern History of Iraq, fourth edition, with Phebe Marr.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2. The Middle East Before Muhammad 3. Muhammad and the Rise of Islam 4. The Early Arab Conquests 5. The High Caliphate 6. The Rise of the Shi’a and the Influx of the Turks 7. The Crusader and Mongol Invasions 8. Islamic Civilization 9. Firearms, Slaves, and Empires 10. European Interests and Imperialism 11. Westernizing Reform in the Nineteenth Century 12. The Rise of Nationalism 13. The Roots of Arab Bitterness 14. Modernizing Rulers in the Independent States 15. Egypt and the Fertile Crescent Under European Control 16. The Contest for Palestine 17. Israel’s Rebirth and the Rise of Arab Nationalism 18. War and the Quest for Peace 19. Reassertion of Islamist Power 20. The 1991 Gulf War and the Peace Process 21. The Post-9/11 Decade in the Middle East 22. In the Season of Arab Discontent 23. The Regional Cold War in the Twenty-First Century Appendix I Appendix II

Editorial Reviews

"Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. and Ibrahim Al-Marashi have refined, updated, and ultimately revamped the scholarly edifice that Goldschmidt first crafted more than thirty-five years ago. This edition makes the complexities of Middle East’s history accessible to yet another generation of students in the light of new scholarship and momentous recent developments in the region." - Hasan Kayali, University of California, San Diego, USA.

"A clear and concise guide to the complex history of the Middle East from the rise of Islam to the fall of ISIS, Goldschmidt and Marashi have written the essential text for all newcomers to Mid-Eastern studies." - Eugene Rogan, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

"Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. and Ibrahim Al-Marashi have refined, updated, and ultimately revamped the scholarly edifice that Goldschmidt first crafted more than thirty-five years ago. This edition makes the complexities of Middle East’s history accessible to yet another generation of students in the light of new scholarship and momentous recent developments in the region." - Hasan Kayali, University of California, San Diego, USA.

"A clear and concise guide to the complex history of the Middle East from the rise of Islam to the fall of ISIS, Goldschmidt and Marashi have written the essential text for all newcomers to Mid-Eastern studies." - Eugene Rogan, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

From the Publisher

An eminently readable and comprehensive text that gives an accurate and analytical account of Near East history. —West Chester University Praise for earlier editions:

Lawrence Davidson

The best single source I have found to introduce undergraduates to the Middle East. —State University of New York at Oswego

Geraldine Forbes

Well organized... Straightforward and easy to follow.

Choice

An invaluable introduction and a useful reference book.

Journal of Palestine Studies

Excellent. Nice active voice, engaging, comprehensive, balanced. Particularly the coverage on early Islam. —Fordham University

Gina Cirali

A lively, involving text.

Midwest Book Review

A balanced interpretation which allows more than one view of any number of controversial issues... Thorough and carefully balanced.

History Teacher

This excellent history provides an informative and balanced background.

Booknotes

First published in 1979, this college-level introductory text ranges chronologically from the beginnings of Islam to the present. Extensive revisions reflect new scholarship and the most recent events in the Middle East including the aftermath of the Gulf War and issues surrounding the "Palestinian Question." Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

The writers pack a few thousand years, hundreds of names, and too many dates into 18 hours of listening. The information about culture, religion, and geography comes so fast that the density could negate its suitability for audio. Although the authors claim students will benefit most from their encyclopedic work, beginners might consider reading it from the page. Narrator Tom Weiner occasionally changes his normal voice into a nuanced speech that could be perceived as the use of italics or a dramatic aside. He doesn’t stumble on the hundreds of Arabic words, but it’s clear they don’t come from a native speaker. He inflects by raising and lowering his volume, which works for an earphones-wearing listener in a quiet environment, but without earphones a lot may get lost. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2010 - AudioFile