Middle East Books

A great book . Needeing to know anything about Eygpt well I think you just found your book .

Written in a more modern and light style, "Egypt Uncovered" is a good book although a bit of a coffee table piece with a rather light covering of many topics. Still, it manages to update some crucial information in the field with more recent discoveries in the past two decades.

The authours by and large avoid the trap that many modern Egyptologists fall into these days of down-sizing the scope of slavery in ancient Egypt or minimizing certain negative aspects of the ancient society.

Where the book REALLY stands out however, is in the spectacular photos of areas largely ignored by Egyptologists, or books on ancient Egypt, including much in ancient Sudan. The authours spend some time on this important but largely under-represented area of study on ancient Egypt. This, plus some excellent maps and illustrations, make it a very good reference source even for the already knowledgeable, as well as the merely curious. I recently had my copy damaged and I am buying another copy as I feel it is too invaluable in the above areas not to have available. Recommended!

jeff s. savage

A great book . Needeing to know anything about Eygpt well I think you just found your book .

This is a wonderful book . I gave copies to all my friends interested in Ancient Egypt. It's well written and beautifully illustrated. It gives you all the excitement of what is happening in archaeology in Egypt today without having to go there.

Having never traveled to the Middle East, my only awareness of the complexity of the region comes through media outlets (PBS and internet sources primarily), and an assortment of friends who regularly travel to or grew up in the region. The most engaging aspect of this collection of stories is that it consistently immerses the reader into the humanity of a culture that westerners only hear about through staccato news reports of violence and civil unrest. As with any situation, there are always more than two sides, and this collection brings to light the often-ignored humanity, generosity and history of this region with consistent and narrative beauty.

I picked up this book prior to a business trip to Morocco for some insights into the culture and people. I got that and more. It is a delightful collection of vignettes by travellers who continue to be surprised and enchanted by their experiences in the Middle East. It gave me the chance to see beyond the tourist sites to the real people. It also includes a wonderful bibliography, including films, which has encouraged me to delve deeper into the subject.

ENCOUNTERS WITH THE MIDDLE EAST: TRUE STORIES OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE THAT HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE REGION focuses on the encounters and stories of ordinary people, surveying interactions with 30 writers who go beyond a social report to consider how life is lived in the region. Their experiences bring to life the daily trials and promises of the Middle East and makes for a strong survey for any collection strong in contemporary Middle East culture and issues, from high school and college libraries to the general-interest lending collection.

In times of war, it is nice to see a collection that shows human beings instead of enemies. The book gives us a new parameter to re-visit some western perceptions.

Great for Classroom use!

The author based the book on very thorough research enabling the reader "feel the streets" of the countries in the Middle East rather than some superfical think tank approach . Thus, not only are the recommendations to the Muslim World quite on target but they also show the West an alternative to expensive military solutions. The developing nations of the Middle East have a lot to contribute to the global economy if they follow their far eastern counterparts.

Endangered Species is a lively, provocative look at why Muslim economies fail-and what to do about it. Schlossstein applies his recent studies of the Muslim economies to his encyclopedic knowledge of the Asian tiger economies to urge that Muslim economies follow those models rather than attempting to ape western democratic capitalism at this stage of their development. Enroute he succinctly surveys economics, religion, culture, institutions and education in several leading Muslim societies, notably Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Morocco. He sees Egypt as perhaps the most likely to reform itself toward a success model. The bibliography is outstanding. I heartily recommend Endangered Species.
Dick-Sun City West, AZ

This is a must-read analysis of future prospects for global stability. It is a sobering appraisal of the dynamics of economies, religion, energy resources, education, demographics. The reader will not put the book down with a smiley face and a new spring in his step, but he will certainly have a deeper perspective to evaluate the inevitable challenges coming. Schlossstein's best yet---which is saying a lot!

Is there a solution to the Middle East crisis? If you are interested in this question then you should read this book. Given the poverty and population growth rates in the Middle East, it is hard to imagine any long-term solution that is not based on economic growth and broad-based prosperity. Unfortunately the Arab world currently lacks a viable economic model. But what economic model? Should it be based exclusively on the Western model or are there others that would be more easily accepted in the Arab world? Schlossstien lucidly argues that the Arab world should look to East Asia, not the West, for their model. The economic transformation that has occurred in East Asia is based on an economic model that embraces Asian cultural values. And, as he describes, it has been remarkably effective in rapidly moving these countries out of poverty. By analogy with East Asia, Arab countries can develop models that include their values. By providing an alternative, Schlossstein dramatically raises the level of discussion in an area of critical importance where there are few new ideas - just a continual rehash of the problems. It is a fascinating read because Schlossstein makes his arguments by taking the reader on a journey through history and comparative religion, with Islam at the center. He deals with issues in a straightforward, often provocative, and occasionally witty style. Schlossstein is clearly someone who is interested in solutions, not ideology. I hope that all those working and making policy decisions in the Middle East will read and discuss this book. Schlossstein has provided the case for a much more positive and constructive discussion about how to move forward. For general readers I also strongly recommend this book. It provides a comprehensive overview of one of the most important issues of our age.

You should all go out and buy this book, or sit in your office and buy it online if you want. But where is the cover art? I really liked the picture on the cover, it's black and white and it's like a mass movement. Well, do not judge a book only by its cover (or lack thereof). You should buy this book; despite the amazon oversight of cover art, the text is way better than the image on the front.

I learned a lot about the current situation in the mid-east when I read this for class. It is so interesting to see a devout country that doesn't do the whole Jihad thing against America. I would recommend this book RIGHT NOW. you should get it and learn about the REAL situation there. great stuff.

I personally found this book very useful in understanding the status of women in Egypt, but also the entire Mid-East. I was able to see that female discrimination did not end in Afghanistan with the Taliban. This book shed a light on an under-represented area of social studies (in my opinion). I would recommend it fully.

I read this book to better my understanding of issues in the Middle East, and more specificly, women in the Middle East. I am an outright feminist and, as an independent project, I am researching the role of women in many different locations of the world. One location is the Middle East, and this book provided me with a lot of background infromation and gave me specific examples that I could site in my papper. A VERY useful tool for all Middle Eastern historians and Women's studies majors.

Late Antiquity is still quite controversial. Its application, time boundaries, and geographic limits still a matter of debate. As such, theories about its true nature and its application to historical study is still undetermined and is being revised everyday.

This book, much like the book that landed 'Late Antiquity' as a free-standing period in English historical enquiry (Peter Brown's "The World of Late Antiquity") is a trend-setter. Wickham's excellent scholarship, plus the fact that he dares and explores new waters and concepts, is ground breaking and profound. This book is going to be the "Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World" of its generation and have many volumes written in "response" to it. A must have, no doubt about it, for anyone interested in the Late Antique and Early Medieval history, and a must read for anyone interested in pre-Industrial Revolution economic history, regardless of time and place!

This is a tremendous piece of scholarship. I won't even try to summarize the content - in a work of over 800 pages of text, this is impossible. Wickham takes the geographic regions which were part of, or heavily influenced by, the Roman Empire and examines how they evolved and developed, in multiple aspects, from the beginning of the 5th to the end of the 8th century. The book is divided into 12 chapters, focusing on four major subject areas; States, Aristocratic power-structures, Peasantries, and Networks. For each topic he divides the Post-Roman world into 10 distinct geographic regions and examines each individually. These regions are; North Africa, Egypt, Syria and Palestine, Byzantium, Spain, Central and Southern Gaul, Northern Gaul, Britain, Ireland, and Denmark. In some chapters he will examine regions together when development patterns are similar; most frequently combining Britain, Ireland and Denmark; however for the most part each of these 10 regions receives its own attention.

I was pleasantly surprised to find it able to maintain my interest and more readable than I anticipated. Each topical chapter is 60-100 pages long, which would be tedious, however when 8-15 pages are devoted to a given geographic region for each topic, it's much easier to work through.

There are several ways in which this book is truly outstanding. First is Wickham's use of sources. The book is heavily footnoted and he provides a great deal of evidence for most of his conclusions (I'll return to the exceptions in a moment). The sheer amount of referenced data is stunning and includes archaeology as well as written sources. He offers conjecture and hypothesis in some cases where there is not enough evidence to document a pattern of development. Most frequently this occurs for Britain, particularly in the chapter, "Peasants and Local Societies" where Wickham develops an entire hypothetical society based on how he believes it is most likely that British peasant society was structured. While this is an exception to Wickham's usually strict use of evidentiary sources, he is very careful - explicitly so - to state that this is a hypothesis based on his educated opinion, not something which can be proven through sources. He does this in several parts of the book and he is always careful to state where he's offering something which he believes is not provable.

The second way in which this book excels is in its insistence on avoiding generalizations. Even when examining ten different geographic regions, he further discusses differences which occur within these regions. The overall impression is that in order to truly study medieval history, one must focus on smaller, regional areas and must, at all costs, avoid generalizing for all Post-Roman societies.

As for the information itself, it is an eye-opener. In the broadest sense, Wickham argues that the relative success of Post-Roman societies is strongly tied to how that society was structured within the Empire. Regions which were tied closely to Rome through the state, through taxation and commerce, were those most profoundly depressed in the Early Medieval Period while those which were largely agrarian and land-owning were less affected. In this way he shows that regions such as North Africa and the Spanish Coastal Regions were profoundly impacted while areas such as Gaul, (particularly in the North) and Egypt were less affected and in fact remained relatively wealthy through the Early Medieval Period. He utilizes a variety of topics to illustrate this including exchange networks, aristocratic wealth, societal urbanization and state-building.

I disagree with some of his views. He argues for a much greater level of peasant land-owning and wealth through this period. In and of itself this is supportable however at one point he argues that as aristocracies grew weaker and poorer, peasant society became wealthier because the aristocratic wealth must have been transferred to peasants. I am unconvinced by this. Societies have become poorer at all levels, from the wealthy to the poor, without this type of wealth transfer. During the American Great Depression, all levels of society were poorer than they were in the mid-1920's. The loss of wealth by the elite of that time was not transferred to the poor and middle class. I don't know that this didn't happen in the Medieval period, however I find this argument, in and of itself, unconvincing. While peasant society very likely became stronger in relative terms when compared to aristocracies, I am uncertain if this holds true when discussing absolute wealth.

Another argument he has put forward is that peasant families voluntarily reduced their reproduction rather than following Malthusian principles as a response to a poorer society. Again, this may have happened, as it did in the late Empire, however I am unconvinced. To be fair, in both of these cases he is careful to state these as beliefs which he cannot support based on the evidence. I find conjecture, when given with this caveat, perfectly acceptable.

I do have one substantial complaint; when discussing how society began to re-form around a strengthening aristocracy later in the period, he ignores what role the Church may have played. Certainly churches and monasteries became major landholders during the period covered and I have often seen it argued that the Church was one of the main institutions that helped society retain some semblance of structure. This is largely ignored, whether Wickham agrees with it, or has evidence to debunk it.

Even so, this is a monumental, wonderfully informative work. After reading this it is obvious why generalizations such as "society collapsed following the end of the Roman Empire" or, "the end of the Roman World was a transformation which resulted in little loss of wealth or societal structure" cannot be supported. Each of these statements is true - but only for specific regions, not for the entire Post-Roman World.

I highly recommend this book. I believe there is a new trilogy of survey works which anyone studying the Early Medieval Period should try to own; McCormick's "Origins of the European Economy", Heather's "The Fall of the Roman Empire" and Wickham. These three books have made great strides both in providing a great deal of information as well as studying Late Antiquity in such detail as to make shallow generalizations unnecessary.

Chris Wickham explores the world of the early Middle Ages in a systematic way. Using literary and archaeological evidence, Wickham describes the changes which took place in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa after the fall of Rome. He maintains that despite the great political upheavals of the time, local continuity was a hallmark of this period. Economic decline and regrowth were connected with changes in the power and wealth of the aristocracy, who also exercised lesser or greater control over the land and the people.

While this massive piece of scholarship does not address cultural or intellectual history, it provides a very clear picture of the political and economic changes that transformed the former Roman Empire during the years 400-800 A.D. The writing is lively and easy to read, and the work is well organized. The full index and large bibliography as well as the broad range of topics covered make this book an indispensible reference tool for anyone studying Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.

This is a monumental review of the economic and social histories of the former provinces of the Roman Empire between the penetration of the empire by the barbarians and the imperial coronation of Charlemagne. Along with the Origins of the European Economy, this book is likely to be the standard social and economic survey of the dark ages for years to come. The author surveys each of the major territorial regions of the fomer Roman Empire region-by-region, and slowly develops his theses. These include: (1) a "soft-fall" view of the disintegration of the Western Empire, concluding that many of its structures were in place well into the seventh century and gradually were melded into the less sophisticated successor states of Western Europe; (2) a taxation-driven notion of the state, concluding that the major factor distinguishing Rome and Roman power from that of successor states is that Rome had an elaborate and relatively efficient tax system, and that the successor states did not; (3) a regionalist approach to conclusions, finding that things changed in different degrees in different ways throughout the territories of the Roman Empire -- slowly and relatively little in the East, massively in Britain, in odd ways in Spain and Gaul; (4) a picture of transformation from peasant-based society to feudal society, occurring rather later than many historians would allow; (5) a strong de-emphasis on barbarian wars and conquests as an explanation for these transformations; and (5) a peasant's eye view of the transformation from Roman Empire to the Middle Ages.

It is in the latter that the only real problem with the book arises. The author is so pro-peasant in his view that he takes what could be called a "Xena" view of medieval class struggles. In Xena (and Conan, and Red Sonya, and 10,000 B.C., to name but a few sword-and-sorcery potboilers) there is a familiar scene where the peaceful peasants are going about their village business, talking to each other and carrying out their daily tasks, while a band of heavily-armed thugs is approaching the village on horseback, ready to destroy it with fire and sword. In this author's world, heavily-financed aristocrats are about to encroach on an idylic and egalitarian peasant world, forcing the formerly free peasantry to pay rent, work harder, and have more children. In what is perhaps his most radical claim, the author suggests that the serious decline in population from the late empire to about 700 A.D. was due, not to war, pestilence, famine and occupation but -- family planning! He admits that he cannot prove this, but it is clearly an idea which attracts him. I am dubious -- it is difficult to think of any other society between the birth of agriculture and the industrial revolution where the bulk of the population did not breed to its Malthusian limit, and the claim that early medieval Europe was an exception would require a good deal of proof.

That said, this is a wonderful book. Even its bias supplies a point of view which has been the subject of all-too-little factual analysis in the past. And by focusing on social relations above all, the author presents a very different view of the dark ages than that usually presented in our histories. Far from being a time of barbarism and decay, the early Middle Ages (the author balks at the term "dark ages") were a period of relative prosperity, equality, and good relations compared to what was to come.

Now in a newly revised edition, From Plassey To Pakistan: The Family History Of Iskander Mirza The First President Of Pakistan tells the complex saga that intertwines one family's story with the inception and development of an Islamic nation. Humayun Mirza is Iskander Mirza's only surviving son and brings a special and personal expertise to the violence-tainted partition of Indian by the colonial British Empire that resulted in the creation Pakistan. A superb contribution to International Studies reference collections, From Plassey To Pakistan is a vividly informative and very human account which deftly combines extensive research with personal remembrance.

As a descendant of the author's great-grandfather, I had grown up hearing many contradictory accounts of this family's history. This carefully researched book was very helpful to me in trying to sort out the tangled roots from which my side of the family grew. The author confesses his view is partisan, but nevertheless he does not try to hide the existence of his ancestor's various affairs in England, his marriage to an English chambermaid (his fourth wife and my great-grandmother), and treats those aspects of the story both objectively and sympathetically. Very readable!

Most of what we in the West read and hear about the Indian subcontinent comes from the British perspective. Humayun Mirza, son of Pakistan's first president and descendant of the royal Nawab Nazims of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, brings a thoroughly researched, enlightened, and deeply honest perspective to his family's story, and by extension the history of India and Pakistan from the 1700s to the present time. Because of his unique insider's perspective, Mirza makes his historical figures come alive.

Although he is talking about his own family--even his own father--Mirza shows a principled unwillingness to tamper with the truth, even when the truth is not flattering to people he clearly admires. The rich human complexity of these powerful personalities, warts and all, is one of the things that make this book so exciting.

If you're interested in the history and politics of the region, this is a must read. If you just like to learn interesting history, it's also a treat. I'm waiting for the update covering the current situation in the region!

From Plassey to Pakistan chronicles the lineage of Humuyan Mirza, the author and only son of the first President of Pakistan. The book provides personal and well-researched historical insight into the ruling class of India, of which the author is a direct descendant.

The author's father, and principal subject of the latter part of the book, is Iskander Mirza, a highly educated and respected citizen of India worked for the British Government of India. Upon the end of British rule in 1947, the country of Pakistan was formed and Iskander Mirza emerged to become a leading public figure ("the strong man") and eventually the first President of Pakistan.

The author offers excellent insight into his father's rise to the presidency and the subsequent challenge to bring order and democracy to the newly formed country, one fraught with political corruption at the governmental and military level combined with a high level of illiteracy within the population. Despite Iskander Mirza's well intentioned efforts, instituting the type of democratic government he envisioned would prove too difficult in this environment. His presidency was usurped by a military coup in 1958. Military control has presided over Pakistan for many of the subsequent years and remains in power today.

The author goes on to revisit his own life as a descendant of India's ruling and princely class as the son of the first president of Pakistan. Like his father Isakander, the author was educated at prestigious schools while growing up, ultimately attending the Harvard School of Business and subsequently working in various capacities for the World Bank. The author currently lives in the United States.

Toward the end of the book, the author offers thoughtful suggestions that address Pakistan's current political and economic situation. Above all, the author believes a very strong leader of Pakistan is crucial to help unite the country and its divisive factions. He truly desires prosperity for Pakistan.

The book is insightful and well written. I highly recommend the book for histroy readers and those interested in current events. Given the recent tumultuous events taking place in and around Pakistan, this book is even more relevant.

This book is the result of much thoughtful work by the editor in wading through the massive collection of information from the FWP (Federal Writers' Project - 1930's), and serves two purposes: it gives us the original language of people who actualy experienced slavery in this country, and it is an example of the many beneficial programs the government funded under the new deal to both give Americans jobs and to chronical our history.

A must-have for any Alabamian - or anyone for that matter - who is interested in the history of our counrty.

This should be the primer for garden coffee-table books.

This book features gorgeous photos, a terrific representation of every area of the Adirondacks, interesting stories, and history on the gardens. I especially appreciated the background given for each garden, and the nice balance between historic gardens, personal gardens, and publics areas. I don't often rave, but this is just about everything I could want in a garden photo book.

Compiled and edited by Horace Randall Williams, Weren't No Good Times is an anthology of 46 of the 125 interviews of former Alabama slaves, conducted from 1936 to 1938, presented with the express purpose of thoroughly documenting and creating a record of life during slavery in the southern state of Alabama. A powerful primary source, presenting individual voices with a loud and clear message of what slavery itself was truly like, Weren't No Good Times has the absolute highest recommendation and is a must for school and community libraries and American History and Black History reference collections and reading lists.

Very beautiful and informative. Photo's are superb. Text is a well researched and fascinating history of gardens old and new. Keen gardener's eye and knowledge is evident throughout.

great book about a truly great evangelist. called by God...undeniably...recommended read for anyone hungry for the reality of God, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the powerful Holy Spirit he has sent!!

Kevin C.

This book was a wonderful encouragement and honest testimony from a very humble man. My father met the co-author and she spoke very highly of the credibility of this man and how amazing his life has been as he walks with Jesus. This book will bolster your faith as it reads like a modern day book of Acts!

This book is excellent. I couldn't put it down! This book will increase your faith in God! This is a book I will keep and share with others.

This book grabs your attention on page 1, your heart by page 4 and begs you to read on until the end. It is well written and easy to read in short chapters, each being an adventure of its own. If you ever thought living the life of an orphan or in poverty would keep you from accomplishing great things in life, read on. It is a touching collection of vignettes from the life of a modern-day spiritual giant which challenges the reader to live a life dependent on God's leading and His provision. Samuel Doctorian's amazing life story contains enough drama and excitement for 20 lifetimes as he follows God's call to bring revival wherever God leads him all over the world. This book provides overwhelming evidence that God is still a God of miracles.

Prof. Mungello wrote this comprehensive book on the intercourse of China and West in culture and religion in a highly readable text.
Between 1500-1800, China was a powerful country. Catholics dreamed of converting China into a Christian country. However, it was Chinese influence to Europe to bring about Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. He showed that missionaries sent back Tao Te Ching, I Ching and Confucius teaching to the European educated to help bring about the Enlightenment Movement.
What would happen when China is Christianized and the West goes Taoist Way?
By 1800, China was still in its glorious satisfaction while European Powers underwent industrialization. Britain unable to balance the trade deficit pushed opium and war on China. The 1997 Hong Kong Hand-over concluded the last British Imperial chapter in history. China was at its nadir at 1900 Boxer Movement with eight foreign countries invaded Peking.
Napoleon said, "When China wakes, it will shock the world". History affirms the Tao in East and West, strong and weak, grandeur and decline, war and peace. Prof. Mungello presents the readers the historical background to understand the modern China. A number of Westerners see Deng's reform with market economy lead to China rising as a world threat. Reading this book will help open up their horizon.

Will US wage war on China in the billions of dollar trade deficit as their British cousins did in 19th Century?

I think Mungello has done a wonderful job in reconstructing the meeting between China and the Western world.

Dr. Mungello has done a great job in presenting how the (Far) West met with Chinese culture over the period of 1500-1800. This book was written in easy and non-technical language. As a Chinese that has learnt Chinese history all through my school years, I am intrigued to read simialar materials presented from a Western perspective in simple English.

Dr. Mungello noted that the Chinese in Song Dynasty mistook the picture of Virgin Mary as Guanyin (Chinese Goddess of the sea). A three-story high statue given by Portuguese to Macau, China shortly before 1999 was meant to be Guanyin but it certainly looks like Virgin Mary. What went around has come around:) Thanks for writing such a good book and I enjoyed it very much.

University Profs take note: Although I had to read this book because I was in the author's class at Baylor, it really is a good introductory book. Dr. Mungello is one of the world's top Sinologists and did his graduate work at the U. of California at Berkeley and I am privelaged to be one of his students.

Half of the book is focused at the West meeting China, and the other half is China meeting the West. It answers the questions: What did the West reject and accept from China? What did China accept and reject from the West?

I bought this book because my Great Uncle "Ian Orlando Macbeth" was mentioned and a picture of him was inside. He was a Greenwich Village Artist who painted murals throughout the Village's restaurants and was in private art exhibits. He also painted many of the blacklight posters we all knew and loved in the 1960's and 70's.

The book shows lots of photos and stories of the characters who strolled the streets and made Greenwich Village what we all know and love of the place. Good read.

This is a terrific book, informative and there is a fantastic section which includes Robert Heide's personal memories from his days in the Village and with Andy Warhol. I live in the Village and after reading it my own vista has been enlarged. I strongly recommend it to everyone!

I went to greenwich village last month and I spent a week in the village. I picked up this book to guide my adventures and I was so glad that I did.

Some really great excepts of this book can be found at www.Greenwich-Village.Co