Middle East Books

Salem's work is the first of its kind, and will be the one everybody is responding to for years. It is, quite simply, brilliant. How does the idea of Lebanon emerge in literary texts? What different concepts of Lebanon contest with each other in art and literature? What is Lebanon, and what is a "nation," anyway? The book treats literature, history, and politics together in one lucid, intelligent narrative. Salem's breadth of knowledge about the subject, and her ease and familiarity with the cultural landscape, are impressive. The argument contains a strong critique of power and of business interests that make capital out of war and suffering.

Many of the works of literature, drama, and music Salem discusses are analyzed here for the first time in English-an invaluable resource. Kahlil Gibran, something of a founding father of Lebanese culture, is treated unsentimentally and taken seriously, something that doesn't usually happen at the same time where he is concerned. The musical theater of the Rahbani brothers, the singing voice and iconic figure of Fayruz as well as the music of Marcel Khalife, Majida al-Roumi, Julia Boutros and others, Aql's poetry, the novels of Elias Khoury, Rachid al-Daif, Hanan al-Shaykh, Hoda Barakat, and many more, all get sophisticated critical attention here. Literature of the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), of the Reconstruction period following the war, and right up to "the elusive present" are evaluated. Gender is always present as a thread of analysis. I am excited by the critique of Lebanese television programming in the satellite age and other aspects of mass media and pop culture-Salem is on the cutting edge of cultural studies.

_Constructing Lebanon_ is an ambitious, original, outstanding work. It is also an accessible, interesting book-not just for the specialist in literature or the Middle East, but for any intelligent reader.

Political histories of a nation usually ignore its literature or, at most, compress it into an ancillary chapter. For Elise Salem, however, the writings of Lebanese authors are inseparable from the origins of their country and the record of its recent turmoil. A Lebanese native now living in the United States, but frequently returning to the land of her origin, Salem possesses a unique perspective to write such an analysis. She knows the country's brief history and its political complexities intimately. A literary scholar, she demonstrates extensive and perceptive reading of a wide range of fiction, poetry, and drama, as well as awareness of musical theater productions. Her achievement in this book lies in her ability to demonstrate interrelationships, the ways in which literature has been a source of national identity and serves as an ongoing commentary on unsettling events.

Although the book's subject is Lebanon, Salem also hopes that it will be considered a representative study, with a methodology and a manner of understanding that can be applied to other nations. She notes that those who govern rarely consult their nation's body of writing, and she considers that a mistake: "Artists and intellectuals, often historically in a dubious relationship with the state, not only continue to imagine and hence extend the discourse of the nation but, in more palpable way, participate in remembering, recording, and transforming it."

Salem's eloquent Afterword reiterates, frames, and adds a rich dimension of commentary. It concludes with this possibility: "[These] provocative narratives suggest a new language, vocabulary, style, approach, and thematics that expand the possibilities for Lebanon. They are, after all, the nation's stories and, through fictions, the most telling." Literature was central to Lebanon's origin. Salem's hope is that it will be equally important in helping it face its present crises.

In "Containing Arab Nationalism," Salim Yaqub provides a remarkably in-depth look at U.S. policy in the Middle East during the mid to late 1950s and how it changed in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis. The main theme explored here deals with the increased level of U.S. influence in the context of the Cold War and how the U.S. reacted to Britain's changing role in the region. The narrative that Yaqub presents shows that the U.S. could not have been more serious about keeping Soviet influence out of the Middle East, but that the Eisenhower administration wasn't always confident in the methods employed to achieve this goal. In the end, the administration adapted its policies in such a way that the Soviets never gained the type of stronghold in the region that the U.S. feared, but Yaqub demonstrates that this was by no means an easy task.

The time period covered in the book is short, but Yaqub explores the crucial years of 1956-1960 with remarkable depth. The major events of these years, such as the interventions in Lebanon and Jordan, as well as the Iraqi revolution are all delicately woven into the overall narrative of how the Cold War affected Western policy towards the region. Yaqub's writing style is superb, and the book is extensively researched. This book should be at the top of the list of students and scholars alike that wish to achieve a greater understanding of recent Middle Eastern history and how those countries interacted with the United States.

In this important work the Eisenhower doctrin of containment in the middle east is finally given a full length book and its place in cold war history is finally made. Eisenhower had a number of Middle Eastern hands around him and like Presidents before and after he cemented his middle east policy on one pillar: Sunni conservatism, which at the time meant Nuri-Al Said, King Hussien, the house of Saud and the Shah of Iran(not a sunni, a nominal shia Persian nationalist). The creation of Nasserism in the early 1950s led Eisenhower to reposition America in the middle East. Before the 1956 Suez crises the United States took a back seat in the Middle East. Nevertheless the idea of the Baghdad pact, a confederation opposing communist ifniltration of the region was essential to U.S policy. Already the U.S had supported Turkey and Greece against Communism and when it seemed that Nasser would accept Khrushchev money to build the Aswan High Dam, Ike saw the danger. After the neo-imperialism of the English and French invasion of Egypt in 1956, Eisenhower took the plunge. He cemented the policy by trying to ally with conservative regimes, not neccesarily democratic but what he and his CIA director Dulles and Kirmet Roosevelt saw as the lesser of two evils.

When Lebanon was threatened in 1958 U.S troops went ashore. When Jordan was threatened the UK sent paratroops. Syria was cemented for a short period. A revolution against the Shah was thwarted. Iraq was kept firmly in the orbit of the west. Saudi had no where to turn as Nasser invaded Yemen and bombed Saudi so that Saudi had to fund the royalists fighting in Yemen. In addition the U.S had to check nasserism in Libya and Algeria.

This was not a simple game. What one may notice is that Israel was not part and partial to this policy. Eisenhower advisors saw Israel as a leftist upstart, upsetting the Sunni elites they loved and not helpful against Communism. It wasn't until JFK that ISrael became a U.S ally. This will shock those who beleive the U.S created Israel and that Israel was an 'offshore military base' from the get go.

A wonderful contirbution.

Seth J. Frantzman

I have taken two classes from Professor Wasilewska and have enjoyed her classes very much. If I had longer to spend in school, I would take more of her classes. That being said this book stands on its own for content. She indeed has mind wrapped around the subject and provides a study on the subject that is both educated and not pretentious. This is book worth every penny and is a volume that you will enjoy time and time again. This book is content rich. And by this, I don't mean it is a book written with an unrealistic point to prove, that confuses points under mile long sentences and too many words. This is refreshing in today's world of contemporary works that are more words than sustance.

If you are interested in a book, written by someone who has dedicted her life to a deep and honest scholarly understanding of the subject, this is your book.

I have been waiting for this book for over a year! I am of course bias, I have had Ewa as a professor for 4 classes. The book is a great, not only is it informative but it also gives a lot of Ewa's humor. Even if I weren't in Ewa's class I would probably still read the book. (Of course I am really into mythology!)
This book is not nearly as academic as most books on this subject. The book is easy to understand, well as easy as mytholgy is to understand. She doesn't show of by making obscure references or using really big words.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mythology or is intreseted in the Middle East. Actually I recommend that everyone take a class from Ewa but since that's not possible try reading her book.

This is a great introduction to the medieval Crusades with eye candy to boot! It's a very even keeled overview - without all the political biases that so often get in the way of explaining a subject objectively. This book educates the reader on the various crusades within the context of their times.

"Crusades - The Illustrated History," Thomas F. Madden, Editor, shares all the strengths of Madden's "Concise History of the Crusades." It is a refreshing and positive look at the falable but devoted knights and kings of Christendom who deeply desired to see the holy sites of Christianity delivered from the hands of their unbelieving conquerors. It is eminently fair in its approach to historical facts. It also incorporates much new knowledge of the period.

Besides being a facinating account of the period, it is a beautifully designed book. Its sections are broken up into short studies with rich colored illustrations. You can read it in short stages, and absorb the material at leisure. It also shares the strength of a perspective shared by several historians, so you are aware that the research is not just one man's ideas but the fruit of much fresh information.

This one is worth the money and time you will put into it.

Wm. H. Scarle, Jr. - BA, M.Div., Th.M - Tampa, FL

This book is a fascinating study of the calendars of ancient Mesopotamia, from the third millennium B.C. to the first millennium B.C. Each section begins with a synopsis of what is known about the calendar from that place and time (e.g. Nippur's calendar versus Ur's), and then launches into a month-by-month list of the festivals associated with that month (complete with the known name of the month). The final chapter focuses of festival themes, and is of general interest.

This is a fascinating book, containing a wealth of information that I didn't realize was available. Sadly, the book is written in a somewhat dry and academic tone, which means that it is not good bedtime reading. That said, though, this book offers a fascinating look into the Mesopotamian's view of the year, and what it offered to them. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the daily life in ancient Mesopotamia.

I greatly enjoyed reading Prof. Cohen's book. It is certainly technical and of special interest to students of the ancient near east, but it is also quite lucid and accessible. The author has mastered and explained an immense amount of information about ancient religion and sacred times. This is an interesting way to learn about religious practices in ancient Mesopotamia and Palestine.

Maria O'Shea has written an indispensable book for the visitor to Iran. She manages to combine humor, wit, and ironic distance with the incredible breadth and depth of knowledge about the people and the culture that can only come from living there. Her book will be especially useful to Westerners who have to deal with Iran because she has clearly already done all the homework. She sees the Iranians whole, with all their foibles, but not without affection and an abiding appreciation of a very old culture that is too often misrepresented in the West. It's a good read even if you aren't going there.

This is an excellent introduction to Persian Culture. If you want better, you'll have to spend quite a bit more money. My native Irani friend's native Irani mother said that she was ashamed that a westerner could write so accurately on a subject about which she had forgotten much. She herself ended up reading, enjoying, and praising this book about her own culture. That alone should say it all. While no volume, not even the $3420 Encyclopedia Iranica, could possibly cover everything, O'Shea's book taught me a variety of useful information in an entertaining way, and helped me to understand and appreciate my Irani friends better. This book is best read while interacting frequently with Iranians, otherwise it might not be as enjoyable.

This is a useful and detailed reference.

Most other works on the cultures, culturally-influenced national dress, and customs in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region re superficial dreck by comparison.

Hope this helps.

Stephen H. Franke
San Pedro, California
[Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2006-2007,
1990-1991, and 1970-1971]

Very very current and informative for the area. Quite useful for someone that may be spending time there on business. Easy to read and understand.

The Iranians regarded him as "The Father", Babylonian as "The Liberator", Hellenes as 'Law-Giver' and the Jews as 'The Anointed of the Lord'.
Cyrus The Great. The very emperor who proclaimed at the pinnacle of power 2500 years ago that "... he would not reign over the people if they did not wish it." And [he] promised not to force any person to change his religion and faith and guaranteed freedom for all. The Charter of Cyrus The Great is one of the most important documents that should be studied in the history of human rights
"We promise to preserve forever the traditions of humanism and goodwill, with which you founded the Persian Empire: traditions which made our people to be the carrier of message transmitted everywhere, professing fraternity and truth."
The book has 12 chapters ,first chapter is very interesting and the author writes about Xenophon and Herodotus and explains about their origins and reliability of information given by Herodotus, second and third chapters are about the birth of Cyrus the Great and his visit to Media as a young prince when his grandfather Astyages was king of Media(main source of information ,Herodotus).
Chapter 4-8 describes his accession to the throne and conquest of Lydia, Babylon and liberation of Jews. Chapter 10 is about Susian captive Panthea and she was treated with dignity and respect and was reunited with her Assyrian husband Arbadates(an Assyrian general), and finally chapter 12 is about the death of the legend (most information taken from Herodotus)
This is a very good book and very easy to read.

This is truly a magnificent account of the story of the life of Cyrus The Great, The founder of the Persian Empire, as narrated by two greek historians: Herodotus (philosopher & scholar) and Xenophenon (a great general) and brought to life again in Jacob Abbott's great masterpeice, with extensive commentary. A must read for all lovers of history.

Marcus Rautman has performed splendidly in this comprehensive overview of daily life in the Byzantine realm. He treats a variety of subjects, including cities, the countryside, the military, religion, art, and intellectual pursuits. He examines topics as basic as money, food, and clothing but also gives considerable attention to such matters as pressing olives, setting up an army camp, and becoming a monk. While the book is largely a survey spanning the entire "Byzantine millennium", Rautman now and then points out specific changes that occurred within this period, such as the transition to a more meat-centered diet around the seventh century. The author is also to be commended for the eminent readability of his text. He manages masterfully to present his great abundance of facts in way that neither overwhelms nor bores the reader. Also, his sentence structure is sound, his transitions well executed, and his grammar refreshingly correct - which makes all the more puzzling the rare misspellings that do creep in. All in all, this is an exceptionally well researched and delightfully written guide to daily life in a relatively little-studied civilization.

In his book "Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire" Marcus Rautman has outdone himself. In this book, he has skillfully brought together insights about the Byzantine way of life from various fields in a well-organized and easy to read format.

Reading the book, you can help but feel as if you are actually visiting the Byzantine Empire. There are sections of the book that describe how Byzantines perceived life, their daily routines, the Byzantine family, and how life varied in Constantinople, larger towns and the countryside. As well, there are special sections devoted to the lives of soldiers, monks, artists and scholars. In these descriptions, Rautman explains how the situation changed at different points in the Empire's long history.

If you would like a solid background on Byzantine society, read this book. You will not be disappointed.

Even if you do not have much of an interest in Ancient Egypt this book is filled with information and explanations that will make you wonder why you haven't given much thought to the Ancient Egyptians before. The art, literature (first love poems!!), and architecture are enough to make you marvel. But the creation of a 365 day calander a by the ancient Egyptians a few thousand years ago is enough to give you pause; then you discover how really remarkable their skill and knowledge of medicine was and you sit back in awe, at least I did. Though there are illustrations, I wish there were more. And for some reason (though this may be unique to my eyes) the font that the Greenwood Press uses in this book, seems to require more focused reading. But these are very small concerns regarding a book that really gives you more than just information. It gives you a sense of the whole culture, and, if you're like me, you'll want to find out even more, which is a clear sign that the authors have done an excellent job.

dr. bob brier is great! this book is very informitive and fun. all of dr. bob's books are wonderful! egypt comes alive.