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'This book is in many important ways the culmination of the author's long involvement with Libya, tracing in an admirable fashion its history from pre-historic times through the revolutionary Qadhafi regime that consolidated its rule after 1969. Meticulously researched, with a breadth and with insights that only a longterm observer can muster, the different chapters provide wonderfully concise, analytic summaries of each distinctive historical period. What has always made Wright's writing attractive, and particularly in this volume, is his direct and engaging prose, providing clear and accessible writing rather than much of the jargon that has bedeviled other treatments of Libya. The result is a wonderfully succinct but highly insightful recall of the country's past and present that does not in any way sacrifice clarity for detail. This book is not only a good read for a nonspecialist audience, but will be much appreciated by Libya observers as well since there is no current up-to-date comprehensive history of the country available. The crowning achievement of a highly respected Libya observer.' --Professor Dirk Vandewalle, Dartmouth College, author of A History of Modern Libya
'A timely and up-dated re-issue of the standard work on Libya. It is required reading by all those who wish to understand that desert enigma.' --Saul Kelly, King's College, London
'A timely and up-dated re-issue of the standard work on Libya. It is required reading by all those who wish to understand that desert enigma.' --Saul Kelly, King's College, London
Product Description
John Wright's absorbing history of Libya begins with early hunter-gatherers and the activities of the mid-desert Garamantian civilization. He then recounts successive invaders: the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Muslim Arabs, Genoans, Normans, Spaniards, Knights of Malta, Ottoman Turks, and Karamanlis. Wright's modern history addresses the harshness of Italy's long conquest yet gives credit to the material achievements of Air Marshal Italo Balbo. Three chapters recast Libya's largely passive role in the Second World War; 1951's fairly smooth transition to an internationally brokered independence; the Sanussi monarchy, which reigned for eighteen years; the discovery and exploitation of oil in the 1950s and 1960s; and, the post-1969 Gadafi phenomenon.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The paperback edition of John Wright's book is a very welcome addition to the publishing catalogue. After a brief introduction to the geography (physical and human) of Libya, it covers Libya's history from earliest times to the 21st century - and therefore brings us right up to the period immediately before the "Arab Spring" uprising of 2011. The history is broken down into logical sections, each of the 18 chapters being manageable and very readable indeed. None of them is either too scant or too detailed, and one is left with a good overall grasp of the long history of a country which continues to fascinate outsiders. Perhaps the period of Italian occupation receives slightly more coverage than might be merited for the book to be completely balanced, but this still serves as useful background material to the Gaddafi era. Coverage of Gaddafi himself is even-handed - no agenda has been adopted, and his successes (yes, there were some) and failures are assessed in an objective way. Well worth considering, now that history has written the last chapter in Gaddafi's career.
This book would make ideal reading if you are planning to visit Libya, as a tourist, on business, or indeed in any capacity (when circumstances permit). A most interesting read, and strongly recommended.
This book would make ideal reading if you are planning to visit Libya, as a tourist, on business, or indeed in any capacity (when circumstances permit). A most interesting read, and strongly recommended.
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