- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Penguin; 2nd edition edition (7 Aug 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141011238
- ISBN-13: 978-0141011233
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 356,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
A History of the Middle East: 3rd edition
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Product Description
Review
A brilliantly deft and well-informed guide ... Peter Mansfield compresses the whole tumultuous development of this vast region into 350 coherent, dispassionate and remarkably inclusive pages (The Times Educational Supplement )
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
A brilliant overview of the history and politics of the Middle East over the last two centuries, from Napoleon's assault on Egypt, through the slow decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire, to the painful emergence of modern nations, the Palestinian question and the growth of Islamic fundamentalism. With two new chapters on recent developments in the Middle East. This book will be essential reading for anyone wanting to understand what is perhaps the most crucial and volatile nerve centre of the world.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having lost my first copy, I was keen to get a replacement since Peter Mansfield's ( and Nicolas Pelham's) descriptions of history and relations in the Middle East excel in succinctness, objective observations and its drawing of llines of development towards the present day situation. The book can be considered a sequel to PM's book "The Arabs", a very good introduction to the peoples of the Middle East. A "must read" for interested , in particular for expats living in the region.
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Lacks references/ citations of sources of evidence that one would expect to find in an authoritative work; therefore not really a scholarly work.
Peter Mansfield's narrative is interesting but where, later in the book, it has been 'revised and updated' by Nicolas Pelham it reads like sunday newspaper journalism.
Peter Mansfield's narrative is interesting but where, later in the book, it has been 'revised and updated' by Nicolas Pelham it reads like sunday newspaper journalism.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There is much to admire and a fair bit to be considered a drawback in Peter Mansfield's sweep of the History of the Middle East.
To fit such a swathe of history into a small 400-page paperback is a bit of an art form in itself. Mansfield has a reasonable overview and a clear love of the Arabs throughout the book though he tries to be even handed throughout. There are obvious lacks and missing pieces throughout and it becomes somewhat eurocentric early on but in the age of empires this was the playground of the European empire hunters and the struggles were played out through many territories. There is also some of the old mechanistic line-through view of history and writing about history which comes through into the book as well. However given that this has to be seen as an overview of a vast stage of events then one can excuse this to a degree.
The latter chapters were written by Pelham and what they lack in grandee like writing of Mansfield they give an alternative to his view and style. A reviewer above called it Sunday-paper journalism but his sections read more like closet exiled academic.
This book tries very hard to give the reader the basis from which to look deeper into the areas that it covers. It raised my awareness generally and makes a good start from which to go on into deeper and more detailed studies. It needs to be regarded as a primer for further work. As a primer it does do a decent job but needs to read with a degree of awareness and not devoured as one. Read with a History of the Arab People and maybe Fisk's writing it points you in the right direction and wets your appetite for further understanding. It also does what all good books do and that is to make you reflect.
To fit such a swathe of history into a small 400-page paperback is a bit of an art form in itself. Mansfield has a reasonable overview and a clear love of the Arabs throughout the book though he tries to be even handed throughout. There are obvious lacks and missing pieces throughout and it becomes somewhat eurocentric early on but in the age of empires this was the playground of the European empire hunters and the struggles were played out through many territories. There is also some of the old mechanistic line-through view of history and writing about history which comes through into the book as well. However given that this has to be seen as an overview of a vast stage of events then one can excuse this to a degree.
The latter chapters were written by Pelham and what they lack in grandee like writing of Mansfield they give an alternative to his view and style. A reviewer above called it Sunday-paper journalism but his sections read more like closet exiled academic.
This book tries very hard to give the reader the basis from which to look deeper into the areas that it covers. It raised my awareness generally and makes a good start from which to go on into deeper and more detailed studies. It needs to be regarded as a primer for further work. As a primer it does do a decent job but needs to read with a degree of awareness and not devoured as one. Read with a History of the Arab People and maybe Fisk's writing it points you in the right direction and wets your appetite for further understanding. It also does what all good books do and that is to make you reflect.
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