Customer Reviews

A Concise History of the Middle East (7th Edition)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This extremely readable textbook by Arthur Goldschmidt, Jr. was assigned reading for my course at NYU about the history of the Middle East. This latest edition was published in 1998. Naturally there have been changes since then. But this, after all, is a history textbook. I can read about current events in the newspapers. What this book did was to give me that background. And it certainly is a rich background, one that I never knew before.

In clear descriptive language the author describes the Middle East before and after Muhammad and the basic beliefs of Islam. He talks about the early Arab conquests and the differences between Islamic sects. He describes the various empires and discusses the role of European interests and westernizing influences. And he gives the reader a really good understanding of the various the countries and their shifting borders. Finally, he brings us up to date on the causes and conflicts of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Gulf War. It is all fascinating stuff and I soaked it all up, reading quickly and absorbing the context, rather than the details. Not a shabby accomplishment for only 362 pages. Recommended.

Very informative book written by a man who can write to the masses in that he can explain detail of Middle East life, countries, religion and conflicts in terminology that is not too academic but inspiring to read. There is quite a bit of information provided by Goldschmidt who eases the burden of religious Middle East language (foreign to many of Americans) with a glossary for various words, names of leaders, places and things. He includes a historical timeline chart of the great events of the Middle East including excellent maps that keep the reader in place geographically as he covers the evolution of the Middle East by region, dynasties and individual countries. He starts with the definition of history and of the Arabs followed by the land before Muhammad and then a mini biography of Muhammad. What follows is a detailed but easy to read chapter on Islam and how it develops into a civilization. The expansiveness of Islam in the Middle East and the associated power of the Ottoman empire that threatened to dominate Europe and Asia. He covers the invasion of the Mongol hordes and the eventual investitures of the European powers and colonialism as the Ottoman Empire weakens to collapse after WWI. As he writes of the dominance in controling the Middle East by England and France and the initial settling of Jews in the early 1900's the seeds of distrust of the west start to obviously emanate. The term concise history is a bit misleading because Goldschmidt leads his student through WWII and its effect on the Middle East and the birth of Israel and Arab conflict. He also covers the surrogate relationship of English and France in trying to maintain control of trade routes, the Suez Canal and oil along with the USSR attempting to expand into the region. By the time I completed this book of just over 400 pages, I have a greater appreciation for the complex conflicts among the Middle East's Peoples not just Jewish and Arab but Sunni Muslims and Shi'i, Kurds, Maronite Christians, Armenians, Turks, Druze and various tribes within each country. Mr. Goldschmidt provides the reader a building platform to understand the Middle East, a great reference book and an avenue for more detailed reading.

I've read Bernard Lewis and so many others, I can't remember them all. I spend a lot of my free time reading about the Middle East, as my family comes from Iraq. This is the one I recommend for those interested in a general overview of the Middle East without being bogged down by all the caliphs and names of tribes that make other books more complicated (and dull). Read this first, then if you want to delve into more detail this book will guide you to more in-depth reading material. If you know the Middle East very well, and understand its history, then move on. Most people do not know the M. East history as well as Goldschmidt, however, and his balanced view is refreshing.

I have given this book away as gifts and the recipients who read it have praised it.

Dr. Goldschmidt does an exceptional job of covering one of the more misunderstood regions of the past half century. Seldom does anyone write a book on the Middle East that is not seen as biased by some, however, this is as balanced an effort as I have read and as concise as practical. I highly recommend 'A Concise History of the Middle East' to anyone who is interested in learning why this region is such a difficult and complex part of our world.

I'll admit I'm a bit biased because Dr. Goldschmidt was the professor for my introductory Middle East history class at Penn State more than 10 years ago. I enjoyed his book and his class so much, that I actually helped teach the class as a teachers assistant for a couple of years. This book is very, very readable and does a great job of explaining the progression of history, culture, feuds, wars, etc. that has led to the modern Middle East situation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

At more than 500 pages, this textbook is not exactly "concise," as might be expected given the panoramic scope of its topic. Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. and Lawrence Davidson ambitiously try to explain the factors driving Islamic culture and its influence on Western civilization, right down to the glossary and chronology. Their main focus is the impact of Islam on Arab history. Once they reach modern times, the authors' strong views shape their explanations, sometimes pushing the book toward commentary rather than history. Some readers may find that their interpretations can be partisan (anti-Bush, pro-Palestinian, accusing the U.S. of terrorism), but such continuing controversies are inherent in Middle East history. As the authors correctly point out, today's society offers no solutions to many of these critical issues, most of which have festered for centuries. To draw the most from its strengths, we recommend this major sourcebook primarily to those who are interested in premodern Middle East history.

Apparently a number of reviewers struggle with the tone and apparent "bias" of Goldschmidt. I was suprised at these accusations as Goldschmidt, in my opinion, presents the issues and perspectives of the various peoples, factions and religions in as fair a manner as is possible, given the tremendous diversity in the region. The first half of the book, detailing the birth, spread and rise of non-Arab empires (the Mongol, Safavid and Ottoman empires) is a bit rushed - I wish greater attention was given the intellectual achievements of the era, but as the title states, it is a *concise* history.

The history really hits its stride mid-way through, as Goldschmidt disucsses the politics of the Middle East in the 20th century. The reasons behind Middle Eastern anti-westernism are complicated; the web of resentments, issues, past slights and mis-interpretations are difficult to clearly explain. In a little over 100 pages, the main points are well laid out, and provide a solid foundation for further study. To summarize, the European "mandate system" driven by British and French imperial designs in the region, in addition to the cultural and economic disparities between urban and rural parts of the Middle East and competing visions among Arabs themselves of what the region should look like (particularly a "pan-Arab" nation led by whom? Egypt? Syria? ) and mis-steps by the United States all conspired to create a wide variety of competing and often hostile camps that perpetuate instability to this day.

I was particularly impressed with Godlschmidt's history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and its relation to Arab power politics between Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The perspectives and attitudes between nations and their leaders were clearly and concisely laid out. In my reading, this was the real strength of the book. However, I do have misgivings, hence the three-star review.

I thought his disucssion of post-war Lebanon and post-war Iran were entirely too shallow. These two states, perhaps more than other nations in the region, have been manipulated by the west more than any other in the middle east. And while French and American power politics were discussed, the impact and extent of the involvement of these nations were not presented in nearly enough detail. On an editorial note, I found his asking rhetorical questions stale. As other reviewers have pointed out, the intended audience is apparently college sophomores rather than the general reader, which should also be kept in mind before purchasing.

For a "concise" history, this hits the mark. In my mind the gold standard in histories of the region (and a book that is written with a broader audience in mind) is Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes.

This book does a lot in 408 pages. The first half of the book is more the base to understanding more modern happenings. The first half discusses Muhammad's life and influence; it sprints through the early caliphs and their influence; it briefly discusses the effect of Mongolian khans; and much more. The second half of the book is easier to follow and remember. It focuses on the creation of the present day nation-states and problems of the Middle East. If you want an understanding of people of the Middle East, their culture and their religion, their history as a people and as a mixture of people, this is a fine choice to start with.

When I picked this book up I did not expect it to be a college textbook, especially because the back cover claims that it is suitable for the widest audience. This definitely is a text for college students, and beginning ones at that. The book must be reviewed in terms of its intended audience and the goals it tries to achieve, and it is at least partially successful as both a concise compendium of as much Middle Eastern history as possible, and as a good introduction to the subject for beginners. Don't expect extensive details and examinations of specific political or social events and trends. If you are looking for an introduction then this book certainly lives up to its title as a "concise" history, and you can find more specific and explanatory books elsewhere if desired.

However, there are still some problems with this book, mostly related to Goldschmidt's writing style. There's a desperate tendency for trying to make topics "interesting" to students, and numerous annoying attempts at foreshadowing and suspense that merely result in the we'll-get-back-to-that-later refrain. Goldschmidt is concerned with analyzing deep trends and how they relate to the modern world, which is a good attempt to arouse interest in bored students, but these attempts merely devolve into personal opinions and weak rhetorical "what if" questions. There is also Goldschmidt's frequent use of the word "I" in the first person, which damages his credibility as a detached historian. This book runs the risk of turning off its intended audience - college students who don't have a prior interest in the subject. On the other hand, it accomplishes its goals of providing a concise introduction and summary to those who are interested, but it remains at a basic level.

A rare and beautiful acheivement, Goldschmidt has produced a textbook that is both informative and interesting. His arguments are clear and well supported, and his breadth is commendable. Footnotes would have been nice, but the bibliographic essay is effective, I guess. My students actually do the readings, so who am I to be picky?