Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East (4 Volumes) [Hardcover]

Reeva Spector Simon (Editor), Richard W. Bulliet (Editor), Philip Mattar (Editor), Middle East Inst. (Author), Reeva S. Simon (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up. This informative and broad-ranging encyclopedia focuses on historical, political, and biographical information and issues related to 24 countries in the Middle East. It attempts to provide "scholarly, balanced, and proportionate coverage of the conflict between Arabs and Israelis...and to integrate that issue into the fabric of Middle East politics and culture." By and large, this resource succeeds in this goal, even though the coverage is uneven in currency. The article on Israel strangely ends its historical coverage in 1993, while a separate biographical piece on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes through May 1996. The essays related to Palestinian issues and people tend to be sympathetic to their cause, and those on Israel and Israelis tend to be supportive of Israel's stance on many issues; however, criticism of both the PLO and Israel appears in some entries. Most of the articles conclude with a short list of sources. Generally dark and undistinguished black-and-white photos and maps supplement the text. A 12-page appendix details the genealogical lineage and lines of succession for royal families in Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Bahrain, Persia and Iran, and the Ottoman Empire; the 12 imams of Islam are also listed. Biographical entries are enumerated by vocational category or profession. The subject index is unusually thorough and helpful. While not comprehensive, this clearly written encyclopedia provides a wealth of information and a minimum of partisanship on a region of the world that continues to generate controversy and conflict.?Jack Forman, Mesa College Library, San Diego
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The editors, all associated with the Columbia University Middle East Institute of Palestine Studies, Washington, D.C., have aimed to create a comprehensive reference work for the English-speaking general public that would provide balanced, proportionate, scholarly coverage of the Middle East from 1800 to the present. In this ambitious undertaking they have succeeded admirably. The four-volume set contains over 4000 signed articles (most with bibliographies) covering the 24 countries of the Middle East from Morocco to Afghanistan, including Israel and other non-Arab, non-Muslim countries such as Cyprus and Malta. The extent of coverage of a topic was determined by its usefulness and relevance to readers; hence, the most space was given to Egypt, Israel, Turkey, petroleum, agriculture, and other matters of interest to the Western world. Cultural, religious, and social topics are also included, as are historical/political events and people, so that information on obscure subjects (such as the Alevi and Bektashi sects) is provided as well. The 300 contributors are mostly academics from the United States, Britain, and the Middle East. This encyclopedia is unique in its breadth and currency; The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the Middle East and North Africa (1988) is much less extensive and is nearly ten years old, while The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World (LJ 3/15/95) is current but has a narrower focus. Where affordable, this is a valuable reference tool recommended for most libraries.?Ruth K. Baacke, Whatcom Cty Lib. Sys., Bellingham, Wash.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 2182 pages
• Publisher: MacMillan Reference Books (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028970624
• ISBN-13: 978-0028970622
• ASIN: 0028960114
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.4 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 16.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,775,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)