A History of Iraq [Paperback]

Charles Tripp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2007 | ISBN-10: 052170247X | ISBN-13: 978-0521702478 | Edition: 3

To understand Iraq, Charles Tripp's history is the book to read. Since its first appearance in 2000, it has become a classic in the field of Middle East studies, read and admired by students, soldiers, policymakers and journalists. The book is now updated to include the recent American invasion, the fall and capture of Saddam Hussein and the subsequent descent into civil strife. What is clear is that much that has happened since 2003 was foreshadowed in the account found in this book. Tripp's thesis is that the history of Iraq throughout the twentieth-century has made it what it is today, but also provides alternative futures. Unless this is properly understood, many of the themes explored in this book - patron-client relations, organized violence, sectarian, ethnic and tribal difference - will continue to exert a hold over the future of Iraq as they did over its past.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Tripp offers a lucid, digestible overview of contemporary Iraq's byzantine political power structure. Placing the evolution of the modern Iraqi state firmly into historical context, the author analyzes the roots of Islamic law, the negative effects of British imperialism, the controversial Haahemite monarchy, the fledgling republic, and, finally, the emergence of the militant Ba'th Party and the subsequent dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Also included are cogent examinations of social, cultural, and economic traditions that have contributed to the development of regionally aggressive and rabidly anti-Western policies. This insightful investigation of an often bewildering Middle Eastern nation should be considered for purchase by all public libraries interested in building a comprehensive collection of national histories of the region. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Tripp offers a very readable account that presents the many different political figures, the ebb and flow of central government relations with Kurds and Shi'ites, and the ongoing regional and international coverage." Foreign Affairs

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 386 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 3 edition (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 052170247X
• ISBN-13: 978-0521702478
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > History > Middle East > Iraq

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No, no, no..., September 22, 2001

By 

I. Tremayne (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of Iraq (Paperback)

The previous review is grossly unfair. The book is supposed to be a concise history, not an exhaustive analysis of every single issue and event in Iraq. There is an excellent list of suggested sources should the reader wish to engage in further research on any topic. The book is erudite and well-written. It does not assume that the reader has an extensive knowledge of the Middle East. Two friends borrowed this book for coursework and I had a hard time getting it back, actually.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice addition to the literature, September 16, 2006

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A History of Iraq (Paperback)

There are a number of works that address the history of Iraq as this ought to inform American policy there: Toby Dodge's Inventing Iraq and Liam Anderson's and Gareth Stansfield's The Future of Iraq and Christopher Catherwood's Churchill's Folly come to mind. This is another in this excellent set of works.

Tripp traces Iraqi history--and its implications--from its status as three provinces in the Ottoman Empire (Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul), the British Mandate (covered so well by Catherwood's book), the early and later Hashemite Monarchy, the very brief "republic" (which term needs to be placed in italics) from 1958-1968, and the Ba'th rule (including Saddam Husain's dictatorship).

The details in this historical analysis provide extremely useful context for understanding the country called Iraq; it also helps inform us as to the challenges of creating a unified country that can produce a sense of "nationhood."

All in all, a good volume for those who want to understand the background to where we currently stand. . . .

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definitive primer for those who would understand Iraq, December 18, 2006

By 

R. J. Walrath (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A History of Iraq (Paperback)

A must read for any who would make or influence U.S. policy in Iraq. I began reading the first printing of this book while awaiting transportation into Iraq and finished while in-country. The author's readable history of the faux nation called Iraq is essential in helping to create perspective for the new Iraq scholar or for those who believe they already know it all. The reader will most likely encounter a feeling of dejavu while exploring the British occupation post-WWI. The prominent historical role of tribal shieks and secondarily, religous leaders may surprise Westerners more familiar with elected political power, but understanding who the "real" players are in the Iraqi drama helps one to understand many of the factors that have led to the current U.S. administration's difficulties in bringing western democracy to a people who have neither experienced democracy in the past, nor who exhibit a passionate desire to embrace it for themselves. There are several rather dry sections in the work, but it is worth wading through them to get to the essence of Iraq's history.