Customer Reviews

The Middle East and Islamic World Reader

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gettleman and Schaar produce a compilation of some of the most insightful and significant documents required for a sufficient understanding of the Middle East/Islamic World. Topics range from the origins of Islam, through the budding of modernity, all the way to the formation of OPEC, Arab/Israeli conflict, and 9-11. The book is set up similar to Gettleman's hugely popular "Vietnam and America Reader." All primary sources are given an in-depth introduction with a readable and complete set of historical context. This book is friendly enough for the layman and yet contains some of the most seminal, current, and balanced scholarship. The primary documents bring Middle East studies alive while providing the key to todays geopolitical and economic issues.

I was very impressed with the selections Gettleman and Schaar used on the birth and growth of Islam, particularly their attention to Sufism. That they provided documents on (and about) women was another strong point in their collection. The first half of the book is fairly representative of the Islamic world, as it includes perspectives on Islam in India, the rise of the Safavid empire in Perisa, the Mogol conquest and rise of the Mamelukes in Egypt and some great samplings from the Ottoman age.

I was disappointed, therefore by the last half of the book which, by comparison, was narrower. The selection of readings on "pan-Arabism" and "Baathism" were very well done, as was its detail on the creation of a secular Turkey and an independent Pakistan. However, as previous reviews have noted, the selection of materials on Lebanon and Syria are very thin. I found the extensive readings on the origins and various perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian question, however, to be very well done and were equally representative of both sides - including the peace proposal by the Saud'is and an appeal by Palestinain intellectuals to stop suicide bombings. The final selections on geopolitics, oil and the cold war in the Near East and competing ideologies were also excellent - I was particularly impressed with the readings on Islamic radicalism.

Evaluating the strength of the documents alone would warrant three stars. However, before each section the authors provide an excellent summary of the broader themes of the social, political and intellectual changes that the Islamic world was going through as demonstrated by the readings. Their scholarship is outstanding, their writing erudite and the relation of the major points to the specific documents is immediately clear. On these merits I give it an extra star.

For serious students of history or those interested in a deeper understanding of the complex interplay of faith, ethnicity, social class and politics, this is an excellent resource, and is one I strongly recommend.

I initially bought this book hoping it would contain an insightful analysis through the use of articles and official documents, unfortunately the book shows some bias, ignores vital areas of the Middle East, and unfortunately has many factual errors. I will try to concentrate on ONE page of this book (p. 285), in an effort to show some of the problems.

For starters its covering of Syria is extremely lacking. There is no real review of the revolts against the French Mandate, Syria's use of terrorism in the Middle East, the countless coups in that country, and its regional importance. In the index of this 364 page book it contains 3 references to Syria: 2 regarding how the French were to take charge of the Syria/Lebanon Mandate/Sykes Piccot Treaty and 1 regarding the Taef Accord.

Writing on the Kurds is also lacking. There is no mention of the PKK. Writing on the Kurdish/Turkish - Kurdish/Iraqi - or Kurdish/Iranian conflicts is also lacking.

As for Lebanon the editors show their anti-Israel bias, in addition to muddling the facts. For instance, "The subsequent US intervention froze Lebanon's politics and the unresolved tensions between opposing Lebanese parties and sects led in 1975 to a ferocious civil war that soon brought first the Israelis as invaders into Lebanon, then the Syrians as new political arbiters." (p.285)

Syria invaded and occupied Lebanon in 1976, oddly enough to crush the PLO. This was 2 years before Israel's 1978 operation to the Litani river and 6 years before Operation Peace for the Galilee. In addition it also completely white washes Syria's practice of terrorism/indiscriminate attacks, and its occupation of Lebanon until 2005, 5 years longer than the Israeli occupation of the south of Lebanon. (technically Syria still occupies portions of Lebanon close to the Syrian border and also maintains a large intelligence apparatus in the country). Syria's actions in Lebanon have been described by many experts as, "lighting a fire and then offering to put it out." In the book Syria is only described as, "in the country as the dominant force." (p. 285)

"By 1991, with all sides exhausted, the Arab League had agreed to allow Syrian troops to enter Lebanon to end the civil war." (p. 285) Again, Syria was in Lebanon since 1976, in 1990 it was actually given the green light to conquer Lebanon by the US so they would help us against Iraq in the Gulf War. In addition the Arab Leagues force was supposed to be a mixed Arab contingent, instead Syria, in its dream to become Lebanon's hegemon comprised up to 90% of the force.

Showing their contempt for fact the editors continue by adding, "the Israelis withdrew from most of the occupied zone in 2000." (p.285) Most?! The UN certified that Israel withdrew from the entire area. In the book the terrorist actions of Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons isn't mentioned at all. In fact Hezbollah is considered by the editors as one of the few "Islamic successes."

This book brands itself as a true reader for the Middle East, unfortunately it seems as though the authors really cover Israel/Palestinians, as if they were the only real "Middle East." The Turks are covered, early Islamic writers, and Muslim women find their place in the book, but it is still lacking on so many levels. I give it 3 stars simply because it has some good articles, but overall I would say its better to go out there and do your own research instead of relying on this book.

This is a really good book for looking at snapshots of the history and the political and religious divions of the islamic world. Had the editors been more objective rather than subjective, I would have given the book a 5 star rating.