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Understanding Iraq: The Whole Sweep of Iraqi History, from Genghis Khan's Mongols to the Ottoman Turks to the British Mandate to the American Occupation Paperback – March 14, 2006

by William R. Polk (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 93 ratings
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The Dramatic History of Iraq in One Concise Volume

The destinies of Iraq and America will be tightly intertwined into the foreseeable future due to the U.S. incursion into this complex, perplexing desert nation -- the latest in a long history of violent outside interventions. A country sitting atop the world's largest supply of crude oil, Iraq will continue to play an essential role in global economics and in Middle Eastern politics for many decades to come. Therefore, it is more important than ever for Westerners to have a clear understanding of the volatile, enigmatic "Land of Two Rivers" -- its turbulent past and its looming possibilities. In this acutely penetrating and endlessly fascinating study, acknowledged Middle East authority William R. Polk presents a comprehensive history of the tumultuous events that shaped modern Iraq, while offering well-reasoned judgments on what we can expect there in the years to come.

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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 14, 2006
  4. Dimensions
    5.31 x 0.54 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0060764694
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0060764692
  7. See all details
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From the Back Cover

The Dramatic History of Iraq in One Concise Volume

The destinies of Iraq and America will be tightly intertwined into the foreseeable future due to the U.S. incursion into this complex, perplexing desert nation -- the latest in a long history of violent outside interventions. A country sitting atop the world's largest supply of crude oil, Iraq will continue to play an essential role in global economics and in Middle Eastern politics for many decades to come. Therefore, it is more important than ever for Westerners to have a clear understanding of the volatile, enigmatic "Land of Two Rivers" -- its turbulent past and its looming possibilities. In this acutely penetrating and endlessly fascinating study, acknowledged Middle East authority William R. Polk presents a comprehensive history of the tumultuous events that shaped modern Iraq, while offering well-reasoned judgments on what we can expect there in the years to come.

About the Author

William R. Polk taught Middle Eastern history and politics and Arabic at Harvard until 1961, when he became a member of the Policy Planning Council of the U.S. Department of State. In 1965, he became Professor of History at the University of Chicago, where he established the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. His many books include The Birth of America and Understanding Iraq.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial (March 14, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060764694
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060764692
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.54 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 93 ratings

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William Roe Polk

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4 out of 5 stars
93 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides a concise history of Iraq from ancient times with valuable information and insights. They describe it as a good read for the average person wishing to brush up on the history of Iraq. The author is highly experienced and well-informed, providing a 360-degree perspective on the subject.

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19 customers mention "Context"17 positive2 negative

Customers find the book provides a concise history of Iraq from ancient times. It provides valuable information on the history and development of the country, with insights and facts. The author has firsthand knowledge of the subject and offers an excellent overview. The book helps readers understand the conflict and issues in that part of the world.

"Great book, really lends a great perspective on the Iraq war and Iraq's history from someone who not only is well read on the subject but had lived..." Read more

"...affairs and a scholar of Arabic, it is both a concise history of Iraq from ancient times and a compelling criticism of the current U.S. occupation...." Read more

"360 view of the subject. plenty of insights and facts. excellent background info for understanding todays situation" Read more

"...However overall, I would recommend this book for a simple overview of Iraqi history and what ancient effects can be seen on modern Iraqi society...." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and a good primer on the history of Iraq. They say the author is experienced and well-informed.

"Great book, really lends a great perspective on the Iraq war and Iraq's history from someone who not only is well read on the subject but had lived..." Read more

"This book is a good read for the average person wishing to brush up on the history of Iraq, and to understand why it is the U.S. occupying force has..." Read more

"This is overall a good book and William Polk provides for an easy read that is both heavy on facts while managing to be concise...." Read more

"...fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." It is a fast read, almost too fast. Be sure to re-read it...." Read more

3 customers mention "Perspective"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides a comprehensive perspective on the subject. They appreciate the insights and facts, as well as the appropriate detail of Iraqi history.

"360 view of the subject. plenty of insights and facts. excellent background info for understanding todays situation" Read more

"Interesting. Appropriate detail of the scope of Iraqi history." Read more

"Great book, really lends a great perspective on the ......" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Joshtron
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, really lends a great perspective on the ...
    Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Great book, really lends a great perspective on the Iraq war and Iraq's history from someone who not only is well read on the subject but had lived there and speaks Arabic
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  • Will Jerom
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Short, Concise, and Comprehensive Overview
    Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a good read for the average person wishing to brush up on the history of Iraq, and to understand why it is the U.S. occupying force has faced such difficulty (we should have learned from the British colonial occupation!). Written by an expert on Middle-Eastern affairs and a scholar of Arabic, it is both a concise history of Iraq from ancient times and a compelling criticism of the current U.S. occupation. Although Polk belittles the post-invasion presence of Al-Qaeda, and comes up short in terms of a comprehensive "solution" to the problem there (who currently doesn't?), this book is a recommended read for the introductory reader, written by a man of distinguished credentials. The primary weakness of the book is a lack of comprehensive footnoting and referencing, which would fully make transparent the author's sources. (Those supportive of the war will look in vain for any supporting reasons for the war in Iraq.)
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Hubber
    5.0 out of 5 stars very clear on global politics, now and then.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    360 view of the subject. plenty of insights and facts. excellent background info for understanding todays situation
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  • Frankie
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not Great
    Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    This is overall a good book and William Polk provides for an easy read that is both heavy on facts while managing to be concise. His extensive personal experience is clear in his Understanding Iraq. That being said, he seems to have trouble completely separating personal bias from simple historical reporting. Although it is difficult to have not developed one's own personal opinion on America's historical involvement in Iraq, Polk is overly critical of both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. There are several important omissions that lead the reader to simply think "Bush lied, people died" where there was much involved. Polk frequently toots his own horn by inserting himself in the narrative. However overall, I would recommend this book for a simple overview of Iraqi history and what ancient effects can be seen on modern Iraqi society. Polk does an excellent job of pointing out how events in history helped formulate the Iraq of today.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Claude D. Lamoreux
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fast Read
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    There is a wealth of information in this book. The story of Iraq proves the old saying, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." It is a fast read, almost too fast. Be sure to re-read it. Even though it was written 8 years ago the information is still pertinent. Minus one star for the author's personal politics occasionally creeping in.
    One person found this helpful
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  • B. D. Hamilton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview
    Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    For one who does not know the details of the history of Iraq, this book provides an excellent overview. Dr. Polk does a good job of explaining rather briefly the panorama of the people who evolved into today's Iraq. Everyone should read this book along with others about Iraq history. I look forward to reading the _How to Get Out of Iraq_ co-authored by Dr. Polk.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Charm.city.sinner
    2.0 out of 5 stars A polemic parading as history and analysis
    Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    I was very excited about this book before I started to read it. Polk appeared to have flawless credentials...surely someone with so much relevent experience would produce an outstanding book on Iraq. Unfortunately it became clear very early on in this book that my expectations were not to be met.

    Let's start witht the obvious. The subtitle of this book begins as "the whole sweep of Iraqi history..." The book is 213 pages and even that can be deceiving...physically, the book is very small and the typesetting appears larger than average. To be sure, no single book could adequately present the whole sweep of Iraqi history, but of all the Iraqi history books I have read or referenced, this book does the poorest job of all in terms of presenting an overview of the country. I would recommend Anderson and Stansfield's book as an example of one of the best books in this area.

    The way Polk has the book organized, it would be reasonable to have high hopes. There are six chapters: Ancient Iraq, Islamic Iraq, British Iraq, Revolutionary Iraq, American Iraq, and Whose Iraq? He appears to have the important bases covered, but within these chapters lies a remarkably weak and half-hearted presentation of Iraq's history, at least at the governmental level.

    Another somewhat related criticism would be that there are next to no cited sources in the entire book. From an academic standpoint, this is baffling. His experience in the field notwithstanding, it is unacceptable to produce what is to be a serious history book and then provide no sources or bibliography. The key here is to recognize that at its heart, this book is not an attepmt to provide a history of Iraq, but merely an outlet for criticizing the way the U.S. (particularly Bush) has handled Iraq.

    Onto that criticism: Polk is one of those authors that rightly and (mostly) accurately points out all of the bad things the U.S. has done when it comes to Iraq. From a moral or humanitarian perspective, of course it's wrong to give support to someone like Hussein. I think most people would agree with that. What baffles me is that someone could so passionately point out all these bad things and then be so opposed to a war that ultimately removed a regime who surived up to that point because of what the U.S. had done. Even though it was not the reason given, the U.S. had accumulated quite a large moral debt to Iraq. In short, we owed it to Iraqis to get rid of Saddam. Further explanations of this type of thinking can be found in Feldman's "What we owe Iraq," and Cushman's "A Matter of Principle."

    My last main complaint about this book is that for all the criticizing and lamenting about U.S. intentions and mistakes (and believe me, these are all warranted), Polk offers no real ideas for what to do to help Iraqis build a better future, and more importantly, he never even touches on the topic of what kind of life these people would have endured if Hussein was still in power today. I think it's important and necessary to call the U.S. on its mistakes, but at the end of the day, the U.S. actually helped get rid of a dictator this time. And even though we owe this to a lot of other countries, I can only be glad that humanitarian and security interests were aligned in this case, and that for all the other problems, there is at least a chance for democracy and a better life in Iraq. That chance certainly did not exist under Hussein.

    The biggest let down here is that it is important for people to understand Iraq, but this book I believe, is doing more harm than good. If you've done a fair amount of reading on Iraq, this will be clear so that's not the danger here. What would be an absolute tragedy here would be for someone with no prior experience to pick up this book and then think they have a real understanding of Iraq after reading it. These are the types of books that make my job as a professor harder than it should be because I have to spend so much time in order to defuse all numbers of students who read material like this and base their opinions and judgements from it. While not nearly as damaging to the process of education and understanding as Michael Moore or Sean Hannity, it is much more disappointing because Polk has the education and experience needed to produce stellar work. Framed in those terms, this book is largely a failure.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • chris casey
    1.0 out of 5 stars Anti Bush Book
    Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2017
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    The book starts and ends with a major theme; Anti Bush. The book has great facts sprinkled in the middle and had potential until opinion from the author over road the facts.
    2 people found this helpful
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