The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years Reprint Edition

by Bernard Lewis (Author)

103 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0684832807

ISBN-10: 0684832801

Why is ISBN important?

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share <Embed>

Buy new

$5.40

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

Ships from and sold by Gama1521.

This item does not ship to France. Please check other sellers who may ship internationally.

List Price: $19.00
Save: $13.60 (72%)

62 New from $5.00

Deliver to France

$5.40

Turn on 1-Click ordering

More Buying Choices

62 New from $5.00 254 Used from $1.20 1 Collectible from $10.88

317 used & new from $1.20

See All Buying Options

Free Two-Day Shipping for College Students with Amazon Student

In a sweeping and vivid survey, renowned historian Bernard Lewis charts the history of the Middle East over the last 2,000 years, from the birth of Christianity through the modern era, focusing on the successive transformations that have shaped it.

Drawing on material from a multitude of sources, including the work of archaeologists and scholars, Lewis chronologically traces the political, economical, social, and cultural development of the Middle East, from Hellenization in antiquity to the impact of westernization on Islamic culture. Meticulously researched, this enlightening narrative explores the patterns of history that have repeated themselves in the Middle East.

From the ancient conflicts to the current geographical and religious disputes between the Arabs and the Israelis, Lewis examines the ability of this region to unite and solve its problems and asks if, in the future, these unresolved conflicts will ultimately lead to the ethnic and cultural factionalism that tore apart the former Yugoslavia.

Elegantly written, scholarly yet accessible, The Middle East is the most comprehensive single volume history of the region ever written from the world’s foremost authority on the Middle East.

Frequently bought together

Total price: $29.15

These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Show details

Buy the selected items together

This item:The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years by Bernard Lewis Paperback $5.40
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Gama1521.
$3.99 shipping
The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis Paperback $4.50
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by B&k Books.
$4.99 shipping
What Went Wrong?: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East by Bernard Lewis Paperback $19.25
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by FormNatural and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Bernard Lewis

188

Paperback
$4.50
Bernard Lewis

309

Paperback
$19.25
Thomas L. Friedman

299

Paperback
$17.53
David Fromkin

459

Paperback
$18.92
Bernard Lewis

309

Hardcover
$13.56
Frederick Denny

22

Paperback
$33.00

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

To gain a better understanding of contemporary Middle Eastern culture and society, which is steeped in tradition, one should look closely at its history. Bernard Lewis, Professor of Near Eastern studies at Princeton University, considered one of the world's foremost authorities on the Middle East, spans 2000 years of this region's history, searching in the past for answers to questions that will inevitably arise in the future.

Drawing on material from a multitude of sources, including the work of archaeologists and scholars, Lewis chronologically traces the political, economical, social, and cultural development of the Middle East, from Hellenization in antiquity to the impact of westernization on Islamic culture. Meticulously researched, this enlightening narrative explores the patterns of history that have repeated themselves in the Middle East.

From the ancient conflicts to the current geographical and religious disputes between the Arabs and the Israelis, Lewis examines the ability of this region to unite and solve its problems and asks if, in the future, these unresolved conflicts will ultimately lead to the ethnic and cultural factionalism that tore apart the former Yugoslavia.

About the Author

Bernard Lewis (born May 31, 1916) was born in London. He is the author of forty-six books on Islam and the Middle East, including Notes on a Century: Reflections of a Middle East Historian; The End of Modern History in the Middle East; and The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror. He also wrote three major syntheses for general audiences: The Arabs in History; The Middle East and the West; and The Middle East. Lewis is the Cleveland E. Dodge Professor Emeritus at Princeton University.

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Scribner; Reprint edition (August 7, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0684832801
ISBN-13: 978-0684832807
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 103 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #103 in Books > History > Middle East > Iran
- #134 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History > Middle East
- #134 in Books > History > Middle East > Turkey

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Be the first video

Your name here

Important information

Ingredients

Example Ingredients

Directions

Example Directions

Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features:

See Kindle Edition

Customer reviews

Write a customer review

See all 103 customer reviews

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

C. F Fulbright

Should Be Titled, "The Muslim Middle East: A Complete History"

February 12, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Bernard Lewis's "The Middle East" is a thorough and comprehensive history of the region, though overwhelmingly focused on the Muslim/Arab dominance of this region. Though labeled as a history of the past 2,000 years, it's mostly a history of the past 1,400 years. Persians, Christians, Romans, and modern Israelis operate on the fringes. Still, if you want a history of Islam in the Middle East, this is the book for you.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

El Presidente

Overall, very good book

April 23, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book does a good job giving a history of the Middle East. It is effectively organized and does a fairly balance view of the various religions that have arisen in the area. This book is a stepping stone into a deeper series of studies and is useful for helping the reader to see what they are really interested in. The author does a good job giving the history as the people would have viewed themselves in each time period. I.e. when discussing the Ottoman Empire, the priorities of the Sultans is rendered fairly accurately as they themselves would have given it and not played down to try to seem like the Ottomans were mostly peaceful coexistence types. As with most empires, there was a balance between peace and war and the author does a good job showing that. However, as we reach into modern times, there is a hint of the "we all need to get along" message in how some modern Islamic societies are portrayed and while that is true for some people and governments, that message needs to be better balanced with the opposing views of those who believe that peaceful coexistence is not possible. I am not saying that the author did a bad job at all, just keep in mind that it is harder to maintain that balance viewpoint when there is so much propaganda going in all directions. To be fair, any historical works which touch on events in the last forty to fifty years has to deal with this issue. So, my advice, read the book and then dig deeper into what you found most interesting. Enjoy.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Kitchen Magician

The Dean of Middle East Historians

April 16, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a wonderful, brilliant book by the Dean of Middle East historians, Bernard Lewis, Professor Emeritus of Near East history at Princeton University now in his 96th year. Dr. Lewis's unique erudition and mastery of the subject matter is immediately apparent upon first reading the book, however, be forewarned that Dr. Lewis does not suffer fools gladly and assumes of the reader a fairly strong knowledge of Middle East history as well as a high level of reading comprehension skills which makes this "brief" overview a bit of a contradiction. Still, this book, which incorporates an immense amount of informatio, was my introduction to the Middle East and each time I re-read it, I find new nuances that make it an endless source of vast wisdom, insight and intellect.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Bassem Morcos

A comprehensive understanding of the Middle East

July 7, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book is representing a thorough reference to all people interested in understanding the history and the dynamics of the current Middle East region, where the writer has demonstrated the full history of the region with the outside world in a simplified way. Moreover, he had the power to link the history with the current status of those countries in a pragmatic unbiased way.
The book is an asset for those who are looking for a clear understanding of the ME region even if they are not academics and I highly recommend this book to anyone who are in need to understand part of the current global powers movement without being over saturated with unnecessary details.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Kindle Customer

Really wordy but completely informed

May 19, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Is not a blow by blow account of the generals, crusades and wars but goes through in great detail the economics, politics and shifting alliances of the Middle East. Well worth the read. Try also Lewis's "What Went Wrong" which is shorter and punchier.

One complaint: the Arabic characaters are not displayed correctly and are nearly impossible to read. So, when you come across the name of a location or a person, the character is tiny, unreadable and annoying.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Maritza

Excellent brief historical presentation of the Middle East

September 14, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Excellent brief historical presentation of the Middle East. Mr Bernard Lewis accomplished his purpose of introducing us to the Persian and Byzantium empires from the pre- Islamic Arabia and the founding of the Islamic state. Also he establishes the link between modern Middle East and the Ancient civilization. I would consider this book as an excellent historical resource.

2 people found this helpful

Comment

September 3, 2006

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Subtitled "A Brief History of the Last 2000 Years", this over four hundred page book cannot help being a bit like jumbo shrimp.

The author himself admits as much, writing in the Preface, "Any attempt to present two thousand years of the history of a rich, varied and vibrant region within the compass of a single volume must necessarily omit much that is of importance. Every student of the region will make his or her choice. I have made mine, and it is inevitably personal".

And so it is.

As a result there are, for example, only a few short paragraphs on the whole vast subject of the Crusades. At the same time we learn in detail about the keen observations of the French traveler Jean de Thevenot, who visited Egypt in 1655.

Or as another example, a number of pages are devoted to a detailed discussion of the revolutionary movement of the Young Turks in the early 20th century. On the other hand, notwithstanding the fact that The Middle East takes us essentially to the present day, there is no mention of the Muslim Brotherhood and the origins in the 1950's of the thinking that has evolved into the radical Islamist doctrine that today confronts the world.

The author is undoubtedly a great and learned scholar. But as a result of the compromises required of "A Brief History of the Last 2000 Years", this book is neither here nor there.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years

Set up a giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Bernard Lewis

188

Paperback
$4.50
Bernard Lewis

309

Paperback
$19.25
David Fromkin

459

Paperback
$18.92
Eugene Rogan

158

Paperback
$14.57
Peter Mansfield

26

Paperback
$21.00
Bernard Lewis

309

Hardcover
$13.56

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: world geography