Product Description

This new edition of Arthur Goldschmidt's well-researched history includes a refined discussion of the life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad, updated scholarship on the 19th-20th century Persia/Iran, as well as clarification and exploration of the aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.. The seventh edition of Arthur Goldschmidts widely acclaimed text has been extensively revised to reflect the latest scholarship and the most recent events in the Middle East, including a refined discussion of the life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad and a clarification of the aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As an introduction to the history of this turbulent region from the beginnings of Islam to the present day, the book is distinguished by its clear style, broad scope, and balanced treatment. Written for college students, the text assumes no prior knowledge of Middle Eastern history. It focuses on the evolution of Islamic institutions and culture, the influence of the West, the modernization efforts of Middle Eastern governments, the struggle of various peoples for political independence, the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the reassertion of Islamic values and power, the aftermath of the Gulf War, and issues surrounding the Palestinian Question. }The seventh edition of Arthur Goldschmidts widely acclaimed text has been extensively revised to reflect the latest scholarship and the most recent events in the Middle East, including a refined discussion of the life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad and a clarification of the aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. As an introduction to the history of this turbulent region from the beginnings of Islam to the present day, the book is distinguished by its clear style, broad scope, and balanced treatment. Written for college students, the text assumes no prior knowledge of Middle Eastern history. It focuses on the evolution of Islamic institutions and culture, the influence of the West, the modernization efforts of Middle Eastern governments, the struggle of various peoples for political independence, the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the reassertion of Islamic values and power, the aftermath of the Gulf War, and issues surrounding the Palestinian Question. This edition also includes a detailed and updated chronology, a glossary of names and terms, and a bibliographic essay listing books and other sources that will prove helpful to both teachers and students. Maps, tables, and figures enhance the value of this edition. }

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1365972 in Books
• Published on: 2001-07-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 520 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent precis of the history of the area since Islam.
Not being a student of history at all I have really enjoyed reading this book, it seems unbiased and well researched to me, the book is, as it states "concise", but this is good because I can see you could easily get bogged down in too much history about certain events, if you are interested in some events in the book you can always research those further (I further researched the Christian Crusades for example)

The book for the most part deals with the Middle East from the birth of Mohamed (around mid 6th Century AD) so in that respect misses out the Roman Empire, the Persian Empire and the more ancient history of the middle east. If you are after that sort of history you won't find it here. What you will find is a book that is well written covers the birth and rise of Islam and the Political, Social and military history that stems from this, the book also explains the current situation of the middle east well and the birth of Israel, including coverage of the gulf war and the recent efforts at the peace process. There is a whole chapter dedicated to "the source of Arab bitterness" which is pretty good. If you, like me want to know what the hell all "the trouble in the East" is about then this book will explain things logically, and without bias. So I recommend it as a good grounding in Middle Eastern history.

A detailed view of the diverse and rich history of the regio
Dr. Goldschmidt's book is not only the perfect textbook, but a wonderful book as well. The author takes you through the diverse and rich history of the most disputed and news making region in the world. His detailed scope of the history dating back to pre-Islam begins to help the reader understand the conflicts which have plagued the Middle East for centuries. His love for the region and its history shine through in his word on the pages, which helps make this not just another dry history textbook. Highly recommended for someone who is either well versed in the Middle East or not.

Brilliant
I used this book as basic reading for my Middle East Studies course and found it to be the best book of all recommended on the reading list. It is concise, interesting, has short chapters which makes an overview easy enough for any student and includes from geography to religion everything a student can ask for. the political & historical parts are written in a way which makes the complex situation in the middle east nearly a "joy" to understand. congratulations to this book. it is ...excellent. us students know bad books very well. this certainly doesnt belong to this category!