Middle Eastern History books

An accessible look at the world's oldest writing system, covering it's origins, historical development and demise. With new colour photos.

A riveting, comprehensive history of the Arab peoples and tribes that explores the role of language as a cultural touchstone

After years as a revolutionary, anti-war protestor, former British soldier Jim Matthews gives up a lucrative teaching career to return to fight ISIS alongside Kurdish forces in Syria. But what drives his return to this conflict zone? Does he miss war?

Presents an assessment of Israel's state-sponsored assassination programs that evaluates the protective beliefs that are instituted into every Israeli citizen, the role of assassination in the state's history, and the ethical challenges of Israel's policies on targeted killings.

Iran has gained attention mostly for negative reasons but there is much more to the story of this ancient land than can be gleaned from the news. This comprehensive history of Iran covers the history of the area from the foundation of the ancient Persian empire to Iranian state.

The Sasanians were the last of the ancient Persian dynasties, and the largest empire to espouse Zoroastrianism, before the encounter with the Arabs swept away the pre-Islamic institutions. In this clear and comprehensive book, Touraj Daryaee provides an unrivalled account of Sasanian Persia.

An enlightening and authoritative history, explaining both the creation and unravelling of the current Syrian regime and the roots of the broader Middle East conflict. A rare and accessible guide to a complex nation. Fully updated edition with 5 maps.

A profusely illustrated historical survey of a fascinating region, now available in a new format.

History of the military forces of the Gulf states that were mostly British Protected States. Illustrated with scores of photographs and maps.

Following the devastation resulting from the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire beginning in 1915, the survivors of the massacres were dispersed across the Middle East, Europe and North and South America. Not content with watching World War I silently from the sidelines, a large number of Armenian volunteers joined the Legion d'Orient. They were trained in Cyprus and fought courageously in...

The untold story of how British-French rivalry drew the battle-lines of the modern Middle East

New paperback edition of critically acclaimed, lively and gripping account of the British invasion and occupation of Iraq and of the Arab revolt against it, the most serious armed uprising against British rule in the twentieth century. Vividly brings to life key players such as Winston Churchill, T.E. Lawrence, Gertrude Bell, Sir Mark Sykes.

This major book by the renowned Israeli historian, unveils the hidden and systematic ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians in 1948, and its relevance to resolving the conflict.

What are the myths - and reality - behind the state of Israel

A sharp analysis of the widening cracks in Israel's traditional pillars of support.

The geopolitical importance of the Gulf region is a source both of great interest and great tension. David Commins here provides an in-depth narrative of the modern political history of the Gulf States, providing a comprehensive and accessible account of their recent development and strategic importance. Focusing primarily on economic, cultural, religious and social themes from the 14th century to...

A powerful meditation on political resistance from one of the most original and influential thinkers of our times

Praised as the definitive history of Beirut, this is the story of a city that has stood at the crossroads of Mediterranean civilization for more than four thousand years. It takes the reader from the ancient to the modern world, offering a dazzling panorama of the city's Seleucid, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and French incarnations.

Charts the contemporary history of Turkey by looking at the country's erratic transformation from a military dictatorship to a maturing democracy.

Shows that the Israeli national myth has its origins in the 19th century, rather than in biblical times when Jewish historians, like scholars in many other cultures, reconstituted an imagined people in order to model a future nation. This book demonstrates the construction of a nationalist myth and the collective mystification that this requires.