Oh, Coquette. How can one possibly start to understand ISIS, ISIL, the Saudi regime, the Syrian crisis—hell, the entire Middle East as something more than a bewildering source of violence? I read The Grand Chessboard when you recommended it a while ago, but now I need something that helps me gain a little more perspective about that part of the world; I’m thinking about big-picture surveys of the history, political and economic control, and shifts in cultural and religious thought in that region. It’s a tall fuckin’ order, I know, and I recognize that I’ve got an icky Western stance that imagines a huge diverse part of the world as one big blanket mess that can somehow be understood through a few books. But I want to learn—or at least start. Any reading suggestions?
If you just want some general perspective on that part of the world, I’d recommend James Gelvin’s “The Modern Middle East.” (Be sure to get the fourth edition.)
If you want a little less history and a little more “Grand Chessboard” style politics, I’d recommend you go with Karl Yambert’s “The Contemporary Middle East.”
They’re both offer big-picture surveys of the region. With either book, you’ll learn a ton.
Also Orientalism by Edward Said. http://www.amazon.com/Orientalism-Edward-W-Said/dp/039474067X
“Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to Present” is a good read. http://www.amazon.com/Power-Faith-Fantasy-America-Present/dp/0393330303
Great suggestions, Coke. Yeah Buttt do be sure to get the fourth edition, though. I made the mistake of getting the third edition. So out of date :/
Not a book, but I thought that this course gave a good overview: https://www.coursera.org/learn/muslim-world
I have recently finished reading Niall Ferguson’s The War or the World. It may seem like a dauntingly long read but it is full of graphs and charts and the last few hundred pages are just references and the index.
If you are looking to understand the time you live in this is the kind of survey you might want to read.
Also, you may want to follow Tom Friedman. I follow both men religiously because they are both challenging and immensely thought provoking
Not a book, but provides a great overview of the Middle East, especially Iraq:
http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/09/muhammad-isis-iraqs-full-story.html