A Concise History of the Middle East - Softcover

"Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. and Ibrahim Al-Marashi have refined, updated, and ultimately revamped the scholarly edifice that Goldschmidt first crafted more than thirty-five years ago. This edition makes the complexities of Middle East’s history accessible to yet another generation of students in the light of new scholarship and momentous recent developments in the region." - Hasan Kayali, University of California, San Diego, USA.

"A clear and concise guide to the complex history of the Middle East from the rise of Islam to the fall of ISIS, Goldschmidt and Marashi have written the essential text for all newcomers to Mid-Eastern studies." - Eugene Rogan, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

A Concise History of the Middle East provides a comprehensive introduction to the history of this turbulent region. Spanning from pre-Islam to the present day, it explores the evolution of Islamic institutions and culture, the influence of the West, modernization efforts in the Middle East, the struggle of various peoples for political independence, the Arab-Israel conflict, the reassertion of Islamic values and power, the issues surrounding the Palestinian Question, and the Middle East post-9/11 and post-Arab uprisings.

The twelfth edition has been fully revised to reflect the most recent events in, and concerns of, the region, including the presence of ISIS and other non-state actors, the civil wars in Syria and Yemen, and the refugee crisis. New parts and part timelines will help students grasp and contextualize the long and complicated history of the region.

With updated biographical sketches and glossary, and a new concluding chapter, this book remains the quintessential text for students of Middle East history.