Middle Eastern history Books

Book SynopsisTouraj Daryaee is Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies & Culture and the Director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies at the University of California, Irvine. He works on the history of ancient and early medieval Iran and is the editor of the International Journal of Ancient Iranian Studies.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Plates Map of the Sasanian Empire Sasanian Family Tree Prolegomena 1. The Political History of Iran and an-Iran 2. The Society of Iranshahr 3. Religions of the Empire: Zoroastrians, Manichaeans, Jews and Christians 4. Languages and Textual Remains of the Citizens 5. The Economy and Administration of Iranshahr Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDescribing various aspects of life in complex historical eras - cultural, social, religious, and political, this work details such day-to-day activities as cooking, games, dress, and parenting.Trade Review"Daily Life in the Medieval Islamic World reviews major historical and cultural events while explaining the more personal details of daily life, such as the role of camels, housing arrangements, and entertainment. For the truly immersive experience, Lindsay even provides a few medieval Islamic recipes and instructions for converting between Christian and Islamic calendars." --Middle East Journal

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Book SynopsisCleopatra. Nefertiti. Hatshepsut. All of them are ancient Egyptian female rulers who rose above their predominantly patriarchal societies to become controllers of a great empire. Missing from this list, however, is Sobekneferu, ancient Egypt’s first female ruler. Why was the reign of this powerful woman all but forgotten? Piecing together the lost history of the first female pharaoh, Andrew Collins presents the first comprehensive biography of Sobekneferu. Using every text and monument that concerns Sobekneferu and her time in power, he examines her achievements as ruler, the political and religious issues of her age, the temples and ruins associated with her, and her continuing impact on ancient Egypt after her reign. He explores her relationship with her brother Amenemhet IV, her sister Neferuptah, and their father Amenemhet III, regarded as one of the most beloved pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom. He examines Sobekneferu’s untimely end, the fate of her body, and the cult that developed in her name. Discussing Sobekneferu’s magical beliefs and practices, Collins shows how they centred on the crocodile god Sobek, the hippo goddess Neith, and the circumpolar stars of the night sky in which they were personified. He also reveals how the setting of the Crocodile Star (Eltanin), the brightest star in the constellation of Draco, aligns with Sobekneferu’s suspected pyramid. Examining the modern-day resurrection of Sobekneferu among the occultists and mystics of Victorian London, Collins shows how she is the true inspiration behind every ancient Egyptian female queen who comes back to life after her tomb is found--as featured first in Bram Stoker’s shocking 1903 novel The Jewel of the Seven Stars and later in several modern blockbuster movies. Revealing how Sobekneferu has left a lasting impact on culture and occulture through the ages despite being nearly erased from history, Collins shows how her continuing legacy is perhaps, ultimately, her true resurrection.Trade Review“Founded on robust academic rigor, in The First Female Pharaoh Andrew Collins has woven an impeccable tapestry that reveals the importance of women in leadership in millennia past, today, and in the future.” * Christopher Dunn, author of The Giza Power Plant and Lost Technologies of Ancient Egypt *“With his customary flair for unearthing the secrets of the ancient world, Andrew Collins’s study of the little-known female Egyptian pharaoh Sobekneferu is destined to become a classic. Her life and place in Egyptian history is presented engagingly and forensically, while the author’s own passion for the subject is clear on every page. This is an important book.” * Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince, authors of When God Had a Wife: The Fall and Rise of the Sacred Femi *“This new book by Andrew Collins, who I’ve known for more than forty years, deals with the story of the first female ruler in history. Sobekneferu was the last ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty in Egyptian history. More than two centuries later Hatshepsut became the second Egyptian queen. As always, Andrew Collins uses his historical knowledge, along with his deep imagination, to bring the story of Sobekneferu to life.” * Ahmed Osman, author of The Egyptian Origins of King David and the Temple of Solomon and The Lost Cit *“Finally, a long-overdue opus honoring one of history’s most enigmatic women—Sobekneferu. Andrew Collins has scoured historical records, archaeological discoveries, and scattered images of this mysterious yet powerful female ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt to piece together this first major overview of her Twelfth Dynasty reign as a queen and pharaoh.” * Ani Williams, harpist, singer, songwriter, author, sound therapist, and pilgrimage guide *"This is the first ever biography that has been written about this historical Egyptian figure. Collins meticulously pieces together the nearly lost history of Sobekneferu. He describes how under her ruler-ship Egypt survived a very dark period in its history known as the Second Intermediate Period and how it managed to become one of the most powerful and influential empires of the ancient world." * Brent Raynes, Alternate Perceptions Magazine *"Absolutely fascinating, impressively informative, expertly written, nicely illustrated, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, The First Female Pharaoh: Sobekneferu, Goddess of the Seven Stars by Andrew Collins will prove to be a prized and endearingly appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Egyptology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the cult, magic, reign, and resurrection of the first female ruler in Egypt that The First Female Pharaoh is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99)." * Midwest Book Review *In The First Female Pharaoh: Sobekneferu, Goddess of the Seven Stars, author Andrew Collins (Göbekli Tepe: Genesis of the Gods, 2014) does rigorous archaeological detective work, analyzing a variety of statues and beads honoring Sobekneferu, in an effort to humanize her and unravel the mystery of her life and death. This book also has a historical whodunit vibe, as Collins explores possible political intrigues that may have led to her rise and fall. It’s amazing how much information can be gleaned about her from so few inscriptions and artifacts, and Collins walks the reader through each exhibit, clarifying its context. * Rachel McConnell, Musing Mystical *Table of ContentsForeword: History Is Made of Discoveries By Jan Summers Duffy AcknowledgmentsPreface: The Knowing of Sobekneferu PART 1 Discovering Sobekneferu 1 Female Pharaohs 2 Ruler of the Two Lands 3 Sobekneferu—The Story As We Know It 4 The Woman behind the Pharaoh 5 The Cult of Sobekneferu 6 Sobekneferu and the Heb Sed Mystery PART 2Road to Destiny 7 Sobekneferu in Canaan 8 The Vengeful Goddess9 Divine Right to Rule PART 3 Seeds of Destruction 10 The Sister of Sobekneferu11 The King’s Daughters 12 Fate of the Dynasty 13 Sibling Rivalry 14 Flawed Visions15 The Fall of Egypt PART 4Regicide 16 The Mystery of Queen Nitocris 17 Sobekneferu as Nitocris 18 Mother of Crocodiles 19 The Vengeance of Nitocris 20 The Death of Sobekneferu 21 Enemies of Sobekneferu PART 5 Faith 22 Joseph in Egypt23 The Heliopolitan Connection 24 When Sobekneferu Met Joseph25 Sobekneferu—The Asiatic Connection PART 6 Two Lands 26 Sobekneferu the Builder27 The Magnificent Labyrinth 28 At the Center of It All 29 Navel of the World PART 7 Ancestors 30 The Mystery of Mazghuna North31 Temple of the Crocodile 32 Place of the Ancestors 33 The Seven Snake Gods34 Sobekneferu’s Final Resting Place PART 8 Resurrection 35 Goddess of the Seven Stars 36 Servants of Sobek 37 Path of the Headless One 38 Typhonian Gnosis Appendix: Sobekneferu on Film and Television NotesBibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNapoleon's attack on Egypt in 1798 was the first on a Middle Eastern country by a Western power in modern times. With 335 ships and 40,000 men, it was the largest long-distance seaborne force the world had ever seen. Napoleon's assault was intended to be much more than a colonial adventure, however, for he took with him over one hundred and fifty scientists, mathematicians, artists and writers - a 'Legion of Culture' - with a view to bringing Western civilization to 'backward' Egypt.Ironically, what these intellectuals discovered in Egypt would transform our knowledge of Western civilization and form the basis of Egyptology. But there were also setbacks. Nelson's destruction of the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile apparently put an end to Napoleon's secret plans to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great and invade India. Napoleon was just twenty-eight when he invaded Egypt and it was an episode which contained in embryo many seminal events of his later career and set the standard for his brilliant, ambitious and ultimately disastrous career.Trade ReviewPaul Strathern's enthralling description of this bizarre imperial adventure reads like Conrad's Heart of Darkness...as a piece of storytelling, it is a masterpiece * Daily Telegraph *To begin with, the book leaps off the shelf-display into the hands: the dustjacket is a remarkably fine reproduction of a painting of Napoleon...This is an illuminating and most engaging book * Spectator *Superb... Strathern tells the appalling tale of the forced marches across endless deserts...with commendable gusto -- Andrew Roberts * Sunday Telegraph *An ambitious and wonderfully detailed saga * Financial Times *This is popular narrative history at its best * Independent on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis''Men, the enemy troops you can see are all that stands between us and the place we have for so long been determined to reach. We must find a way to eat them alive!''The Expedition of Cyrus tells the story of the march of the Ten Thousand. The exploits of this famous army of Greek mercenaries in modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq were described by one of their leaders, the Athenian historian and philosopher Xenophon. They were recruited at the end of the fifth century BC by a young Persian prince, Cyrus, who rose in revolt against his brother, the king of Persia. After Cyrus'' death, the army was left stranded in the desert of Mesopotamia, a thousand miles from home. Their long march, across mountains and plateaux to the sight of ''The sea! The sea!'', and back to the fringes of the Greek world, is the most exciting adventure story to survive from the ancient world.Xenophon''s gripping narrative offers a unique insight into the character of a Greek army struggling to survive in an alien world. It is also the most sustained eyewitness account of the landscape of the vast and wealthy Persian empire. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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Book SynopsisDrawn to the Promised Land charts the dramatic history of Palestine from the Balfour Declaration to the creation of the state of Israel. Through the acerbic wit of leading political cartoonists from Britain, the United States and other countries, we see how Britain''s policies changed repeatedly after it captured Palestine from the Ottomans in 1917. From the Arab riots through to the Nazi persecution of European Jews and the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, cartoonists captured every painful twist and agonising turn of events. The first book of cartoons to be published on this contentious subject, Drawn to the Promised Land offers a truly unique visual insight into a period of history that still reverberates to this day.

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Book SynopsisCutting through the headlines and spin, this is the first book to give us a true picture of the reality on the ground, through the words of the people there - from commanders to intelligence officers, army doctors to ordinary soldiers. Providing eye-witness accounts that contradict the official stories and figures, they give a chilling picture of the deceit, stupidity, wishful thinking, lack of forward planning and total intellectual failure of those behind the invasion. The result is an extraordinary new insight into the plight of ordinary soldiers doing nightmarish jobs, and the real nature of the fighting in Iraq.

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Book SynopsisNew 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.Trade Review'This brilliant book reveals the folly and delusion of invading Iraq. Read it and shudder' Nicholas Rankin, author of Churchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception 'The description of the military campaign is masterful - maintains a high level of suspense' Peter Sluglett, author of Britain in Iraq: Contriving King and Country 'Material with acute relevance to the crisis now tearing Iraq to pieces.' Robert Fisk, Independent 'Readers will find plenty of food for thought in Ian Rutledge's well-crafted and lively account ... The scenarios of occupation, foreign rule, jihad, resistance and counter-insurgency it depicts are unmistakably familiar, a reminder of the political instability and bloodshed that have tarnished Iraq since the 2003 US invasion - While offering abundant detail on military operations, lines of communications and warfare tactics, 'Enemy on the Euphrates' also makes for a very lively and human-centred read of imperial history ... Rutledge's account displays a novelist's taste for intrigue, espionage, gunboat diplomacy, personal hardship and murder.' BBC History Magazine 'An excellently produced book that admirably succeeds in illuminating an important episode in British imperial history' History Today 'Rutledge does an excellent job of conveying the logistical difficulties confronting any military leadership ... deserving of a wide readership' Middle East Journal 'As the legions of ISIS set up their proto-Caliphate in Iraq, the word 'prescience' comes forcibly to mind.' The Oldie 'A timely reminder of how we got here - an important book' The National 'Thought provoking - I like to think this book might find a place on the shelves of the libraries of the RUSI, Sandhurst or West Point' War History Online 'A readable and very useful contribution to the understanding of modern Iraq' Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online 'Eye-opening, fascinating and brilliantly-written - Excellent' The Long, Long Trail: The British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918, 'Compelling, rich with such colourful personalities as Winston Churchill, Gertrude Bell and T. E. Lawrence' Saudi Aramco World 'Much of Enemy on the Euphrates reads like a great adventure story, proving how fascinating real history can be ... a rare combination of in-depth information, fairness of analysis and readability, reinforced by excellent maps.' Jordan Times 'Timely and rich in detail - highly readable, lively and dramatic. [Rutledge] presents fascinating accounts of the main British and Iraqi personalities involved in the narrative and the conflicts that sometimes erupted between them' al-Hayat 'Anyone seeking an understanding of the role of oil in shaping modern Middle Eastern history will want to read this book' Michael Klare, author of The Race for What's Left: The Global Scramble for the World's Last Resources 'It vividly captures how the ground was prepared for much of the violence in today's Middle East ... A rewarding read ... [Rutledge] writes with the literary skill of a novelist who has the analytical mind of a social scientist. Enemy on the Euphrates is full of multidimensional character studies and we are provided with insight into all the major players, from Churchill to Hussein bin Ali and Gertrude Bell to General Haldane ... This is a story of imperial arrogance and plunder, and the inevitable reaction that it generates. There are many lessons here that, had they been taken on board earlier, could have prevented much of the folly of the last 15 years.' LSE Review of BooksTable of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Note on Arabic Transliteration Glossary Abbreviations Preface The Principal Actors PART ONE: INVASION, JIHAD AND OCCUPATION 1 Indications of Oil 2 Lieutenant Wilson's First Mission 3 'Protect the oil refineries' 4 Arab Mobilisation on the Euphrates 5 The Jihad Defeated 6 Pacifying Arabistan 7 Imperial Objectives in the East 8 The Menace of Jihad and How to Deal with It 9 The Lieutenant from Mosul 10 The Peculiar Origins of an Infamous Agreement 11 Two British Defeats but a New Ally 12 Colonel Leachman and Captain Lawrence 13 Mosul and Oil 14 'Complete liberation' 15 Najaf 1918: First Uprising on the Euphrates 16 Britain's New Colony 17 The Oil Agreements 18 The Independence Movement in Baghdad 19 General Haldane's Difficult Posting 20 Trouble on the Frontiers PART TWO: REVOLUTION AND SUPPRESSION 21 The Drift to Violence 22 The Revolution Begins 23 Discord and Disputation 24 General Haldane's Indian Army 25 'The situation has come to a head' 26 The Destruction of the Manchester Column 27 'Further unfavourable developments' 28 The Structures of Insurgent Power 29 Trouble on the Home Front 30 The Siege of Samawa 31 Defeat 32 A Death on the Baghdad Road 33 The Punishment 34 A 'friendly native state' Afterword Appendix: Some Biographical Notes Acknowledgements Notes Bibliography Image Credits Index

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Illustrated History of the Holy Land covers the 3,000 years which saw the rise of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--and relates the familiar stories of the sacred texts with the fruits of modern scholarship. Beginning with the origins of the people who became the Israel of the Bible, it follows the course of the ensuing millennia down to the time when the Ottoman Empire succumbed to British and French rule at the end of the First World War.Parts of the story, especially as known from the Bible, will be widely familiar. Less familiar are the ways in which modern research, both from archaeology and from other ancient sources, sometimes modify this story historically. Better understanding, however, enables us to appreciate crucial chapters in the story of the Holy Land, such as how and why Judaism developed in the way that it did from the earlier sovereign states of Israel and Judah and the historical circumstances in which Christianity emerged from its Jewish cradle. Later parts of the story are vital not only for the history of Islam and its relationships with the two older religions, but also for the development of pilgrimage and religious tourism, as well as the notions of sacred space and of holy books with which we are still familiar today. From the time of Napoleon on, European powers came increasingly to develop both cultural and political interest in the region, culminating in the British and French conquests which carved out the modern states of the Middle East. Sensitive to the concerns of those for whom the sacred books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are of paramount religious authority, the authors all try sympathetically to show how historical information from other sources, as well as scholarly study of the texts themselves, enriches our understanding of the history of the region and its prominent position in the world''s cultural and intellectual history.Trade ReviewFor those interested in the Bible, history or spiritual pilgrimage, this is a captivating guide and will be a great asset to anyone who has travelled, or will travel, to the Holy Land. * Mark W. Scarlata, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *The Oxford Illustrated History of the Holy Land is full of ... remarkable details. Thirteen fact-packed chapters, each by an expert in his or her field, take us on a tour from the earliest recorded history onwards. It is a remarkable, readable, and useful achievement one that will illuminate a thousand sermons and provide much to think about for anyone interested in the subject. * William Whyte, Church Times *Three great world faiths have invested so many hopes and passions in one relatively small part of the eastern Mediterranean seaboard and its hinterland, that there are risks even in calling it by a single name. This collective study of the "God-trodden land" is a richly informative, reliable, and sane guide to its troubled history: one valuable contribution to crafting it a more peaceful present and future. * Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford *A fascinating read overall. * Medieval Archaeology Journal vol 67.2 *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Avraham Faust: The Birth of Israel 2: Lester L. Grabbe: Iron Age: Tribes to Monarchy 3: André Lemaire: Israel and Judah: c. 931-587 BCE 4: H. G. M. Williamson: Babylonian Exile and Restoration: 587-325 BCE 5: John J. Collins: The Hellenistic and Roman Era 6: Konstantin Klein: A Christian Holy Land: 284-638 CE 7: Milka Levy-Rubin: The Coming of Islam 8: Carole Hillenbrand: The Holy Land in the Crusader and Ayyubid periods: 1099 - 1250 9: Nimrod Luz: The Holy Land from the Mamluk Sultanate to the Ottoman Empire: 1260-1799 10: Robert Fisk: From Napoleon to Allenby: the Holy Land and the wider Middle East 11: Robert G. Hoyland and Peter Walker: Pilgrimage 12: Richard S. Hess and Denys Pringle: Sacred Spaces and Holy Places 13: Adam Silverstein: Scripture and the Holy Land Further Reading Index

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Book Synopsis"A complete facing-page translation of the Tarjuman, which consists of sixty-one poems composed between 1202 and 1215 CE and published in 1215 at the earliest. The first word of the title can refer to a translator, interpreter, or biographer, on the one hand, and to a translation, interpretation, or biography on the other"--Trade Review"Michael Sells, a highly regarded expert on the history and literature of Islam, and translator of this splendid book, provides all we might need to understand the poems in their broader historical context. . . . It is the clarity of his translations that bring these poems back for us, their marvels intact."---Allan Graubard, American Book Review

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Book SynopsisFor those who visit the UAE today, staying in air-conditioned hotels and shopping in ultra-modern malls, the country itself remains an enigma - a glass and concrete creation that seems to have sprung from the desert overnight. Keepers of the Golden Shore looks behind its glossy facade, tracing the traditional tribal bonds of an ancient land to the society of today and casting a new and revealing light on this intriguing, innovative and resilient people.Across the spread of its deserts and mountains, islands and seas, the UAE has a rich and diverse history. From the ancient people who came out of the desert to settle the land, through the invasions and wars these people fought, to the myth of piracy and the mystique of pearls, and the arrival of the oilmen in the stifling heat, Keepers of the Golden Shore tells the extraordinary story of how the Emirates and its ruling families evolved from a tribal society to become one of the richest countries on earth.Trade Review'A welcome, readable and much-needed starting point for new readers and new arrivals to the UAE who want a better understanding of the people and places around them. [...] Keepers of the Golden Shore draws from an extensive range of published sources to construct a detailed account of a time that saw the Arabian Gulf emerge from a fiefdom of the British Empire to a region of independent nations finding power and influence in the age of oil.' - James Langton, The National, UAE

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Book SynopsisWhat does the politics of solidarity look like in practice, and how can left-wing organizations grow—in numbers and power—while remaining accountable to the broader movements of which they are a part?Against enormous odds and in the face of fierce pushback, the Palestine solidarity movement has succeeded in transforming the landscape of American politics. The movement has catapulted Palestine from being an untouchable topic in even liberal political circles to a central rallying cry in grassroots progressive organizing, one that is championed by some of the highest profile and beloved members of Congress.In the fall and winter of 2023, with the attention of the world focused on Israel’s unprecedented aggression against the people of Gaza, millions across the globe mobilized in solidarity with Palestinians and their struggle for liberation. Jewish progressives in the US played a highly visible role in denouncing IsraelR

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Book SynopsisAn absorbing, joyous, and colorful collection of stories from the qissa genre. Fabulous Machinery for the Curious presents the first English translation of some of the finest texts from the qissa genre. In this book, acclaimed translator Musharraf Ali Farooqi gathers the greatest of these tales, written or transcribed in the Urdu language by master storytellers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Spreading from Persia to Arabia to South Asia over 1,500 years, the qissa appropriated verse and prose narratives to become the preeminent storytelling genre. The combined traditions of the many cultures of Indo-Islamic civilization resulted in a flowering of qissas in Urdu. This collection distills a vast body of oral and written literature, from resplendent sagas of romantic love and thrilling adventures in fairyland to picaresque stories of deception and haunting tales of nobility and viciousness. Fabulous Machinery for the Curious brings these forgotten gems to a new generatTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgements Introduction Qissa 1: The Ingenious Farkhanda and the Two Conditions Translation of Char Gulshan by Rai Beni Narayan Qissa 2: The Adventures of a Soldier Translation of Qissa Sipahizada by Khushdil Kiratpuri Qissa 3: Chhabili the Innkeeper Translation of Qissa Chhabili Bhattiyari by unknown author Qissa 4: Azar Shah and Saman Rukh Bano Translation of Nau Aaeen-e Hindi by Mehr Chand Khatri Mehr Qissa 5: The Victim of Malice Translation of Qissa-e Maqtool-e Jafa by Amiruddin Khan Maani Qissa 6: A Girl Named King Agar Translation of Qissa Agar o Gul by Saadat Khan Nasir About the Authors and Narrators About the Translator

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Book SynopsisMejdulene Bernard Shomali examines homoeroticism and nonnormative sexualities between Arab women in transnational Arab literature, art, and film to show how women, femmes, and nonbinary people disrupt stereotypical and Orientalist representations of the “Arab woman.”Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. A Thousand and One Scheherazades: Arab Femininities and Foreclosing Discourses 27 2. Between Women: Homoeroticism in Golden Era Egyptian Cinema 58 3. Longing in Arabic: Ambivalent Identities in Arabic Novels 90 4. Love Letters: Queer Intimacies and the Arabic Language 119 5. Sahq: Queer Femme Futures 138 Notes 175 Bibliography 187 Index 199

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Book SynopsisThe authoritative account of the sectarian division that for centuries has shaped events in the Middle East and the Islamic world. In 632, soon after the prophet Muhammad died, a struggle broke out among his followers as to who would succeed him. The majority argued that the new leader of Islam should be elected by the community''s elite. Others believed only members of Muhammad''s family could lead. This dispute over who should guide Muslims, the appointed Caliph or the bloodline Imam, marks the origin of the Sunni-Shii split in Islam. Toby Matthiesen explores this hugely significant division from its origins to the present day. Moving chronologically, his book sheds light on the many ways that it has shaped the Islamic world, outlining how over the centuries Sunnism and Shiism became Islams two main branches, particularly after the Muslim Empires embraced sectarian identity. It reveals how colonial rule institutionalised divisions between Sunnism and Shiism both on the Indian subcontTrade ReviewAmbitious...undoubtedly an admirable study...an accessible introduction to the historical context that underpins the modern Middle East * Tariq Mir, BBC History Magazine *a remarkable, ambitious and successful survey of Sunni-Shii relations that will be the definitive single-volume study of the subject for years to come. * Eamonn Gearon, Times Literary Supplement *clearly written, nuanced and meticulously documented * Malise Ruthven, Literary Review *a truly ambitious book in its historical and geographic scope...This book should be read by any expert who deals in the Middle East * Francis Ghiles, Esglobal *A useful correction to religious pigeonholes about Muslims, and to the easy-going prejudice that sectarian differences can never make things right with the Islamic world. * Michiel Leezenberg, NRC Handelsblad *Matthiesen's masterful survey of Sunni-Shiite relations in history is firmly grounded in the primary sources and ranges more widely geographically than is common in other works on the subject, including South Asia. The author avoids the glib truisms that have come to dominate discussion of this subject, while giving us thought-provoking, contextual insights into one of the key flash points within Islamic civilization. * Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History and Director, Program in Arab and Muslim American Studies, University of Michigan *Ambitious in its historical as well as geographical scope, this is the first truly global account of the intimate and sometimes also violent relationship of Sunni and Shia in the making and remaking of Islam. * Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University of Oxford *Table of ContentsPrologue: From Karbala to Damascus PART I THE FORMATION OF SUNNISM AND SHIISM, 632-1500 Chapter 1 After the Prophet Chapter 2 Sunni Reassertion and the Crusades Chapter 3 Polemics and Confessional Ambiguity PART II THE SHAPING OF MUSLIM EMPIRES, 1500-1800 Chapter 4 The Age of Confessionalisation Chapter 5 Muslim Dynasties on the Indian Subcontinent Chapter 6 Reform and Reinvention in the 18th Century PART III EMPIRE AND THE STATE, 1800-1979 Chapter 7 British India and Orientalism Chapter 8 Ottoman Reorganisation and European Intervention Chapter 9 The Mandates Chapter 10 The Muslim Response PART IV REVOLUTION AND RIVALRY, 1979- Chapter 11 The Religion of Martyrdom Chapter 12 Export and Containment of Revolution Chapter 13 Regime Change Chapter 14 The Arab Uprisings Conclusion: Every Place is Karbala BIBLIOGRAPHY ENDNOTES

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Book SynopsisA compelling personal journey of discovery, illuminating the Iran that lies beyond the headlines. For Cyrus Massoudi, a young British-born Iranian, the country his parents were forced to flee thirty years ago was a place wholly unknown to him. Wanting to make sense of his roots and piece together the divided, divisive and deeply contradictory puzzle that is contemporary Iran, he embarked on a series of journeys that spanned hundreds of miles and thousands of years through the many ebbs and flows of Iranian history. Rich portrayals of Sufis and ageing aristocrats, smugglers and underground rock bands are all woven together with history, religion and mythology to form a unique portrait of contemporary Iranian society. The thread running through the heart of the narrative is Massoudi's poignant personal quest; his struggle echoing that of Iran itself, as it fights to forge a cohesive modern identity. Land of the Turquoise Mountains reveals a world beyond the propaganda-driven, media-fuelled image of fractious, flag-burning fundamentalism and provides a compelling glimpse both into the heart of a deeply misunderstood nation and what it is to seek out and discover one's heritage.Trade ReviewA fascinating insider-outsider view of a complex country we badly need to know more about. Writers like Cyrus Massoudi who illuminate our ignorance are vitally important. -- William DalrympleTable of ContentsPreface Land of the Turquoise Mountains Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations, Martin Goodman explores the history of a titanic struggle whose repercussions are still felt today. In 70CE, after four years of Jewish rebellion, Roman legions devastated the great city of Jerusalem. Sixty years later, its ruin was completed when Emperor Hadrian built a new city on top of it that Jews were forbidden even to enter. In this highly acclaimed book, Martin Goodman examines the background and course of this titanic conflict - from the political ambitions of Roman military leaders to the spread of Christian influence through the empire - and its lasting consequences. ''In this remarkable book Martin Goodman casts a truly fresh eye over well-known figures and events''  History Today ''Important and powerfully expressed ... The best available general account of a turning point not just in the history of the Roman Empire but also in the develop

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Book Synopsis20 November 1979: as morning prayers began, hundreds of hardline Islamist gunmen, armed with rifles smuggled in coffins, stormed the Grand Mosque in Mecca. With thousands of terrified worshippers trapped inside, the result was a bloody siege that lasted two weeks, caused hundreds of deaths, prompted an international diplomatic crisis and unleashed forces that would eventually lead to the rise of al Qaeda.Journalist Yaroslav Trofimov takes us day-by-day through one of the most momentous and heavily censored events in recent history, interviewing many direct participants in the siege and drawing on secret documents to reveal the truth about the first operation of modern global jihad.Trade ReviewRiveting * Sunday Times *A thriller-like account of an event largely hushed up * The Times *A gripping, highly informed narrative * Financial Times *The first detailed account of the event … brilliantly researched and eye-opening … this is undoubtedly a book of international significance * Herald *A gripping and revealing account of this brutal uprising … The Siege of Mecca is a marvel of investigative journalism … Trofimov's viciously gory account unfolds with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy -- Ziauddin Sardar * New Statesman *Trofimov tells this tale with considerable verve and authority. He has interviewed many of the surviving witnesses and participants in a country suffused with fear and paranoia, and sets the siege within a wider historical context -- Michael Burleigh * Literary Review *A thriller-like account of an event largely hushed up * The Times *

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Book SynopsisIn the mid-1970s, Saul Bellow visited Israel and To Jerusalem and Back is his account of his time there. Immersing himself in its landscape and culture, he records the opinions, passions and dreams of Israelis of varying viewpoints from Prime Minister Rabin to a kibbutznik escaped from the Warsaw ghetto.

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Book SynopsisA remarkable examination of an understudied aspect of the Syrian conflict that traces the genealogy of one of the most radical social experiments in self-governance of our time.Syrian Kurds and their Arab and Christian allies have embarked on one of the most radical experiments in self-governance of our time. In defiance of the Assad regime, the Islamic State, and regional autocrats, this unlikely coalition created a statelet to govern their semi-autonomous region. In Statelet of Survivors, Amy Austin Holmes charts the movement from its origins to what it has become today. Drawing from seven years of research trips to northern and eastern Syria, Holmes traces the genealogy of this social experiment to the Republic of Mount Ararat in Turkey, where a self-governing entity was proclaimed in 1927 based on solidarity between Kurds and Armenian genocide survivors. Founded by survivors of modern-day atrocities, the Autonomous Administration does more to empower women and minorities than any other region of Syria. Holmes analyzes its military and police forces, schools, the judicial system, the economic model it has implemented, and strategy of empowering women who were once enslaved by ISIS. An in-depth examination of the region Kurds call Rojava, this book tells the remarkable story of the people who both triumphed over ISIS and created a model of decentralized governance in Syria that could eventually be expanded if Assad were to ever fall.

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Book SynopsisByzantium in a Changing World provides a history of how the Byzantine empire dealt with a series of external threats. James Howard-Johnston shows how military, diplomatic, and social strategies allowed the empire to preserve itself over several centuries.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This sophisticated, captivating ethnography demonstrates how anthropological understanding can be applied to a diasporic mode of living and how the mobile subject contributes to expanding analyses of culture, belonging, and place. . . . Highly recommended." * Choice *“With his typical creative brilliance, Hage probes the diverse and divergent angles through which Lebanon appears in migratory memories and movement, and, in the process, upends our understanding of the politics of ancestry and inheritance in diasporic worlds.” * Elizabeth A. Povinelli, author of The Inheritance *“With this book, Hage carefully journeys us through the complex experiences of the Lebanese diasporic condition. Living in an internationalized space of viability, the Lebanese are shown to occupy a multiplicity of entangled and flickering realities—always engaged and always aware that, in the end, they are stuck with each other. The journey is exquisite, painful, exhilarating, saddening, inspiring, and deeply human. The Diasporic Condition is a must-read for both the Lebanese and the non-Lebanese.” * Suad Joseph, University of California, Davis *"The Diasporic Condition is a beautifully crafted book. Thoroughly enjoyable and evocative—not to mention incredibly resonant for Lebanese diasporic subjects and students of Lebanon—this thought-provoking book is sure to whet the intellectual appetite of a wide readership." * Mashriq & Mahjar *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Long overdue, this highly competent translation fills a major gap in our understanding of Arab literary history. No Middle East studies collection will be complete without it.” —Hussein N. Kadhim, author of The Poetics of Anti-Colonialism in the Arabic QaṣīdahTable of ContentsFrom Clay Throb (1947) 1. Semiramis 2. Autumn Echo 3. Whimper 4. Dreaming Silence 5. Boredom 6. Clay Throb 7. Shades 8. Closed Lips From Songs of the Dead City (1951) 9. Barrenness 10. Depths 11. Postman 12. Image 13. Three Signs 14. The Hypocritical Wound 15. At Night 16. Here You Are 17. Roads 18. Old Age 19. Dream 20. An Old Love 21. Slavery 22. O My Friend 23. Deceit 24. Lost Step 25. Loss 26. Where To From Steps in Exile (1965) 27. Secret 28. Old Image 29. Judahs’ Repentance 30. You Came with the Dawn 31. Bitter Land 32. I Want To 33. Tomorrow Here 34. And Tomorrow I Return 35. He Said Something to Us 36. Return to Hiroshima 37. In a Few Hours 38. A Talk for Next Saturday 39. The Eighth Journey 40. At Forty 41. To My Town 42. Steps in Exile From The Journey of Yellow Letters (1968) 43. To a Negro from Alabama 44. Disappointment of the Man of the Past 45. Desolation 46. Genesis 47. Dreaming of Return 48. Two Faces 49. Message of the Small Man 50. The Paling Salt 51. Age of Rubber Stamps 52. I Wish If 53. Short Laugh 54. The Waiting Sails 55. Suffocation 56. Call of a Nation 57. Dream of the Snow 58. At the Crossroads 59. A Child of the First War 60. Night, Cold and Wardens 61. Journey of the Yellow Letters From Songs of the Tired Guard 62. Sleeping Pills 63. Indicted, Though Innocent 64. A Call for Stupor 65. A Dream in Four Scenes 66. Expulsion 67. The Killed Witness 68. Apology 69. Between Two Points 70. Dialogue in the Bend 71. Confessions from 1961 72. Hey… You are Indicted 73. Dialogue in Three Dimensions 74. Procession of the Seven Sins 75. Call of the Seven Sins 76. Stolen Frontiers 77. Sindbad’s Eighth Journey 78. On the Verge of the Fallen World 79. Two Voices Late at Night 80. I’ll Stay Here

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Book SynopsisThe Second Crusade (1145-1149) was an extraordinarily bold attempt to overcome unbelievers on no less than three fronts. Crusader armies set out to defeat Muslims in the Holy Land and in Iberia as well as pagans in northeastern Europe. This book provides an understanding of the Crusades and their importance in medieval European history.Trade Review“This is an excellent book, which takes full account of both primary sources and the many debates in the secondary literature. No other book offers a modern synthesis of the subject in the light of recent developments in crusading studies.”—Professor Malcolm Barber, University of Reading -- Malcolm Barber"This account . . . will be valued by specialists because of its scholarly approach and by undergraduates and general readers because it is written in a clear and accessible style. . . . [A] brilliant analysis of the European situation in 1145 . . . Excellent."—John France, The International History Review -- John France * The International History Review *"[The Second Crusade] constitutes an important achievement. It synthesizes a great deal of previous scholarship while bringing new sources and new interpretations to the discussion. It fills a large historiographical gap with erudite precision."—Thomas F. Madden, Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies -- Thomas F. Madden * Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Kloppenborg’s combination of a wide range of evidence based on epigraphic, documentary, literary and archaeological data to present a fresh perspective for understanding the New Testament and early Christ assemblies, is both remarkable and worthy of applause. . . . A must-read for New Testament scholars and deserves a permanent spot on reading lists for classes on Paul and the social-historical context of the New Testament.”—C. M. Kreinecker, Ephemerides Theologicae LovaniensesWinner of the 2021 Frank W. Beare Award, sponsored by the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies“This exceptionally important book offers a clearer understanding of who the early Christ followers really were, where they came from, and how their way of life eventually evolved into the preferred ‘religion’ of the Roman Empire.”—Anders Runesson, author of The Origins of the Synagogue“John Kloppenborg employs his unmatched knowledge of Greek and Roman associations to construct the first systematic comparison of these small groups with early Christ assemblies. This is a masterpiece of historical research and a model of comparative method.”—Larry L. Welborn, author of The Young Against the Old“Why did early Christian groups organize themselves the way they did? What might have attracted people to them? These are questions John Kloppenborg addresses with exemplary clarity and force of argument.”—Arjan Zuiderhoek, author of The Ancient City“This data-rich book is a must-read for those interested in the world of earliest Christianity, providing new understandings of social history and of philology. The reader will learn about the rich, the powerful, the citizen and about the immigrant, the artisan, the laborer, the enslaved, and the poor.”—Laura Nasrallah, author of Archaeology and the Letters of Paul“A watershed in New Testament scholarship, Christ’s Associations is an exciting interpretation of epigraphic sources, which reframes questions of constant debate. One example is Kloppenborg’s choice to translate membership lists of guilds, rather than focusing on spaces for assemblies.”—David Balch, author of Contested Ethnicities and Images

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Book SynopsisThe crusades are often seen as epitomising a period when hostility between Christian West and the Muslim Near East reached an all time high. As this edited volume reveals, however, the era was one which saw both conflict and cohabitation.Tackling such questions as whether medicinal and architectural innovations came to Europe as a direct result of the Crusades, and why and how peace treaties and intermarriages were formed between the different cultures, this distinguished group of contributors reveal how the Holy Wars led on the one hand to a reinforcement of the beliefs and identities of each side, but on the other to a growing level of cultural exchange and interaction. This volume breaks new ground in not only exploring the conflict between the Christian and the Muslim worlds, but also the impact of this conflict on the cultural evolution of European and Near Eastern thought and practices. Utilising the latest scholarship and original studies of the sources, this survey sheds new light on the cultural realities of East-West relations and marks a new departure for studies of the crusades. Contributors include John France, Yehoshua Frenkel, Chris Wright, Natasha Hodgson, A.V. Murray, Sini Kangas, LÃan NÃ ChlÃirigh, Susan Edgington, JÃrgen KrÃger, Yvonne Friedman and Bernard Hamilton.Trade Review'The articles published here aim to explore a relatively neglected area: the cultural history of the Crusades and how they shaped European identities. All ten are lively and accessible but they are also exhaustively footnoted. They both synthesise previous work and bring new insights of their own ... So while this book will be of interest to researchers in the field, it will also be useful for teaching the crusades especially to those teachers who wish to go beyond the stereotyped ‘clash of cultures’ and explore complexity and diversity in the ways that human societies interact.' – Jonathan Harris, Reviews in History'Conor Kostick should be congratulated for gathering such a stimulating, varied yet unified collection.' - Christopher Tyerman, Hertford College, University of Oxford, UK'Kostick has produced a useful collection that shows how much and how little the Crusades impacted on all the peoples involved. The articles should be useful to anyone who needs to know that the Crusades were never an all-or-nothing proposition." - Laurence W. Marvin, Canadian Journal of History'A volume that spans subjects as diverse as warfare, propaganda, diplomacy, medicine, architecture, literature, and "national identity." Refreshingly, the volume embraces a range of perspectives - not only the Latin/Frankish one but also Byzantine, Islamic, and even Armenian... The essays themselves will certainly be useful to graduate students and scholars who are focusing on the Crusades.' - Brian A. Catlos, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction Conor Kostick 1. Warfare in the Mediterranean Region in the Age of the Crusades 1095-1291: A Clash of Contrasts John France 2. Muslim Responses to the Frankish Dominion in the Near East (1098-1291) Yehoshua Frenkel 3. The Crusades and the Byzantine Empire Chris Wright 4. Conflict and cohabitation: marriage and diplomacy between Latins and Cilician Armenians c.1097-1253 Natasha Hodgson 5. National Identity, Regional Identity and Language in the Crusades to the Holy Land, 1096-1192 A.V. Murray 6. Inimicus Dei et Sancti Christianitatis? Saracens and their Prophet in Twelfth-century Crusade Propaganda and Western Travesties of Muhammad’s Life Sini Kangas 7. Western perceptions of the Byzantine Empire in the aftermath of the First Crusade Léan Ní Chléirigh 8. Oriental and Occidental Medicine in the Crusader States Susan Edgington 9. Architecture of the crusaders in the Holy Land: the First European Colonial Architecture? Jürgen Krüger 10. Peacemaking: Perceptions and Practices in the Medieval Latin East Yvonne Friedman Afterward Bernard Hamilton

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Book SynopsisThe Iranian Expanseexplores how kings in Persia and the ancient Iranian world utilized the built and natural environment to form and contest Iranian cultural memory, royal identity, and sacred cosmologies. Investigating over a thousand years of history, from the Achaemenid period to the arrival of Islam, The Iranian Expanse argues that Iranian identities were built and shaped not by royal discourse alone, but by strategic changes to Western Asia's cities, sanctuaries, palaces, and landscapes. The Iranian Expanse critically examines the construction of a new Iranian royal identity and empire, which subsumed and subordinated all previous traditions, including those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Anatolia. It then delves into the startling innovations that emerged after Alexander under the Seleucids, Arsacids, Kushans, Sasanians, and the Perso-Macedonian dynasties of Anatolia and the Caucasus, a previously understudied and misunderstood period. Matthew P. Canepa elucidates the many ruptures and renovations that produced a new royal culture that deeply influenced not only early Islam, but also the wider Persianate world of the Il-Khans, Safavids, Timurids, Ottomans, and Mughals.

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Book SynopsisLevant is a book of cities. It describes Smyrna, Alexandria and Beirut when they were windows on the world, escapes from nationality and tradition, centres of wealth, pleasure and freedom. Using unpublished family papers, Philip Mansel describes their colourful, contradictory history, from the beginning of the French alliance with the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century to their decline in the mid twentieth century. Smyrna was burnt; Alexandria Egyptianised; Beirut lacerated by civil war.Trade Review'Fascinating . . . the strengths of the book are colossal. Philip Mansel's knowledge of the history and culture of these places is encyclopaedic; he has walked their streets, met the scions of their famous families and penetrated their private archives. His eye for detail is sharp; telling anecdotes are culled from memoirs of all kinds, and the sights and smells of each city are vividly conjured up . . . To anyone who has read Mansel's Constantinople: City of the World's Desire, it will be sufficient to say: read this one too. To anyone who has not, I can only say: read both of them' * Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph *'Excellent . . . thought-provoking . . . thoroughly researched . . . One of its strengths lies in the colourful quotations from letters, diaries and travel narratives' * Giles Milton, Literary Review *'Philip Mansel's impressive return to the Middle East . . . Instead of composing an elegy on a once powerful civilisation, Mansel has given the Levantine world its chronicle, and restored its weight in history' * Jason Goodwin, Spectator *'I could scarcely put down this magnificent book, with its galloping narrative, its worldly analysis, sparkling anecdotes and its unforgettable cast of the decadent, the cosmopolitan and the cruel' * Simon Sebag-Montefiore, Financial Times *'With sober judgement but passionate feeling, Mansel has produced a work of formidable scholarship and subtlety, rich in colour, sights, personalities and horrifyingly abundant incident. Levant shows the destructivness of nationalism, offers precepts for the coexistence of Muslims, Christians and Jews and has wisdom and sensibility all of its own' * Richard Davenport-Hines, TLS *'Philip Mansel's Levant . . . comes from the pen which, more sharply than any other, has delineated Istanbul. Here, with evocations of Smyrna, Alexandria and Beirut, all of which he knows well, Mansel gives us history, travel-writing and evocation of place with spare lack of sentimentality, but passionate intensity. The chapters on Beirut, in the light of what is continuing there to this sad hour, are especially poignant. Highly recommended' * A. N. Wilson, New Statesman *'Elegiac' * Independent Christmas history round-up *'An engrossing, historical tapestry' * Philip Adair, Scotsman *'A highly enjoyable and intricately worked account of three great Mediterranean ports . . . [Mansel has] a sharp eye for detail and a deep understanding of the dynamics of traditional empires and societies' * The Economist *'A masterly work . . . prodigious' * Independent *'An excellent study' * Guardian *'An enthralling history of Alexandria, Beirut and Smyrna, those vanished worlds of cosmopolitan high culture and society' * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe Ottoman Empire stood at a crossroads of intercontinental trade, stretching from the Balkans and the Black Sea region through the present day Middle East and most of the North African coast for six centuries up to World War I. The articles in this volume by a leading economic historian examine its economic institutions, the long term performance of the Ottoman economy and explore the reasons for the longevity of this large empire. Until recently, historiography had depicted an empire in decline after the 16th century. These articles argue, however, that the Ottoman state and society showed considerable ability to reorganize and adapt to changing circumstances through selective institutional change, well before the reforms of the nineteenth century. They also make the case that, until the 19th century, standards of living in many parts of the empire were not very different from those prevailing in most parts of continental Europe.Trade Review’The collection will be particularly welcome to historians of the Ottoman Empire - or at least those who are not themselves economic historians - as most of the articles originally appeared in journals outside their usual area of study and so will probably have escaped their notice.’ Journal of Islamic StudiesTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; Institutional change and the longevity of the Ottoman Empire, 1500-1800; Ottoman interventionism in economic and monetary affairs; The Ottoman monetary system and frontier territories in Europe, 1500-1700; The evolution of financial institutions in the Ottoman Empire, 1600-1914; The price revolution in the Ottoman Empire reconsidered; Prices in the Ottoman Empire, 1469-1914; In the absence of domestic currency: debased European coinage in the 17th-century Ottoman Empire; The great Ottoman debasement, 1808-1844: a political economy framework; From debasement to external borrowing: changing forms of deficit finance in the Ottoman Empire, 1750-1914; The Middle East in 19th century world trade; Anatolia and Egypt during the 19th century: a comparison of foreign trade and foreign investment; The Ottoman Empire in the 'Great Depression' of 1873-1896; The Ottoman economy in World War I; Real wages and standards of living in the Ottoman Empire, 1489-1914; Estimating economic growth in the Middle East since 1820. Index.

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Book SynopsisFarhad Daftary received his early education in Iran, Italy and England, and then undertook his university studies during 1958-1971 in the United States. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. Subsequently, he held various academic and governmental posts in Iran, before in 1988 joining the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, where he is currently Director and Head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications. Dr Daftary is a consulting editor of the Encyclopaedia Iranica, co-editor (with W. Madelung) of the Encyclopaedia Islamica, as well as the general editor of the Ismaili Heritage Series, the Ismaili Texts and Translations Series and the Shii Heritage Series. An authority on Ismaili studies, he has written and edited 20 books in this field, including The Ismailis: Their History and Doctrines (1990; 2nd ed., 2007); The Assassin Legends (1994); A Short History of the Ismailis (1998); IsmTable of ContentsList of maps and tables Preface I: The Ismaili Imamate in History II: The Early Imams 'Ali b. Abi Talib Husayn b. 'Ali 'Ali b. Husayn Zayn al-'Abidin Muhammad al-Baqir Jafar al-Sadiq Isma'il b. Ja'far al-Sadiq Muhammad b. Isma'il al-Maymun III: The Concealed Imams 'Abd Allah b. Muhammad, also known as Wafi Ahmad Ahmad b. 'Abd Allah, also known as Taqi Muhammad Husayn b. Ahmad, also known as Radi al-Din Abd Allah IV: The Early Fatimid Imam-caliphs al-Mahdi al-Qa'im al-Mansur al-Mu'izz al-'Aziz al-Hakim al-Zahir al-Mustansir Nizar V: The Imams at Alamut Concealed Imams: al-Hadi, al-Muhtadi, al-Qahir Hasan ala dhikrihi’l-salam Nur al-Din Muhammad, also known as A?la Muhammad Jalal al-Din Hasan 'Ala al-Din Muhammad Rukn al-Din Khurshah VI: The Early Imams after Alamut Shams al-Din Muhammad Qasim Shah Islam Shah Muhammad b. Islam Shah VII: The Imams of the Anjudan Period Mustansir bi’llah 'Abd al-Salam Shah Gharib Mirza, also known as Mustansir bi’llah Abu Dharr 'Ali Murad Mirza Dhu’l-Faqar 'Ali Nur al-Din (al-Dahr) 'Ali Khalil Allah 'Ali VIII: The Imams in the Eighteenth Century Shah Nizar Sayyid 'Ali Hasan 'Ali Qasim 'Ali Abu’l-Hasan 'Ali Shah Khalil Allah IX: The Imams in the Modern Age Hasan 'Ali Shah, Aga Khan I Agha 'Ali Shah, Aga Khan II Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III Shah Karim al-Husayni, Aga Khan IV Glossary Select Bibliography Picture credits Index

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Book SynopsisMaziar Behrooz is Associate Professor of History at San Francisco State University, USA. He has authored numerous articles and book chapters on the 19th and 20th-century history of Iran. His first book, Rebels with a Cause: the Failure of the Left in Iran (1999), has been translated into Persian and Turkish. His second book, Perspectives on the History of Rebels with a Cause in Iran (2006), is a translation of a collection of articles and interviews on the left movement in Iran, published in Tehran. To find out more please visit: https://faculty.sfsu.edu/~mroozbehTrade ReviewThe early Qajar period has been largely neglected by scholarship. This book therefore fills an important gap and makes a welcome contribution to our understanding of early nineteenth-century Iran, as seen through the prism of its political and military conflicts with imperial Russia. * Stephanie Cronin, University of Oxford, UK *The early Qajar period has been largely neglected by scholarship. This book therefore fills an important gap and makes a welcome contribution to our understanding of early nineteenth-century Iran, as seen through the prism of its political and military conflicts with imperial Russia. * Stephanie Cronin, University of Oxford, UK *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. Qajar Reunification The Eunuch King and reunification of Iran Aqa Muhammad Shah Defeat of the Zand Conquest of the Caucasus 2. Iran: State and Society in the Early Nineteenth Century Fath Ali Shah Qavanllu-Qajar Early Qajar state Social classes and land tenure Ulama–state relations Early nineteenth-century society The Qajar military 3. Diplomacy and War: The First Russo-Iranian War, 1804–1813 Prelude to war, 1801–1803 Abbas Mirza Qavanllu-Qajar Fall of Ganjeh, 1804 First siege of Iravan, summer 1804 The Battle of Qarabagh and the siege of Ganjeh and Badkubeh, 1805 Diplomacy and intrigue Battles of 1806 The Peaceful 1807 The Gardane mission, 1807–1809 Second siege of Iravan and the Battle of Nakhjavan, October–December 1808 The Jones Brydges mission, 1809–1810 4. Interwar Years and the Second Russo-Iranian War The Interwar years Prelude to war Russian policy toward the southeastern Caucasus Council of Sultanieh The Battlefield Causes of the Second Russo-Iranian War The aftermath Conclusion: Seven Points Chronology Appendix Biographies Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisRosemary Sayigh is a renowned journalist and scholar of Middle Eastern history, having published ground-breaking works on the Palestinian people including Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries (1979) and Too Many Enemies: The Palestinian Experience in Lebanon (1993). In 2024 the Palestine Book Awards presented Sayigh with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work on recording the displacement narratives of Palestinian women. She taught oral history at Birzeit University, Palestine, and at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. She received her BA at Oxford University, UK in 1948 and her PhD at Hull University, UK in 1994.

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Book SynopsisThe Afghanistan File, written by the former head of Saudi Arabian Intelligence, tells the story of his Department's involvement in Afghanistan from the time of the Soviet invasion in 1979 to 9/11/2001.

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Book SynopsisIn this major contribution to Muslim intellectual history, Andrew Hammond offers a vital reappraisal of the role of Late Ottoman Turkish scholars in shaping modern Islamic thought. Focusing on a poet, a sheikh and his deputy, Hammond re-evaluates the lives and legacies of three key figures who chose exile in Egypt as radical secular forces seized power in republican Turkey: Mehmed Akif, Mustafa Sabri and Zahid Kevseri. Examining a period when these scholars faced the dual challenge of non-conformist trends in Islam and Western science and philosophy, Hammond argues that these men, alongside Said Nursi who remained in Turkey, were the last bearers of the Ottoman Islamic tradition. Utilising both Arabic and Turkish sources, he transcends disciplinary conventions that divide histories along ethnic, linguistic and national lines, highlighting continuities across geographies and eras. Through this lens, Hammond is able to observe the long-neglected but lasting impact that these Late Ottoman thinkers had upon Turkish and Arab Islamist ideology.

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Book SynopsisPaul M. Love, Jr. explores the history of the minority Ibadi Muslim community in Cairo from the seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. Using a unique range of sources, Love both illuminates the events of Egyptian history and highlights the role of the Ibadis in shaping political, religious, and commercial life in Ottoman-era Cairo.

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Book SynopsisKnown as a place, a people, and a kingdom at various points in the second and first millennia BCE, Moab has long sustained the attention of archaeologists, philologists, and historians, in part because of its adjacent location to ancient Israel. The past 150 years of research in what is today west-central Jordan has proffered a significant corpus of evidence from the region''s archaeological sites. However, a critical analysis of this evidence reveals significant gaps in knowledge that challenge attempts to narrate Moab''s political, economic, and social history. This Element examines the evidence as well as the debates surrounding Moab''s development and decline. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

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Book SynopsisIn June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt (the quartet) enacted a diplomatic, economic, and physical blockade of Qatar. Gulf politics has always been fractious, but this stunning political gambit took everyone Qatari leaders, scholars, the international community entirely by surprise. The quartet assailed Qatar with a litany of charges mostly relating to its support of a motley array of sub-state actors across the Middle East. However, few out with the quartet thought that Qatar's purported crimes warranted such a unique and all-encompassing punishment. The blockade ended in January 2021 just as it began out of the blue without any obvious instigating factors.The puzzle of the Gulf blockade and its myriad impacts are examined in this volume, which benefits from certain distance. It builds upon early analyses to offer a range of crisp, insightful reflections, many based on new primary sources. The chapters take a multidisciplinary and diverse theoretical apprTable of ContentsIntroduction, 1. Ontological Security and the Gulf Crisis, 2. Society and State in Post-Blockade Qatar: Lessons for the Arab Gulf Region, 3. Nationalism and Identity in Qatar after 2017: The Narrative of the New National Museum, 4. European Policies Towards the Gulf: Patterns, Dynamics, Evolution, and the case of the Qatar Blockade, 5. The Regional Implications of the Gulf Crisis, 6. The Blockade Against Qatar: A Blessing in Disguise?

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Book SynopsisDetermines the impact of 'peace communication' on fostering structural change. By focusing on Israeli and Palestinian versions of Sesame Street aiming to foster friendships among children, Yael Warshel explores whether such interventions affect audiences, offering recommendations to improve future interventions into political conflict worldwide.Trade Review'A serious achievement and on its way to becoming one of the most important books in this area, both methodologically and theoretically. Yael Warshel commands the literature pertaining to children and media, conflict, and peace communication; her call for evidence-based practices applied to the recommendations she poses will reset the direction of the field.' Don Ellis, University of Hartford'Yael Warshel outlines with clarity and rigor a new research agenda for evaluating peace communication interventions based on an interdisciplinary understanding of the political context of conflict. Her book is at the same time a rich and fascinating up-close account of the audience reception of Israeli-Palestinian Sesame Street.' Daniel Hallin, University of California, San Diego'Experiencing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is a serious achievement, and I suspect it is on its way to becoming one of the most methodologically and theoretically important books in this area. Warshel commands the literature pertaining to children and media, conflict, and peace communication; her call for evidence-based practices applied to the recommendations she poses will reset the direction of the field.' Donald Ellis, International Journal of Communication'[T]he book itself is an excellent model of research design and execution. The mixed methodology and transdisciplinary approach combines peace communication with a semiotic, ethnographic, Cultural Studies approach to the process of communication and textual analysis.' Jon Simons, The Communication Review'Sesame Street serves as one of the most well-studied and prominent children's television programs we have witnessed in the United States (US). While the global aspirations of this production may reflect noble intentions, the implementation of this communication intervention illustrates the serious fissures in its reception. Learning from failed attempts will lead not only to improving strategic communication, but also will strengthen our ability to engage in meaningful and impactful social change. Warshel's (Pennsylvania State University) impressive book, Experiencing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Children, Peace Communication and Socialization (2021), offers important reflections on the failure of this project to achieve its goals.' Karin Gwinn Wilkins, Critical Studies in Media Communication'This remarkable study poignantly contrasts the high hopes of the Oslo era, the supposed innocence of young children, and the idealized world of Sesame Street with the 'mundane, everyday violence'-physical and structural-of the Second Intifada, all vividly illustrated in a model of Geertzian 'thick description'. […] The book is first and foremost a formidable piece of research. Warshel combines a thorough, methodologically rigorous, and critical evaluation of an ambitious attempt at 'peace communication' with what she calls 'multi-sited ethnographies of violence' (6)-a portrait of everyday life and intergroup relations in the quotidian towns of Alfei Menashe, Umm El-Fahem, and East Barta'a-all narrated through the drawings, photographs, and reflections of Jewish-Israeli, Arab/Palestinian-Israeli, and Palestinian children aged 5-8.' Ned Lazarus, Israel Studies Review'Yael Warshel's scholarly contribution cannot be mistaken.' 'This book provides a model for researchers who want to tackle important issues through applied methods. The author provides a guide for future PeaceComm studies by carefully describing the actions taken by herself, the choices made by producers and viewers, and lessons learned.' 'Studying conflict interventions provides valuable lessons for current/future conflicts …' 'The application spans several years, borders, and methods.' 'This book deserves recognition as among the best the National Communication Association's Applied Communication Division has produced.' 'This is a fascinating book.' 'This unflinching, carefully detailed study shows great intentions and expense yielding none of three intended effects because the viewers … were grounded in the reality of the Palestinian/Israeli separation. The 'two street solution' meant to bring characters on [Palestinian and Israeli] Sesame Street together were unconvincing.' 'I can't think of a more well researched book that details a spectacular failure.' Judging Panel, Sue DeWine Distinguished Scholarly Book AwardTable of ContentsIntroduction: Peace communication and why study Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Street's media intervention model?; Part I. The Production and Encoding of Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Street: Introduction to Part I: Production and encoding methodologies; 1. The Israeli-Palestinian ethno-political nationalist conflict, the Arab-Israeli multi-state conflict and Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Street's disengagement with these conflicts; 2. The modern world, or interstate, system; 3. The encoding process for seasons one and two of Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Street; Part II. Audience Reception of Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Street: Introduction to Part II: Audience reception methodologies; 4. Decodings by Palestinians-in-the-Making; 5. Decodings by Jewish Israelis-in-the-Making; 6. Decodings by Arab/Palestinian Israelis-in-the-Making; Conclusion to Part II: The utility of the series for all three partners to the conflict?; Part III. Situating the Reception of Israeli and Palestinian Sesame Street in Mundane Intractable Conflict Zone Practices: Introduction to Part III: Context analyses and conflict zones methodologies; 7. Pursuing justice: Palestinian children's schematic interpretations of the Israeli army; 8. Pursuing security: Jewish Israeli children's schematic interpretations of Palestinian day laborers; 9. Pursuing equality: Arab/Palestinian Israeli Children's schematic interpretations of constructs of opposing national and civic identities; Part IV. Conclusions and Recommendations to Improve Peace Communication research, (Evidence-based) Practice, and Conflict Intractability Interpretation: Introduction: The best case; 10. Lessons learned and their application to peace communication research, (evidenced-based) practice, and conflict intractability interpretation; 11. How to improve potential media effects and impacts–recommendations for peace communication practitioners; 12. Follow-up study of tween-age former audience members.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and innovative reconstruction of the emergence of early Muslim religion and polity in their historical, religious and ethnological contexts. Intended principally for scholars of late antiquity, Islamic studies and the history of religions, the book opens up many novel directions for future research.Trade Review'Aziz Al-Azmeh starts his excellent new book by modestly describing it as an extended essay in historical interpretation' … but in reality this is a truly massive analysis of the origins of early Islam that will challenge many contemporary assumptions … This intriguing and engaging book is a welcome addition to academia. Intended primarily for postgraduate scholars of Islam, religion and Late Antiquity, this monograph suggests many exciting new directions for future studies and empirical research.' Abdullah Drury, Islam and Christian–Muslim RelationsTable of Contents1. Late antiquity and Islam: historiography and history; 2. Gods, divine economies, and emperors; 3. Arabia and Arab ethnogenesis in late antiquity; 4. Preface to Allah; 5. Allah; 6. Paleo-Islam, 1: charismatic polity; 7. Paleo-Islam, 2: the Paleo-Muslim canon; 8. Retrospective and prospective: Islam in late antiquity and beyond.

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Book SynopsisAvinoam Patt examines the relationship between two of the most significant events in modern Jewish history, the Holocaust and the creation of the state of Israel. While there may be no direct causal connection between the Holocaust and the founding of the Jewish state in 1948, the memory of the Holocaust has been a constant presence in Israeli politics, culture, and society since even before 1948.The State of Israel has always existed in an uneasy relationship with the Shoah. On the one hand, Israel was faced with the challenge of taking in hundreds of thousands of Holocaust survivors as new citizens of the state, many of whom were discouraged from sharing their traumatic wartime experiences with their fellow citizens. On the other hand, the destruction of European Jewry and the failure of Western democracy to protect the Jewish minority in Europe seemed to vindicate the Zionist worldview, even as classical Zionism argued that the Jewish people deserved a state on the basis

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Book Synopsis‘A gripping account. Essential reading to understand the roots of the 2011 Arab Spring and the conflicts that have devastated so much of the region' EUGENE ROGAN, author of The Arabs: A History ______________________________________________ President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who ruled Egypt for eighteen years from the coup d'etat of 1952, is best known in the West for wresting the Suez Canal from the British and French empires. He was a larger-than-life figure, loved by his followers for his nationalist ideals and for heralding a period of social change and modernisation. Yet there is a darker side to Nasser’s regime.We Are Your Soldiers examines Nasser’s influence on the politics of seven countries – Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, and Libya. Rowell argues that Nasser played a crucial role in the formation of authoritarian regimes as varied as Bashar al-Assad’s Syria, MuamTrade ReviewIn 400 blood-soaked pages, he traces Nasser’s toxic influence from one Arab capital to another, from plots in officers’ club rooms via palace coups and well-equipped torture chambers. Rowell is an eloquent writer, weaving the intrigue into the region’s wider history. * Telegraph *'A gripping account of Egypt’s 1952 Revolution and Gamal Abdel Nasser’s legacy on the Arab world as a whole. Alex Essential reading to understand the roots of the 2011 Arab Spring and the conflicts that have devastated so much of the region down to the present. A brilliant book' -- Eugene Rogan, author of The Arabs: A History'Gamal Abdel Nasser is the most consequential Arab leader of the twentieth century, and with every major event in the region it becomes necessary to revisit his legacy. Alex Rowell has produced an essential piece of work on Nasser’s legacy in light of the historic Arab uprisings and the advent of social media that have laid bare many of our sacred cultural icons. We Are Your Soldiers is a scholarly book written with journalistic flair, a beautiful narrative, and compelling research' -- Hassan Hassan, coauthor of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror'Alex Rowell takes us on a rollicking and revelatory tour of today’s Middle East, casting new light with a masterful reassessment of history. He peers beneath the familiar tumult of revolt and repression, and finds Gamal Abdel Nasser, a titanic and charismatic figure whose hand seems, from beyond the grave, to still steer events across the Arab world' -- Thanassis Cambanis, author of Once Upon a Revolution: An Egyptian Story'In this richly documented book, Alex Rowell offers a fascinating account of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s rise in Egypt and his decades-long influence on politics, policies, and political culture in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, and Libya. Intense and thrilling, We Are Your Soldiers is a journey through tumultuous moments and events that shaped the contemporary history of the Arab world' -- Ziad Majed, Elliott E. Burdette Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, American University of Paris'Entertaining . . . a sweeping account of the Egyptian leader’s role in shaping his country and the wider region — and his continuing influence today' * Financial Times *

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