Arab Seafaring
• George F. Hourani
• John Carswell
HISTORY •
1996 •
PAPER
• 140 PAGES
A scholarly history of early travel and trade in the Indian Ocean from its earliest origins through the Middle Ages. An expanded edition of the classic, authoritative history of Arab sea trade, originally published in 1951. With a new introduction, notes, and bibliography by John Carswell.
(ARB47, $26.95) |
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Arabia Map
• Geoprojects
MAP
Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula at a scale of 1:3,500,000. Two Sides. 26x31 inches.
(ARB39, $21.95) |
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The Arabian Diaries, 1913-1914
• Gertrude Bell
• Rosemary O'Brien
BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •
2000 •
HARD COVER
• 224 PAGES
In the days before she began molding British foreign policy in the Middle East, Gertrude Bell kept herself busy crossing the Arabian desert alone (or sometimes in company with bandits). As a travel and adventure writer, she has the very great advantage of literary talent: her diaries are neither fusty nor musty. Her book is a candid portrait of Arabia, and her accounts of encounters with sheikhs and Bedouins are markedly unexotic. They were her companions or her enemies, and she writes of them as a more domestic author might have written about the parish curate or the town lout.
(ARB52, $29.95) |
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The Arabs, A Short History
• Philip K. Hitti
HISTORY •
2006 •
PAPER
• 273 PAGES
An overview by the influential historian of the Arab world.
(ARB63, $14.95) |
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Beyond the Veil, Male-Female Dynamics in Modern Muslim Society
• Fatima Mernissi
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
1987 •
PAPER
• 200 PAGES
An examination of sexuality and gender in the modern Muslim world, written by an expert on the roles of women in Islamic society. With a long section on the traditional Muslim view of women, followed by a case study of relations in modern Morocco.
(MDE35, $14.95) |
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Crusade, The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War
• Rick Atkinson
HISTORY •
1994 •
PAPER
• 520 PAGES
An extensive account of the 42-day Persian Gulf War and how it single-handedly transformed modern warfare. Conducting a wide range of interviews, Atkinson blends firsthand stories of both soldiers and policymakers with an exhaustively researched political narrative.
(ARB46, $17.95) |
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Democracy and Terrorism, Volume I: The Roots of Terrorism
• Louise Richardson
HISTORY •
2006 •
PAPER
• 192 PAGES
This in-depth study takes in psychological and political factors to provide an analysis of terrorism and it origins.
(GEN361, $47.95) |
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Everyday Life in the Muslim Middle East
• Donna Lee Bowen
• Evelyn A. Early
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
2001 •
PAPER
• 411 PAGES
The second edition of a diverse collection of articles on life in the modern Muslim countries by Middle Eastern and Western scholars, revised and updated. It includes scholarly and popular essays, short stories, and traditional songs. The anthology is organized thematically into sections on life passages, relations between the sexes, home, religion, performance and entertainment. With good suggestions for further reading, glossary and notes.
(MDE34, $23.95) |
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Fishwatcher's Field Guide Red Sea
• Jerry Greenberg
FIELD GUIDE •
PLASTIC CARD
This double-sided plastic card shows 64 of the most commonly encountered reef fish of the Red Sea in full-color illustrations, convenient for the boat or beach. It's even got a hole punched in it to hang around your neck while snorkeling.
(DIV13, $7.50) |
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From Beirut to Jerusalem
• Thomas L. Friedman
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
2006 •
AUDIO CD
A clear, illuminating, and heartfelt exploration of the complexity of the Middle East conflict. Pulitzer Prize-winner Friedman (who reported from Beirut and Jerusalem for the "New York Times" throughout the 1980s, and is now its foreign affairs columnist) provides a personal and a scholarly perspective on the roots of conflict.
(MDE98, $22.95) |
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Geography of Religion: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk
• Susan T. Hitchcock
• John Esposito
• Desmond Tutu
• Mpho Tutu
RELIGION •
2006 •
PAPER
• 416 PAGES
A handsomely produced tour of the five major world religions and the places that each holds sacred. This oversize book by National Geographic features 210 photographs, illustrations and maps, along with essays by contributing scholars.
(REL05, $24.00) |
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Globalization and the Politics of Development in the Middle East
• Clement M. Henry
• Robert Springborg
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
2001 •
PAPER
• 280 PAGES
An analysis of the Middle East's responses to the changing world economy and the prospect of globalization at the turn of the twenty-first century. The authors, political economists both, offer a richly detailed argument bolstered by quantitative data.
(MDE76, $29.99) |
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A History of the Middle East
• Peter Mansfield
• Nicolas Pelham
HISTORY •
2004 •
PAPER
• 429 PAGES
An incisive, illuminating guide to understanding this crucial and volatile nerve center of the modern world.
(MDE84, $17.00) |
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Islam and Democracy, Fear of the Modern World
• Fatima Mernissi
HISTORY •
1993 •
PAPER
• 195 PAGES
A short, inflammatory book on the possibility of democracy in the Middle East by a well known Moroccan critic, historian and feminist.
(ISL06, $17.50) |
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Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History and Literature
• Stephen O. Murray
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
1997 •
PAPER
• 331 PAGES
Broad in its geographic and historical scope, this book is a scholarly overview of homosexuality in cultures throughout the Islamic world. It includes contributions on Islam and homosexuality in medieval Egypt, Ottoman Turkey and throughout the Muslim world.
(ARB26, $25.00) |
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The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?
• John L. Esposito
RELIGION •
1999 •
PAPER
• 328 PAGES
An authority on Islam examines key political issues, various Islamic movements and Muslim relations with the West in this insightful, balanced survey. This third edition includes new material on Turkey, Afghanistan, Palestine, Southeast Asia, and a discussion of international terrorism.
(ISL03, $19.99) |
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Marine Invertebrates Indian Ocean and the Central Pacific
• Idaz Greenberg
FIELD GUIDE •
PLASTIC CARD
This double-sided plastic card shows 50 of the most commonly encountered marine invertebrates of the Indian Ocean in full-color illustrations, convenient for the boat or beach. It's even got a hole punched in it to hang around your neck while snorkeling.
(DIV15, $7.50) |
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Marine Life of the Pacific and Indian Oceans
• Gerald Allen
FIELD GUIDE •
2000 •
HARD COVER
• 96 PAGES
• COMING IN
A handy, beautifully illustrated reference to 350 of the most colorful and commonly encountered marine species in the Indo-Pacific, from the Seychelles to Hawaii. This book presents the full range of marine life from corals to sponges, fishes and mollusks. With excellent color photographs and superb essays. Highly recommended.
(AUS28, $16.95) |
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Motoring with Mohammed, Journeys to Yemen and the Red Sea
• Eric Hansen
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •
1992 •
PAPER
• 240 PAGES
• FAVORITE
Ten years after he was shipwrecked aboard a sailboat in the Red Sea (and rescued by goat smugglers from Eritrea), the intrepid Hansen returns to Yemen in search of a journal he buried in the sand. This book is classic travel writing: insightful, personal and informative -- not to mention highly entertaining.
(ARB11, $16.00) |
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Muhammad, A Prophet for Our Time
• Karen Armstrong
RELIGION •
2007 •
PAPER
• 240 PAGES
In this extended essay, a volume in the Eminent Lives series, Armstrong looks at the significance of Mohammed's life and teachings. A former Catholic nun and member of the Association of Muslim Social Services, she writes widely on religion.
(ISL60, $14.99) |
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No god but God
• Reza Aslan
RELIGION •
2011 •
PAPER
• 310 PAGES
Geared for a popular audience, this provocative book is both a call for reform and a history of early Muslim life and practice. Fully revised and updated, with a new preface and closing chapter. Born in Tehran in 1972 and educated in the West, Alsan is a leading expert and commentator on the Middle East.
(ISL50, $17.00) |
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Northeast Africa and Arabia Map
• Michelin Travel Publications
2007 •
MAP
A folded map of the Northeast region of the continent at a scale of 1:4,000,000, this map is very useful for road travel. It covers Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Saudia Arabia, Yeman and Oman. One Side. 40x48 inches.
(AFR33, $14.95) |
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Oil, God and Gold: The Story of Aramco and the Saudi Kings
• Anthony Cave Brown
HISTORY •
1999 •
HARD COVER
• 420 PAGES
• COMING IN
An authority on espionage turns his eye for intrigue and penchant for well researched history writing to the issue of oil in the Middle East. The story of the oil company, Aramco, is one of betrayed Arabian royalty and scheming American entrepreneurs -- a twisted tale of conspiracy in a trillion-dollar industry. This book provides insight into Aramco's history and the politics of the recent Gulf War.
(ARB35, $30.00) |
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Orientalism
• Edward W. Said
HISTORY •
2003 •
PAPER
• 432 PAGES
An influential account of Western attitudes and Muslim stereotypes by the great Middle East scholar. First published in 1978.
(ISL07, $16.95) |
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Palace and Mosque, Islamic Art from the Middle East
• Tim Stanley
ART & ARCHITECTURE •
2004 •
HARD COVER
• 144 PAGES
This beautiful, wide-ranging survey of the architecture and art of the Islamic Middle East includes color photo-graphs and insightful commentary by Tim Stanley, a curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
(MDE78, $50.00) |
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Pallas Yemen
• Peter Wald
GUIDEBOOK •
2007 •
PAPER
• 332 PAGES
• COMING IN
An essential companion to Yemen, Wald's guide reflects 35 years exploring the country. Much more than a standard guidebook, it includes a thorough overview of Yemen's history and culture. With illustrations, maps and color photography.
(ARB16, $27.50) |
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Pimsleur Quick & Simple Arabic (Eastern)
• Pimsleur Language Method
LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •
2005 •
AUDIO CD
An audio CD with eight 30-minute lessons in basic Eastern Arabic, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. The Pimsleur method emphasizes the use of listening skills without reading materials (so there isn't a book to follow along). It's advertised as "Totally audio: hear it, learn it, speak it."
(ARB69, $19.95) |
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Qatar Map
• MapLink
MAP
A shaded relief map of Qatar, on the scale of 1:270,000. Two Sides. 35x36 inches.
(ARB19, $21.95) |
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Saudi Arabia, Guarding the Desert Kingdom
• Anthony Cordesman
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
1997 •
PAPER
• 240 PAGES
This academic volume is a detailed analysis of Saudi Arabia -- and especially of its security arrangements -- since the Gulf War. Those with a particular interest in the stability of the Middle East and its reliability as an energy exporter will find this book fascinating.
(ARB04, $52.00) |
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The Southern Gates of Arabia, a Journey in the Hadhramaut
• Freya Stark
EXPLORATION •
2001 •
PAPER
• 270 PAGES
An intrepid traveler at the height of British colonial gallivanting in the 1930s, Freya Stark's many books became instant classics. This account of Stark's search for Shabwa, the heretofore unexplored oasis on the Yemeni incense road, shows all the verve of her best accounts: witty, rapturous and full of incident.
(MDE52, $15.00) |
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Stories of Democracy
• Mary Ann Tetreault
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
2000 •
PAPER
• 326 PAGES
A well researched political overview of modern Kuwait by a Middle Eastern expert, this book delves into the Kuwaiti democracy from 1921 to the present. The author's discussions with elite political leaders add a fresh and fascinating dimension to her scholarly research.
(ARB45, $30.00) |
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United Arab Emirates Map
• MapLink
MAP
A shaded relief map of UAE on a 1:750,000 scale. Two Sides. 26x36 inches.
(ARB20, $21.95) |
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Walking the Bible, A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses
• Bruce S. Feiler
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •
2005 •
AUDIO CD
An illuminating account of a 10,000-mile odyssey with Israeli archaeologist Avner Goren across the Biblical lands of the Middle East. It's part travelogue, part pilgrimage, and part quest for religious meaning.
(MDE99, $14.95) |
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What Went Wrong? The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East
• Bernard Lewis
HISTORY •
2003 •
PAPER
• 208 PAGES
The prolific Middle East scholar Bernard Lewis traces the history of what was once a powerful player on the world stage and what is now an area dominated, in his words, by "shabby tyrannies... modern only in their apparatus of repression and terror," in this incisive examination of the history of Middle Eastern civilization.
(ISL44, $12.99) |
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Workers and Peasants in the Modern Middle East
• Joel Beinin
HISTORY •
2001 •
PAPER
• 226 PAGES
A study of the working class in the Middle East, beginning with the period of the Ottoman Empire.
(MDE77, $34.99) |
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The World of Islam
• Don Belt
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •
2001 •
PAPER
• 288 PAGES
Collecting more than twenty five National Geographic articles from the last one hundred years, this glimpse into the Islamic world is a fascinating examination of the evolving relationship between East and West. With photographs and illustrations thoughout.
(ISL30, $22.00) |
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Yemen
• Tim Mackintosh-Smith
TRAVEL NARRATIVE •
2001 •
PAPER
• 280 PAGES
A wonderfully insightful, informative and entertaining travelogue and history of Tim Macintosh-Smith's adopted homeland. Mackintosh-Smith can chew "qat" with the best of them, a useful quality when interpreting this ancient and, according to the author, strange land. He's a talented writer steeped in the language and culture.
(ARB25, $18.95) |
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Islamic Arts
• Jonathan Bloom
• Sheila Blair
ART & ARCHITECTURE •
1997 •
PAPER
• 445 PAGES
A comprehensive survey of 1,000 years of Islamic architecture, design and decoration. Illustrated throughout with color photographs, maps and site plans. For anyone with an interest in art, this book is a wonderfully illuminating, stimulating introduction to the subject.
(ISL01, $29.95) |
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