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Middle East

READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

Click on any destination for a highly recommended set of travel books and maps

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Books for
National Geographic Atlas of the Middle East

National Geographic Atlas of the Middle East

by

  • REFERENCE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

These maps graphically illustrate the history, politics, people and resources of the Middle East. With 40 photographs and 80 maps, including a two-page spread on each of the 16 nations. (MDE71, $21.95)

Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women

Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women

by Geraldine Brooks

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A highly readable overview of the role of women in Islamic society, drawn from the author's many interviews with women throughout the Arab World. (ARB06, $15.00)

Dreams and Shadows, The Future of the Middle East

Dreams and Shadows, The Future of the Middle East

by Robin B. Wright

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 480 PAGES

Wright reports on the ideas, movements and obstacles to change in this incisive portrait. With chapters on the Palestinians, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Morocco. (MDE150, $17.00)

A Peace to End All Peace

A Peace to End All Peace

by David Fromkin

  • HISTORY
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 688 PAGES

Indispensable to understanding current tensions, alliances and the colonial legacy of the region, Fromkin's vivid tale of the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the making of the modern Middle East is out in a 20th anniversary edition. (ARB13, $22.00)

Middle East Map

Middle East Map

by Freytag & Berndt

  • MAP

Showing the region from Turkey and the Caucuses to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iran at a scale of 1:2,000,000. (MDE19, $14.95)

 
Arabic, a Language Map

Arabic, a Language Map


by Kristine K. Kershul

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2003
  • PLASTIC CARD

This durable, foldout card, featuring 1,000 words and phrases, works as a quick reference for travelers. (ARB70, $7.95)

Lonely Planet Middle East

Lonely Planet Middle East


by Lonely Planet

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 684 PAGES

A practical guide to the North African and Mediterranean countries of the Middle East. (MDE30, $28.99)

Lonely Planet Middle East Phrasebook


by Lonely Planet Publications

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A compact phrasebook in the Lonely Planet style. (MDE172, $10.99)

A History of the Arab Peoples

A History of the Arab Peoples


by Albert Hourani

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 624 PAGES

Called a landmark, masterpiece and essential to understanding the Middle East, Hourani's acclaimed chronicle of the political, spiritual, religious and cultural traditions of the Arab peoples is brought up to date with an afterword by noted Islamic scholar Malise Ruthven. (MDE11, $18.95)

Cradle & Crucible, History and Faith in the Middle East


by David Fromkin | Zahi Hawass | Sandra MacKey | Milton Viorst

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

An illustrated portrait of the history and religion of the Middle East, with contributions by leading scholars. (MDE67, $16.00)

Dream Palace of the Arabs, A Generation's Odyssey

Dream Palace of the Arabs, A Generation's Odyssey


by Fouad Ajami

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 344 PAGES

With an insider's insight and an exile's regret, Ajami takes us from Beirut's once glittering metropolis to the land of Egypt, delving into the post-World War I generation's lost dreams of secular nationalism and modernity in the region. (ARB111, $15.95)

Engaging the Muslim World

Engaging the Muslim World


by Juan Cole

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 282 PAGES

In this well-reasoned primer, history professor and popular blogger Cole offers a clear analysis of American concerns about Islam and Muslim anxiety about the West. From Tehran to Beirut, Cole is an especially good guide to the many forms of Islam and how they play out politically. (MDE200, $17.00)

From Beirut to Jerusalem

From Beirut to Jerusalem


by Thomas L. Friedman

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2006
  • AUDIO CD

A illuminating, and heartfelt exploration of the complexity of the Middle East conflict. Pulitzer Prize-winner Friedman provides a personal and a scholarly perspective on the roots of conflict. (MDE98, $22.95)

Generation Freedom, The Middle East Uprisings and the Remaking of the Modern World

Generation Freedom, The Middle East Uprisings and the Remaking of the Modern World


by Bruce Feiler

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 151 PAGES

As engaged and thoughtful as ever, Feiler brings texture and insight to these thrilling tales of youthful revolt across the Arab world, weaving on-the-spot reports from Tahir Square and elsewhere with history and commentary. (MDE199, $11.99)

Kingmakers, The Invention of the Modern Middle East

Kingmakers, The Invention of the Modern Middle East


by Karl E. Meyer | Shareen Blair Brysac

  • HISTORY
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 528 PAGES

Meyer and Brysac chronicle the making of the modern Middle East through the amazing tales of Lawrence of Arabia, Gertrude Bell, Kermit Roosevelt, the CIA's Miles Copeland and other British and American chaarcters who meddled, imrpovised, innovated and otherwise helped to shape the region. (MDE159, $18.95)

Napoleon's Egypt, Invading the Middle East

Napoleon's Egypt, Invading the Middle East


by Juan Ricardo Cole

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 279 PAGES

Historian Cole, effectively utilizing diaries and letters of contemporaries on both sides, illustrates the confusion, hostilities, and necessary accommodations as two distinct cultures collide at the end of the 18th century. (EGY386, $16.95)

Rock the Casbah, Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World

Rock the Casbah, Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World


by Robin Wright

  • RELIGION
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 307 PAGES

A veteran journalist in the Middle East, Wright (Dreams and Shadows) interviews the youth at the forefront of the Arab revolt in this insightful portrait of the region at a moment of change. (ISL100, $26.99)

Storm from the East: The Struggle Between the Arab World and the Christian West

Storm from the East: The Struggle Between the Arab World and the Christian West


by Milton Viorst

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

A brief history of contemporary Arabia and the uneasy relationship with the West in the excellent Modern Library Chronicles series by a journalist and senior scholar at the Middle East Institute. (ARB75, $13.95)

The Arab Center, The Promise of Moderation


by Marwan Muasher

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 312 PAGES

Muasher, a prominent Jordanian diplomat and vice president of the World Bank, recounts the behind-the-scenes details of diplomatic ventures over the past two decades, including the Arab Peace Initiative and the Middle East Road Map. (ARB105, $30.00)

The Arabs, A History


by Eugene Rogan

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 592 PAGES

In this tribute to Albert Hourani's classic, Rogan covers the political history of the Arab world over five centuries from the rise of the Ottoman Empire to the formation of modern nations with vigor and scholarship. (MDE175, $19.99)

The Arabs, A Short History

The Arabs, A Short History


by Philip K. Hitti

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 273 PAGES

An overview by the influential historian of the Arab world. (ARB63, $14.95)

The Crusades Through Arab Eyes

The Crusades Through Arab Eyes


by Amin Maalouf | Jon Rothschild

  • HISTORY
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 293 PAGES

Vivid characters and battles make this an excellent historical re-creation for anyone with interest in the world at the time of the crusades. (ISL10, $16.95)

The Crusades, A Very Short Introduction

The Crusades, A Very Short Introduction


by Christopher Tyerman

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 184 PAGES

One in a series of illuminating pocket guides by leading authorities. With flair and originality, Tyerman presents a clear and lively discussion of the Crusades, bringing together issues of colonialism, cultural exchange, economic exploitation, and the relationship between past and present. (WAR147, $11.95)

The Great Arab Conquests, How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live in

The Great Arab Conquests, How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live in


by Hugh Kennedy

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 464 PAGES

A scholarly history of the transformation of the world's religious and political landscape in the hundred years after the death of the Prophet. (MDE121, $17.00)

The Great Theft, Wrestling Islam from the Extremists


by Abou El Fadl Khaled

  • RELIGION
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 322 PAGES

Khaled, a leading scholar of Islamic law, defends the moderate beliefs and practices of most Muslims, countering misconceptions about the religion caused by extremist groups. (ISL78, $14.99)

The New Atlas of the Arab World

The New Atlas of the Arab World


by American University in Cairo Press

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 144 PAGES

This authoritative atlas features striking maps and the latest information on the 22 countries of the Arab League, from Morocco across North Africa to the Arabia, Syria and the Sudan. (ARB134, $39.50)

The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power

The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power


by Daniel Yergin

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 908 PAGES

Master storyteller Yergin conjures a large and fascinating cast of tycoons, sheiks and politicians in this monumental and thoroughly researched history examining the story of petroleum and the West's dependence on the oil-rich Middle East. (ARB36, $22.00)

The Unmaking of the Middle East

The Unmaking of the Middle East


by Jeremy Salt

  • HISTORY
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 468 PAGES

Subtitled " A History of Western Disorder in Arab Lands," this hard-hitting analysis of the region is divided into four sections: Why Do They Hate Us?, Sacred Trusts (cobvering the colonial period), the American Ascendancy; and the Bush Wars. (MDE149, $22.95)

Understanding Arabs, A Guide for Modern Times

Understanding Arabs, A Guide for Modern Times


by Margaret K. Nydell

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 264 PAGES

The fourth edition of Nydell's classic, concise and readable introduction to Arab society and culture, including chapters on attitudes toward America and fundamentalism. (ARB67, $21.95)

Out of Place

Out of Place


by Edward W. Said

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 295 PAGES

With acute attention to detail, Said recalls growing up in the privileged, cosmopolitan world of the Middle East in the 1930s and 40s. (MDE32, $16.00)

The Road to Mecca

The Road to Mecca


by Muhammad Asad

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 372 PAGES

The extraordinary account of how Leopold Weiss, born in Lvov in 1900, became a Muslim. A journalist, Asad writes of his travels, transformation and attachment to Islam and the Arab world. (ISL23, $17.95)

Walking the Bible, A Journey by Land through the Five Books of Moses

Walking the Bible, A Journey by Land through the Five Books of Moses


by Bruce Feiler

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

An account of a 10,000-mile trek through the Biblical lands of the Middle East in the company of an Israeli archaeologist. It's part travelogue, part pilgrimage, and part quest for religious meaning. (MDE50, $14.99)

Children of the Alley

Children of the Alley


by Naguib Mahfouz

  • LITERATURE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 464 PAGES

Providing great insight into a modern Muslim's view of the world, Mahfouz turns the history of an alley in Cairo into a rich parable, retelling the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. (EGY248, $16.00)

More Recommendations

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.