Syria: An Outline History by John D. Granger 4/5 This is a well-written book about a large swath of land in what is now known as the Middle East. Even though there is a modern-day equivalent of Syria, it is a small portion of what had been Syria until roughly the 20th century. The borders… Continue reading Book Review: Syria: An Outline History
Tag: book review
Book Review: Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt
Review of Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt by Rosalie David. Published by Penguin in 2002 4/5 This book, while different from what I had been expecting, was a well written and insightful read. It focuses on the development of the Ancient Egyptian belief system chronologically, focusing on the historical events that affected who and… Continue reading Book Review: Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt
Book Review: A Peace to End all Peace
A Peace to End All Peace: the Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East by David Fromkin. Published by Owl Books 2001 4/5 This is one of those books that everyone reads for a foundational knowledge about the Middle Eastern policy during WWI. It is a well-researched and well… Continue reading Book Review: A Peace to End all Peace
Book Review: The Ottoman Endgame
The Ottoman Endgame: War, Revolution, and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Sean McMeekin. Published by Penguin Books, 2016 5/5 This is a well written, well researched study of the military situation of the Ottoman Empire before and during the First World War. It provides a refreshing perspective, focusing on the Ottomans themselves,… Continue reading Book Review: The Ottoman Endgame
Book Review: Armenian Golgotha
Armenian Golgotha by Grigoris Balakian. Published by Vintage in 2009. This memoir was written by Grigoris Balakian, a bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Balakian was an educated Armenian, having studied in Germany and spoke Armenian, Turkish, and German. He was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide and wrote this memoir to chronicle what he… Continue reading Book Review: Armenian Golgotha
Book Review: Anonymous Soldiers
The Anonymous Soldiers by Bruce Hoffman. Published by Random House in 2015 This is a well written and well researched book that is easy to read, and is packed with information. While there is a lot in there, it’s not a ‘dense’ book. It is a definitely a book that needs to be ready multiple… Continue reading Book Review: Anonymous Soldiers
Book Review: In the Shadow of the Sword
In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland. Published by Anchor in 201 I bought this book because I was blown away by Dan Snow’s interview of Tom Holland about this book, which can be found on HistoryHits. The two observations discussed in the interview that struck me were Holland’s claim that the Quran’s… Continue reading Book Review: In the Shadow of the Sword
Book Review: the Empire of the Steppes
The Empire of the Steppes: a History of Central Asia by Rene Grousset. Published in 1970 by Rutgers I picked this book up two years ago because I had a vague interest in the steppes and Central Asia and I’m really glad I did. While it is an old book, originally published in 1939, it… Continue reading Book Review: the Empire of the Steppes
Book Review: Inside Central Asia
Inside Central Asia by Dilip Hiro. Published in 2009 by Overlook Duckworth This book is a great overview of Central Asia from the rise of the Soviet Union to 2009. This book discusses Turkey, the Central Asian states, and Iran. It picks up where Rashid’s book left off. While Rashid focused mostly on Central Asia… Continue reading Book Review: Inside Central Asia
Book Review: The Resurgence of Central Asia
The Resurgence of Central Asia: Islam or Nationalism by Ahmed Rashid. Published in 2016 by Zed Books I have recently been fascinated by Central Asia and this book is a fantastic review of that region immediately after the fall of the Soviet Union. The book itself is a piece of history and, although I bought… Continue reading Book Review: The Resurgence of Central Asia
