A History of the Modern Middle East

William Cleveland’s A History of the Modern Middle East is an excellent narrative history. Though it starts with the rise of Islam, two thirds of the 550-page book cover the period after World War I. It presents a clear account of the formation and subsequent events of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and other nearby nations. It concentrates on the politics, power struggles, and wars, while neglecting social and cultural developments. Except for a discussion of the aftermath of the first US-Iraq Gulf War, Cleveland doesn’t spend much time on the human suffering arising from the wars and from government repression. Overall, the book provides a valuable context for understanding current events in the Middle East.