The Modern Middle East: A History

James Gelvin's text is far and away the best brief introduction to the modern Middle East. It is well written and easy to read, and his insights and interception of the broader themes in Middle Eastern history are both original and well-supported. After a brief introduction to Islam and the Gunpowder Empires of the Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals, Gelvin shows how the emergence of the commercial and industrialized West provided a challenge to the culture, institutions and values of the Islamic Near East. Melvin destroys the notion that there is a "clash of civilizations" between the Islamic world and the West, and similarly wrecks the perspective that the Islamic world has "bloody borders". Rather, he posits that the Modern Middle East is the result of several factors: "defensive developmentalism", "constitutionalism" and "imperialism". The impact the growing economic (and later technological and political) power that the West brought to bear on the Islamic world has influenced its shape as the Islamic world on one had sought to adapt, lean and borrow from Europe, while on the other hand, Europe was seeking to exploit and influence the Near East to its own devices. I was particularly pleased to see that attention was given to the Maghreb and Persia as well as to the eastern Mediterranean, an important detail that is often overlooked in general texts on the subject. Gelatin's discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was also masterfully done , especially his summary of the Olso Accords and his analysis for their failure. (His optimism for the region was heartening.) The final few chapters, on the Middle East in the late 20th and early 21st centuries were the strongest, I thought, but only because of the careful foundation he set in the previous chapters of the book. The only complaint I have with the text is the lack of maps and a clearer timeline of events which, I think, would make it easier for those not familiar with places and major players and events to get a sense of location and sequence. For those interested in an excellent history (and outstanding analysis) of the Middle East from the middle of the 19th century into the early 21st century, this is the book I would recommend. I can also imagine it as the primary text for a 200-level course on the Middle East.

Shorter than most texts on the region but deals well with the essentials. Different approach to the subject. Not simply chronological - more topical, and connects within those topics & subjects to today's conditions. Students should find it easy to follow. I teach this subject and I am learning new things! Has a definite point of view, but not polemic or one-dimensional. Connects the region's history to world history to provide excellent context.

I really like how Gelvin approaches the Middle East. He has some very interesting views, and summarizes main events very neatly. Great writing style, easy to understand, easy to get through, great content and very entertaining as well as informative. Adapted to talk about the Arab Springs and their aftermath. Highly recommended.

I had to purchase this book for a class on the Middle East that I took this semester. The author adds uncommon facts, which added enjoyment to it's reading. I really enjoyed the book. Do note though, that there is a newer edition of the book. I bought this edition because I was auditing the class, so the most recent information was not imperative. The cost difference was dramatic.

While the writing is somewhat engaging, here and there, its generally winding and circular patterns which place fact next to unrelated fact in rapid succession leave the academic reader closing the book with the thought, "what the hell just happened?" I am an avid student and an active reader, and I have found that to parse the details out of this book, one must essentially make one-sentence summaries from each paragraph. It's mind-numbing. Nice try, though.

For our midterm my professor stated that we needed to stick to the 3rd chapter of Gelvin and NOT apply it to current events. Gelvin's historical accounts sound like current events in US and the World. Apparently the world's politicians never read this book so we are repeating it.

Very in depth and easy to read. I also just passed the photo essay section.

Came in good condition. Interesting topics