Modern Middle

This audiobook is read by the author, Jeremy Bowen. Now updated with a new chapter on the 7 October attacks and more. A Sunday Times Paperback of the Year A Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year ‘An illuminating and riveting read’ – Jonathan Dimbleby 'Arresting . . . excellent...

Before the Strait of Hormuz became the world’s most watched energy chokepoint, it was a drowned plain, a migration corridor, a Bronze Age trade route, a medieval island kingdom, and the gate through which empires tried to command the seas. Hurmuz tells that full story in one sweeping narrative. Beginning with geology, post-glacial flooding, and the first human movements out of Africa, this book follows the making of the Persian Gulf world through ancient trade, Persian and Islamic empires, the rise of medieval Hormuz, Portuguese and British power, the pearl age, oil, tanker wars, and the ...

The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.

A moving and harrowing portrait of the lives of Iranians across five decades, tracing the promise of the 1979 Iranian revolution, its betrayal by forces of autocracy, and a people’s undying spirit of resistance "One of the most perceptive books on modern Iran in years." —The New York Times...

In the autumn of 1347, twelve Genoese galleys drifted into the port of Messina, Sicily. They were not crewed by boisterous sailors, but by specters ravaged by a mysterious illness, their bodies covered in dark swellings and their minds lost to a feverish delirium . Within days, an invisible killer was unleashed, beginning a reign of terror that would bring Medieval Europe to its knees and erase nearly half its population. Medical Mysteries – The Bubonic Plague chronicles the history of the world’s most devastating pandemic. Journey back to a time of unimaginable horror and confusion, ...

The Middle East has long been a region of rival religions, ideologies, nationalisms, and ambitions. All of these conflicts are rooted in the region's political inheritance: the arrangements, unities, and divisions imposed by the Allies after the First World War. Author David Fromkin reveals how and why the Allies drew lines on an empty map that remade the geography and politics of the Middle East. Focusing on the formative years of 1914 to 1922, when all seemed possible, he delivers in this sweeping and magisterial book the definitive account of this defining time.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY New York Times Christian Science Monitor NPR Seattle Times St. Louis Dispatch National Book Critics Circle Finalist -- American Library Association Notable Book A thrilling and revelatory narrative of one of the most epic and...

New York Times bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg, based in Jerusalem, skillfully and clearly explains the sometimes-encouraging, sometimes-violent, yet rapidly shifting landscape in Israel and the Arab/Muslim world. Enemies and Allies will take listeners behind closed doors in the Middle East and introduce them to the very kings and crown princes, presidents and prime ministers who are leading the change.

*The basis for the documentary Join or Die—now streaming on Netflix!* Updated to include a new chapter about the influence of social media and the Internet—the 20th anniversary edition of Bowling Alone remains a seminal work of social analysis, and its examination of what happened to our...

In an Arizona desert a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that make no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only known associates. Halfway around the world archaeologists make a shocking discovery at a medieval site. Suddenly they are swept off to the...

An essential new history of Central Europe that “deftly unravels the strands of a long and complex past” (Wall Street Journal) Central Europe has long been infamous as a region beset by war, a place where empires clashed and world wars began. In The Middle Kingdoms, Martyn Rady offers the...

This history of modern Iran is not a survey in the conventional sense but an ambitious exploration of the story of a nation. It offers a revealing look at how events, people, and institutions are shaped by currents that sometimes reach back hundreds of years. The book covers the complex history of the diverse societies and economies of Iran against the background of dynastic changes, revolutions, civil wars, foreign occupation, and the rise of the Islamic Republic.

'Among the heaps of dead they found by chance two young knights, both pierced with many grievous wounds. They both wore the same coat of arms, richly embroidered: one was a knight called Palamon, the other Arcite. They were neither dead nor alive, but the heralds knew by their coat-armours that they were of the royal blood of Thebes, born of two sisters.'The first and grandest of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, The Knight's Tale is an epic story of love and war, shot through with a compelling dark thread.Simon Webb's prose translation brings out all the richness of the original, and his ...

In Israel and the West, it is called the Six Day War. In the Arab world, it is known as the June War or, simply, as "the Setback". Never has a conflict so short, unforeseen, and largely unwanted by both sides so transformed the world. The Yom Kippur War, the war in Lebanon, the Camp David accords, the controversy over Jerusalem and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the intifada, and the rise of Palestinian terror are all part of the outcome of those six days.

The program features a new introduction written and read by the author. "If you're only going to read one book on the Middle East, this is it." —Seymour M. Hersh One of the most thought-provoking books ever written about the Middle East, From Beirut to Jerusalem remains vital to our...

The Middle East is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving regions in the world, characterized by its deep historical roots and forward-looking ambition. It is a land of contrasts, where ancient traditions and customs continue to shape everyday life, even as towering skyscrapers, advanced technology, and futuristic mega-projects redefine its skyline. From the bustling souks of Marrakech and the sacred sites of Jerusalem to the hyper-modern cityscapes of Dubai and Riyadh, the region offers a unique blend of the past and the future, where heritage and innovation exist in harmony. ...

An extensive examination of the history of gnosticism and how its philosophy has influenced the Western esoteric tradition Explains how the Gnostic understanding of self-realization is embodied in the esoteric traditions of the Rosicrucians and Freemasons Explores how gnosticism...

The grandson of an eminent ayatollah and the son of an Iranian diplomat, journalist Hooman Majd is uniquely qualified to explain contemporary Iran's complex and misunderstood culture to Western listeners. The Ayatollah Begs to Differ provides an intimate look at a paradoxical country that is both deeply religious and highly cosmopolitan, authoritarian yet informed by a history of democratic and reformist traditions.

A Financial Times Best History Book of the Year An award-winning scholar’s account of an ancient city’s descent into unprecedented communal violence—an event that would mark the end of the old Ottoman order and the beginning of the modern Middle East. “A stunning portrait of the Ottoman...

A National Book Award finalist and instant fantasy classic about the power of community, generosity, books, and baked goods, from the author of the beloved Newbery Medal winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon. The town of Stone in the Glen used to be lovely, but it hasn’t been so in a very long...