- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: National Geographic; Rep Sub edition (Feb 1 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0792265971
- ISBN-13: 978-0792265979
- Product Dimensions: 15 x 1.5 x 22.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 318 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #892,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
It is commonplace to remark with wonder on the reasons for the continued violent unrest in the Middle East. The contributors to this tremendously helpful survey of the history of the region provide illumination in short, focused essays on topics ranging from the Ottoman Empire and the Crusades to the evolution of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Egypt's director of pyramids, Zahi Hawass, explores the rise and fall of early Mediterranean civilizations like Egypt and Babylonia as they conquered and divided the land now so hotly contested. Andrew Wheatcroft examines Greek influences on the peoples of the Middle East, the rise of Christianity in the area and the evolution of Islam. David Fromkin of Boston University discusses the coming of British colonialism into the Middle East in the early 20th century, and journalist Sandra Mackey explores the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948 and 1967. In the book's second section, Yossi Klein Halevi, Charles Sennott and Milton Viorst offer admirably evenhanded introductions to many facets of the Middle East's three major religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, each of which teaches that Jerusalem functions as a central and sacred place. All of these essays provide balanced historical research and lively narrative to remind us how long these religious and political parties have coexisted in the land over which they each seek control. Timely and useful, with 40 photographs and maps, this helps make sense of the ongoing strife in the Middle East.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
Through photographs, maps, and the writings of highly respected authors such as David Fromkin, Zahi Hawass, Sandra Mackey, and Milton Viorst, Cradle & Crucible details the historical, political, cultural, and religious forces that have shaped the region and unravels for readers the enigma that is the Middle East. Beginning with the prehistoric civilizations of the fertile crescent and continuing through the conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries, the first section of the book distills the Middle East's sweeping, often turbulent history. From the Hittites to Alexander the Great, from the Romans to the Crusaders, from the Ottomans to the Imperialists, the Middle East's rich tapestry of influences and identities is described with new critical insights. The book's second section is devoted to the Middle East's three great faiths, examining in depth the impact of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian beliefs on history and daily life in the Middle East. Filled with photographs and maps that contribute to a visual understanding of the subject, Cradle & Crucible is a timely guide to this complex, enormously important area of the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fast Moving, but Informative, Jan 6 2006
By Gary Teune "Gary Teune Jr" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Cradle & Crucible: History and Faith in the Middle East (Paperback)
This was a good book for anyone interested in the history of the Middle East. The book is basically split into two parts: the first part is history of the middle east and the second part focuses on the major religions of the area.The earlier chapters move a little fast for my taste, shoving thousands of years worth of history into one or two chapters, but the book slows down to a more reasonable pace as the times in discussion become more recent. As a whole the book was an excellent read, and touched on everything from the beginnings of agriculture to the Roman empire, to the Ottomans, to the World Wars, to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It is good as a touch-and-go overview of the history, where the reader can discover what eras he/she is interested in and then find other materials that pertain to those eras. I found it extremely insightful in terms of explaining why there is so much unrest in the area...for example, how the nations were formed and what events lead to more recent events (I guess you could say a chain of events) that lead to the way things are now. I highly recommend it. It really puts everything in perspective.
The area focused on the religions of the area was not as good as the history part in my opinion, but was still very informative. However the authors weren't very consistent in the foci of their essays. The Christian and Muslim sections were focused more on the history of their religions, how they came to be and more-or-less where they are now. The Jewish section was more focused on the Jewish people and what it means to be "Jewish." Not having much experience with the history of Islam, I found that section very informative and well written.
If you are interested in the history of the middle east as a whole, get this book! I don't think you can find a more broad, compact, and easy to read presentation of it's history and people.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Taking a Big Picture of Middle East, Oct 31 2005
By Volkan - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Cradle & Crucible: History and Faith in the Middle East (Paperback)
Excellent book! It is an insightful look at the history and culture of Near East.If you are not familiar with the history of Near East and interested in understanding it, this book is a perfect place to start. Even if you are familiar, you can still find valuable knowledge, distilled insight here.
The first human outposts, the birth of religions, the story of Arabs, the rise and fall of Ottoman Empire... All these and more are covered inside. It is a concise, easy read covering all the important stories of Near East.
Each chapter is written by a separate writer, yet it reads fluently. The photographs alone are worth the price of its admission; they are specially chosen marvelous pieces from the archives of museums, collections and National Geographic magazine. Printing the book on a high-quality paper was a good choice.
This book succeeds in giving an understanding of why this volatile region "has shown a capacity like no other to affect the destiny of World".
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