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War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism
Douglas J. Feith
Harper, 2008
a good first draft of history
+ Timeline facts on the war on terrorism
+ One hopes for more books of this type about the Iraq war.
This is an excellent background and first draft of history for the last seven years.
Feith was a policy/ analyst guy. He is not a foaming at the mouth, neo-con ideologue. He is a DC area lawyer, that worked in the NSC under Reagan/ Bush the elder and then more law work during Clinton, while ...
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The History of Zionism
Walter Laqueur
Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2003
Richard A. Macales, columnist, "Mac's Facts"
+ A Classic
+ Definitive history
As one of the century's great historians, how fortunate we are that the German-born Laqueur spent his formative scholarly years in Eretz Israel as a journalist and researcher. This landmark work is very sympathetic to religious Orthodoxy and its significant relationship in the evolution of modern ...
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The Arab Predicament: Arab Political Thought and Practice since 1967 (Canto original series)
Fouad Ajami
Cambridge University Press, 1992
ONE MAN'S PAINED AND PASSIONATE LOOK INSIDE THE ARAB PSYCHE
+ A predicament surely!
+ A well executed study of the problems of the Arab world
I was both intellectually enlightened, and emotionally stirred by this excellent book. Fouad Ajami gives an insider's perspective on what it means and feels like to be an Arab since the groundshaking events of 1967 when Pan-Arab hopes were unexpectedly shattered by the outcome of the Arab Israeli ...
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The Oslo Syndrome: Delusions of a People Under Siege
Kenneth Levin
Smith & Kraus Pub Inc, 2006
A Unique History of the Delusions of an Oppressed People
+ Massively researched, lucidly written, and cogently argued
+ Overdue Historical Review of the Folly of Appeasement
+ A Must Read for Anyone With An Open Mind
+ smart analysis on conflicts
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The Chatham House Version: And Other Middle Eastern Studies
Elie Kedourie
Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2004
Per David Brooks, NY Times resident conservative editorialist
This is not my review (hence you may ignore the 5-stars I've arbitrarily assigned: I've not read the book), but rather some selected (& hopefully pertinent) clips from an op-ed essay by David Brooks (NY Times, 11/2/06) on the relevance of Kedourie's essay, "The Kingdom of Iraq: A Retrospect" -- a ...
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The Multiple Identities of the Middle East
Bernard Lewis
Schocken, 2001
An informative study of religion, race, and nation
+ Good with comments
+ The multiple meanderings of Professor Lewis
This book characterizes the main groups of people in the Middle East and traces some of their aspects from earlier times to the present.
It begins by explaining that the population exchange of Greek Orthodox people for Muslims between Greece and Turkey after World War One was just that. Those ...
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Dream Palace of the Arabs: A Generation's Odyssey
Fouad Ajami
Vintage, 1999
Obituary for a modernizing generation
+ The Writer's Gift
+ The Failed Awakening
+ engaging
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Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran
Kenneth R. Timmerman
Three Rivers Press, 2006
TWA 800 , Beirut , 911 , Hamas , Dhobar , USS Cole
+ As if there is any question of Irans intentions
+ Countdown to Nuclear Horror: Modern Iran = Evil Regime
+ Detailed Analysis of Iran's growing threat
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The Middle East
Bernard Lewis
Scribner, 1997
A Good Introduction to a Complex History
I cannot agree with the statements of some that this is "dull" or "booring". I am not aware that a serious reader expects non-fiction, history books to be exciting! I think that says more about the reader than the author and this book.
Professor Lewis has done and excellent job of providing ...
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Republic of Fear: Saddam's Iraq
Samir Al-Khalil
Diane Pub Co, 1991
The Regime of Terror
+ The Regime of Terror
Cunningly masterful in the analysis of the authoritarian rule in Iraq, I throughly admired the author's inexhaustible illustration of the "Republic of Fear". Samir al-Khalil depicts Iraq as a ruthless and nightmarish regime that plants the seed of terror within the general populace in order to ...
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The Closed Circle : An Interpretation of the Arabs
David Pryce-Jones
Harper & Row, 2002
Arab power politics - quicksand in the desert
+ Mandatory Reading
+ There is no other book as good on arabs as this one.
This is a truly profound, engrossing study that leaves an indelible impression in the mind. That impression is best summed up by Pryce-Jones in the preface: "absolute power has always been the central feature of Arab political order, and violence is the determining factor of it." I note with ...
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Moshe Dayan: Story of My Life
Moshe Dayan
Da Capo Pr, 1992
A Guardian of Israel
+ Hats off
+ The modern soldier of Israel
+ The eye of the hurricane
+ Moshe Dayan Story of my life. Good but....
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Arafat's War: The Man and His Battle for Israeli Conquest
Efraim Karsh
Grove Press, 2004
Jacques and Bubba's favorite terrorist revealed!
+ Maddening, frustrating, disturbing facts and conclusions... all sadly true.
+ A critical look at Arafat
+ a truthful description of the untruthful man
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Anwar El Sadat: In Search of Identity an Autobiography
Anwar Sadat
Harpercollins, 1978
Son of Egypt
+ Insightful
+ A good account of middle east politics
Anwar Sadat's account of his lifetime and struggles is an excellent account of the conditions prevailing in Egypt during the mid and late 20th century. It gives an excellent insight into Egyptian point of view of Israel and the Arabs. Sadat's book is a must for anyone who wants to understand ...
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Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
Michael B. Oren
Presidio Press, 2003
How the Middle East Changed Forever in Six Days
+ An Impressive Marshalling of Sources
+ Very In-Depth - Covers All Aspects of Six-Day War
+ Required Reading for Understanding the Current Middle East Situation
+ Oren brings immediacy and near real-time to a war 40 years old
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