The late William L. Cleveland was professor of history at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Martin Bunton is an associate professor of history at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. He is the author of Colonial Land Policies in Palestine, 1917–1936 (2007).
“This volume is history in the best sense. ... A superbly written analysis of the social and political disruptions of the Middle East. This updated volume does an excellent job of weaving together various strands of a complex subject in a coherent narrative. It is recommended reading for all serious students who want to understand how the Middle East got to where it is today.”
—Phebe Marr, author of The Modern History of Iraq and fellow at the U.S. Institute for Peace
"This extensive and lucid book provides a laudable introduction to the political history of the Middle East, tracing its development from Islam's rise in the seventh century to the recent direct American military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. . . . Does a commendable job in linking historical events in fluid, logical narrative sequences that help readers unfamiliar with the Middle East connect the events."
—American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences
“This is the best comprehensive survey of modern Middle East history in the literature. The authors excel at translating complex and controversial subject matter in a highly readable manner without sacrificing cogent and insightful analysis. I highly recommend it.”
—David W. Lesch, professor of Middle East History, Trinity University