Help me with my history

da Sage

New member
Can someone recommend a good book about European colonialism in the Middle East? In english, please. :)

I'm looking for history, but if you can recommend good fiction in that setting, I'd enjoy that, too.
 

Sita

New member
Can someone recommend a good book about European colonialism in the Middle East? In english, please. :)

I'm looking for history, but if you can recommend good fiction in that setting, I'd enjoy that, too.

which region - area in particular?
:D

Sita
 

da Sage

New member
which region - area in particular?
:D

Sita

I'm open to any place in the Middle East...Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia perhaps? I'm looking for histories of "Western" countries' and companies' interference in local Middle Eastern governments and commerce, on any level - open and clandestine. I'm not really looking for travelogues. And of course, the better written it is, the easier it is to absorb.;)
 

lizaj

New member
I'm open to any place in the Middle East...Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia perhaps? I'm looking for histories of "Western" countries' and companies' interference in local Middle Eastern governments and commerce, on any level - open and clandestine. I'm not really looking for travelogues. And of course, the better written it is, the easier it is to absorb.;)

Sorry I do not see Morocco and Tunisia as being in the ME.
You might find the life of TE Lawrence interesting when considering the region. The must be oodles of political history books out there. The fall of the Ottoman Empire, Post WW1,the carving up of the region in the protectorates,Balfour.
if you are interested in North Africa then it's mostly Spanish and French involvement in Morocco,Tunisia, Algeria.
 

da Sage

New member

Have you read it? How did you like the writing style?

I'm looking for an accessibly-written narrative, either fiction or non-fiction. I like to combine reading a non-fiction history with a fiction story that hews pretty closely to real historical events. My prime focus is historical events, not atmosphere (but atmosphere and good writing make the history go down more easily). Bonus points if it's written by a non-American/European.

I'm interested in the Middle East and North Africa, as I already have a couple of books on colonialism in Sub-Saharan Africa.
 
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lizaj

New member
Have you read it? How did you like the writing style?

Nope...The books I read..years ago..were exam textbooks for High school and I think you need something meatier than them.
That book seems to be a good starting point.
I did read the life of TE lawrence years ago and that gives a fascinating insight into the ME of the early 20th century. Can't say I ever did more than dip into The Seven Pillars......
 

Sita

New member
which books have you read already? (sorry not meaning to add yet another question).

Hmmm... not sure these would be of interest but I thought I offer them as options:


States and Women's Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco: Amazon.co.uk: MM Charrad: Books
Murder in Marrakesh: Emile Mauchamp and the French Colonial Adventure: Amazon.co.uk: Jonathan G. Katz: Books
Oral history might be a good one to check out: Voices of Resistance: Oral Histories of Moroccan Women Oral & public history: Amazon.co.uk: Alison Baker: Books
Interlink Books and SAQI BOOKS - London - Beirut
might be resources to check out, particularly interlink publishing :)
love
Sita
 

da Sage

New member
which books have you read already? (sorry not meaning to add yet another question).

Hmmm... not sure these would be of interest but I thought I offer them as options:


States and Women's Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco: Amazon.co.uk: MM Charrad: Books
Murder in Marrakesh: Emile Mauchamp and the French Colonial Adventure: Amazon.co.uk: Jonathan G. Katz: Books
Oral history might be a good one to check out: Voices of Resistance: Oral Histories of Moroccan Women Oral & public history: Amazon.co.uk: Alison Baker: Books
Interlink Books and SAQI BOOKS - London - Beirut
might be resources to check out, particularly interlink publishing :)
love
Sita

Despite the lurid title and the American author, I think Murder in Marrakesh is closest to what I have in mind,(and the most likely to be available at my library, as I'm short of cash at the moment), although the others sound interesting, too. I'm terrible with proper nouns and titles; so the only book I can put a name to is The Middle East for Dummies (if that's even the right title). Most of my book collection has never been unpacked from my last move.:redface:
 
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