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The Arabs
- A History
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 27 hrs and 29 mins
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Publisher's summary
In this definitive history of the modern Arab world, award-winning historian Eugene Rogan draws extensively on Arab sources and texts to place the Arab experience in its crucial historical context for the first time. Tracing five centuries of Arab history, Rogan reveals that there was an age when the Arabs set the rules for the rest of the world. Today, however, the Arab world's sense of subjection to external powers carries vast consequences for both the region and Westerners who attempt to control it.
Updated with a new epilogue, The Arabs is an invaluable, groundbreaking work of history.
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- By: Abbas Amanat
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 41 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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Extremely Opinionated.
- By Glaudrung on 02-13-19
By: Abbas Amanat
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Enemies and Neighbors
- Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel, 1917-2017
- By: Ian Black
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 20 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In Enemies and Neighbors, Ian Black, who has spent over three decades covering events in the Middle East and is currently a fellow at the London School of Economics, offers a major new history of the Arab-Zionist conflict from 1917 to today. Laying the historical groundwork in the final decades of the Ottoman Era, when the first Zionist settlers arrived in the Holy Land, Black draws on a wide range of sources - from declassified documents to oral histories to his own vivid on-the-ground reporting - to recreate the major milestones in the most polarizing conflict of the modern age from both sides.
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Decent historical compilation, poor framing
- By Dan Harris on 07-08-20
By: Ian Black
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Empire of the Black Sea
- The Rise and Fall of the Mithridatic World
- By: Duane W. Roller
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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What is commonly called the kingdom of Pontos flourished for over 200 years in the coastal regions of the Black Sea. At its peak in the early first century BC, it included much of the southern, eastern, and northern littoral, becoming one of the most important Hellenistic dynasties not founded by a successor of Alexander the Great. Previous histories of Pontos have focused almost exclusively on the career of its last ruler. Setting that famous reign in its wide historical context, Empire of the Black Sea is an engaging account of a powerful yet little-known ancient dynasty.
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More of an academic journal than a book.
- By Amazon Customer on 07-05-23
By: Duane W. Roller
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Augustus
- First Emperor of Rome
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Caesar Augustus's story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him "a boy who owes everything to a name," but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BC.
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You know my name...say it.
- By Steven on 12-10-14
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The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes
- The Ancient World Economy and the Empires of Parthia, Central Asia and Han China
- By: Raoul McLaughlin
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The Roman Empire and the Silk Routes investigates the trade routes between Rome and the powerful empires of inner Asia, including the Parthian regime which ruled ancient Persia (Iran). It explores Roman dealings with the Kushan Empire which seized power in Bactria (Afghanistan) and laid claim to the Indus Kingdoms. Further chapters examine the development of Palmyra as a leading caravan city on the edge of Roman Syria and consider trade ventures through the Tarim territories that led Roman merchants to Han China.
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An arduous trek through Eurasia
- By Eternl Rayne on 12-27-19
By: Raoul McLaughlin
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Inside Qatar
- Hidden Stories from the World's Richest Nation
- By: John McManus
- Narrated by: Frazer Blaxland
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Just 70 years ago, the Gulf nation of Qatar was a backwater, reliant on pearl diving. Today it is a gas-laden parvenu with seemingly limitless wealth and ambition. Skyscrapers, museums and futuristic football stadiums rise out of the desert and Ferraris race through the streets. But in the shadows, migrant workers toil in the heat for risible amounts. Inside Qatar reveals how real people live in this surreal place, a land of both great opportunity and great iniquity.
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The excellent prose
- By Dorothy on 08-18-24
By: John McManus
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The Ottoman Endgame
- War, Revolution, and the Making of the Modern Middle East, 1908-1923
- By: Sean McMeekin
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 19 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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An astonishing retelling of 20th-century history from the Ottoman perspective, delivering profound new insights into World War I and the contemporary Middle East. Between 1911 and 1922, a series of wars would engulf the Ottoman Empire and its successor states, in which the central conflict, of course, was World War I - a story we think we know well. As Sean McMeekin shows us in this revelatory new history of what he calls the "wars of the Ottoman succession", we know far less than we think.
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WWI from a different perspective
- By Michael L Krogh on 11-09-15
By: Sean McMeekin
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By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean
- The Birth of Eurasia
- By: Barry Cunliffe
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 18 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean is nothing less than the story of how humans first started building the globalized world we know today. Set on a huge continental stage, from Europe to China, it is a tale covering more than 10,000 years, from the origins of farming around 9000 BC to the expansion of the Mongols in the 13th century AD.
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Remarkable research!
- By B. Dillon on 07-21-22
By: Barry Cunliffe
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Black Wave
- Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry that Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East
- By: Kim Ghattas
- Narrated by: Kim Ghattas, Nan McNamara
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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With vivid story-telling, extensive historical research, and on-the-ground reporting, Ghattas dispels accepted truths about a region she calls home. She explores how Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran, once allies and twin pillars of US strategy in the region, became mortal enemies after 1979. She shows how they used and distorted religion in a competition that went well beyond geopolitics. Feeding intolerance, suppressing cultural expression, and encouraging sectarian violence from Egypt to Pakistan, the war for cultural supremacy led to many events.
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Unveiling the darkness of the Middle East
- By Matty D on 02-18-20
By: Kim Ghattas
What listeners say about The Arabs
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Benny
- 06-06-16
A must listen for anyone interested in current events
This book is an excellent overview of Arab history and should be listened to by anyone interested in, and confused by, current events in the Middle East. The only way to understand the present is to study the past. Well written, and well narrated.
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11 people found this helpful
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- Reebs
- 04-07-17
Amazing capturing storyline!
Where does The Arabs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is one of the most captivating books I've listened to. I was skeptical about a 27 hour long book but I truly wanted this book to be even longer.
The storyline was so well done and fair. Zooming in on individual stories and zooming back out to the larger macro-political view.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Despite this being factual based, the book captured many "character" like stories throughout. For example, the story of Gamal Abdel Nasser and Muhammad Ali.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Glimpse of hope in a dark past.
Any additional comments?
Would have loved to hear about some of the major revolutions around the Arab world such as Omar Al Moukhtar and Sultan Basha Al Atrach but the book had so much to offer to offset this.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Naji R. Constantine
- 07-17-16
Very interesting and informative
Really enjoyed the book. The history regarding the second Iraq war was at best incomplete and one sided, and at worst biased to reflect the author's political views. The result was contradiction and confusion. The book was excellent up to the epilogue and the post script where it lost some of it's historical integrity.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Martin Andraszek
- 09-10-16
Interesting and informative
This was my first dive into Arab history beyond general knowledge. My fear was that the sheer amount of information would be overwhelming, especially for a commute book. I was very pleased with the way information was presented. The performance kept my attention well during my commute.
The actual writing was excellent. I appreciate the interconnectedness of the region in a much greater way now and I'm looking forward to more books centered on Arabs.
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- Christopher Fazzi
- 08-16-16
an excellent overview of the history of the Arabs
this comprehensive overview of the history of the Arab Nations is a revelation for those who question and wonder what is going on currently in our world. Many of the questions that never seem to have an answer become clear once you have heard this comprehensive View.
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- Eau Claire WI
- 11-20-16
A must read
For anyone who wishes to get insight into the most common trouble spots in the modern world this is an invaluable resource. The account is well written and audio rendition is excellent. A story like historical narrative in a reasonable detail provides good overview of the regional history. Professor Rogan has a special gift in narrating history. This book is yet another example of his remarkable accomplishments in this field.
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- Ellis D Vener
- 08-25-19
Goes a very long way in explaining how the world got to where it is today.
A subtitle for this book could “Even when you do things with good intentions (from your point of view) things go bad.”
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- Darrell Wong
- 03-14-22
A bit too summarized and concise
Book consists of a collection of events in Arab history. I find it hard to draw a conclusion about whether any of these events are interrelated and the writing style is very summarized and concise, which I find a bit lacking in both depth and intrigue. I feel you would need to supplement further in depth studies in order to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of Arabs in general.
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- GTURCIOS
- 05-02-23
The Middle East
It has given me another perspective of the events that have taken place during my life time. Some one's National interest, is not necessarily the best interest for anyone else.
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- Jason Cherniak
- 02-21-17
Biased but worthwhile
This is a good way to understand the Arab view of the last 200 odd years. It's extremely biased, though, once it gets past WWII. I'd say it goes from being a history of the Arabs to the Arab take on Israel with all the usual half-truths.
As just one example, in dealing with the peace negotiations of 2000 and 2001 the author says Israel offered more than ever before, but it wasn't enough. The author doesn't give an actual percentage or an explanation of why it wasn't enough. It is more a statement of opinion than an historical analysis or explanation. Throughout, he states it as a fact that Arafat wanted a two state solution without considering the alternative view that might explain Arafat's decision to not make peace in 2001.
That said, even going back to 1967 and particularly 1973 there are some interesting tidbits that I never knew before and do provide a different, useful perspective. I recommend this, but you have to be prepared to either get annoyed if you disagree or be aware of the bias if you don't already have an understanding of the history.
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9 people found this helpful