Middle East modern history/current politics education resources

[HJ Farnsworth]

Greetings,

I am not very knowledgeable on the modern history and the current political situation in the Middle East. When I try to speak with people about the subject, often all I get is a barrage of strong opinions that leave me no more informed than when I started. As a result, I'm not really sure where to look to get educated.

I just want a context that I can use to comprehend news that I hear. An online audio or video lecture series for a survey course in the subject would be ideal, and books would also be good. Again, I want a resource that mostly gives the historical context and the political situation of the region. I'm looking for an informative and un-opinionated background.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help that you can give.

-HJ Farnsworth

 

[Astronuc]

Perhaps a good start would be Bernard Lewis's, The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0684832801/?tag=pfamazon01-20

For more recent background, Margaret MacMillan's Paris 1919 provides a good survey of the conflicts of the various powers involved.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0375760520/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[HJ Farnsworth]

Thanks for the reply, Astronuc. Those books look great, I will give them a read.