Understanding Iraq

A concise, pithy, accessible account of everything you need to know about Iraq that is full of detail, anecdote and human interest by an author of one of the world's foremost authorities on the subject. To understand Iraq, and the dynamics at work there, it is essential to know the country's history. This is self-evident to the point of being a cliche. But 12,000 years of history can be intimidating. In Understanding Iraq, one of the world's most respected Middle East historians provides a highly readable yet intelligent digest, taking the reader on a sweeping tour from the first Sumerian settlements on to the Babylonians, the dramatic advent of Islam, the destructive invasion of the Mongols, centuries of Ottoman rule, in to the turbulent twentieth century and today's experiments in Western styles of democracy. Fast-paced and full of vivid detail Understanding Iraq helps the reader comprehend this complicated nation ...