A History of the Middle East Since the Rise of Islam: From the Prophet Muhammad to the 21st Century

by David W. Lesch

As David Lesch writes in his Preface, "Historians are a kind of secular priesthood, seemingly endowed with the power and means to select what is and what is not important for the rest of us." In A History of the Middle East Since the Rise of Islam , Lesch focuses on the longue durée . Choosing the rise of Islam as the general beginning point of his one-volume history of the Middle East, Lesch argues that there is an indelible link between the rise of Islam and the overall environment that exists today in the region. The continuum of this chain of events is the primary focus of his book. Combining a comprehensive approach and an appealing, informal tone, Lesch offers the reader enough specifics to digest the flavor of particular periods, dynasties, movements, cultural markers, and ideological developments, yet general enough so that the totality of this history can be compared and contrasted. The result is a brilliant tour de force .

496 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are literally dozens of books (academic and journalistic) surveying the history of the Middle East from the rise of Islam until roughly the present. What I really appreciate about Lesch's account is its focus on early Islamic and Medieval Islamic history. Many authors will cover the years 600-1800 in 50-100 pages while Lesch does so in about 250 pages. The inclusion of primary sources makes this a great book for a survey course on the region. The book is accessible for undergrads and new comers to studying the region. I also appreciated how often he cited the contemporary debates ongoing in the field of Middle East History.