History, Culture, Politics, and Religion in the Middle East and Southern Asia December
2006
This is a list of books that are available for checkout in the Chadwick School library.
The titles were chosen based on book reviews and recommendations from teachers,
students, and other libraries. Because these books portray a variety of viewpoints and
political positions, we intend for this list to be a work in progress. We welcome
additional book suggestions from the greater Chadwick community.
Middle Eastern History, Geography, and Reference
American Orientalism: The United States and the Middle East Since 1945
Douglas Little, U. of North Carolina Press, 2002
Informative, balanced political history of the past 60 years of American encounters in the
Middle East; includes the often inconsistent attitudes and interests that determined U.S. policy
in that region.
Atlas of the Islamic World since 1500
Francis Robinson, Facts on File, 1982
This book presents a detailed narrative of the 16 and 17 centuries and continues to the
present day.
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Cultures of the World (series) Middle/High School level country studies that cover geography,
history, the environment,the government, the food, lifestyles, and the people living in the
following countries:Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and
Syria.
Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East & North Africa
edited by Philip Mattar, Macmillan Reference, 2004
This reference resource covers the modern history of the Middle East and North Africa, with
major sections on Colonialism and Imperialism, the World Wars, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
and the United Nations involvement in the region. Each country in the region is reviewed,
detailing its population, economy and government.
Historical Atlas of the Islamic World
David Nicolle, Facts on File, 2003
This atlas focuses on Islamic history from before the time of the Prophet Mohammed until the
start ot the 16 century.
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A History of the Arab Peoples
Albert Hourani, Belknap Press, 2002
Encompassing 12 centuries of Arab history and culture, Hourani brilliantly illuminates the
people and events that have fundamentally shaped the Arab world.
A History of the Modern Middle East
William Cleveland, Westview Press, 1999
Focusing on the past two centuries of dramatic change in the region, Cleveland presents an
analysis of modern Middle Eastern history from the Ottoman reforms through the Gulf War.
The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years
Bernard Lewis, Scribner, 1995
Lewis details the myriad of forces that have shaped the history of the Middle East, including the
Islamic religion and legal system, the traditions of government, the immense variety of trade,
and the distinct social and ethnic groups.
The Middle East and Islamic World Reader
edited by Marvin Gettlemand and Stuart Schaar, Grove Press, 2003
In this new anthology, brief introductory notes accompany over 70 readings which reveal the
multifaceted histories, societies and political systems of the Islamic world.
The Middle East: Opposing Viewpoints
William Dudley, Greenhaven, 2004
This anthology features voices within and outside the region debating the Israeli/Palestinian
conflict, the role of religion, and American foreign policy in the region, and other key issues.
Modern Nations of the World (series) This series profiles modern nations of the world,
presenting a broad, comprehensive overview of the nation, including history, geography, culture,
and national statistics on the following countries: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
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Understanding September 11 : Answering Questions About the Attacks on
America
Mitch Frank, Viking, 2002
An explanation of the historical and religious issues that sparked the 2001 terrorist attack on
the United States.
Islam and Religion
The Beliefnet Guide to Islam
Hesham Hassaballa, Three Leaves Press/Doubleday, 2006
A review of the religion's famous five pillars of faith; its founder, Muhammad; the Qur'an; the
Hadith, or sayings of Muhammad; and Islamic attitudes about freedom, jihad, and the status of
women.
The Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World (e-book)
http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/chadwickschool
The full-text of an encyclopedia about Islamic cultures, religion, history, politics, and the
people who have identified with Islam over the past fourteen centuries.
The Everything Understanding Islam Book: A Complete and Easy to Read Guide to
Muslim Beliefs, Practice, Traditions, and Culture
Christiina Huda Dodge, Adams Media Corp., 2003
A complete guide to Islam by a Muslim convert who understands the issues that perplex
Westerners—ideal for casual readers, students, and scholars alike.
Following Muhammad
Carl W. Ernst, U. of Noth Carolina Press, 2003
This book illuminates the diversity of Muslim societies and thought. Ernst describes how
Protestant definitions of religion and anti-Muslim prejudice have affected our understanding of
Islam.
I Believe in…: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Young People Speak about Their Faith
Pearl Fuyo Gaskins, Cricket Books, 2004
Interviews of 60 Chicago youth convey the understanding people have of their own faith and
others' faiths-not necessarily what religious authorities promulgate.
Islam
Khadijah Knight, Thomson Learning, 1995
A basic survey of the origins, history, traditions, and beliefs of Islam.
Islam: A Short History
Karen Armstrong, Modern Library, 2000
Armstrong presents the history of conflicts with the West from 1750 to the present, as well as
modern-day fundamentalism and other contemporary themes.
Islam in the World
Malise Ruthven, Oxford Univ Press, 2006
Considered one of the best books for gaining an understanding of modern Islam, it present a full
overview of its historical, geographical and social settings.
Mosque
David Macaulay, Houghton Mifflin Co., 2003
Continually stripping away the mystique of architectural structures, Macaulay reveals the
methods and materials used to design and construct a mosque in late 16th century Turkey.
Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women
Geraldine Brooks, Anchor Books, 1995
The story of Brook's journey to understand the women behind the veils, and of the often
contradictory political, religious, and cultural forces that shape their lives.
One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship
Mary Pope Osborne, Knopf, 1996
A valuable introduction to all of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam,
Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism; includes a glossary, map and timeline.
Reading the Muslim Mind
Hassan Hathout, American Trust Publications, 1995
This book addresses key issues of our time from the Islamic perspective.
What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam
John Esposito, Oxford University Press, 2002
This brief and readable book presents in question-and-answer format the information about Islam
that Westerners most want to know.
Windows on the House of Islam
edited by John Renard, Uuniversity of California Press, 1998
Renard's anthology of primary source material on Islam and Islamic culture showcases the
spiritual values, institutions, and communities that are at the very heart of the Muslim religious
experience.
Afghanistan
The Bookseller of Kabul
Asne Seierstad, Little Brown, 2003
Invited to live with a Kabul bookseller and his family for several months after the fall of the
Taliban in Afghanistan, an award-winning journalist gives readers a first-hand look at Afghani life
as few outsiders have seen it.
Come Back to Afghanistan
Said Hyder Akbar, Bloomsbury, 2005
A teenage author visits his father in Afghanistan for three successive summers after 9/11; this
is his personal account of life in the country post-Taliban.
Meena: Heroine of Afghanistan
Melody Ermachild Chavis, St. Martin's Press, 2003
The stunning portrait of the selfless founder of the organization of the Revolutionary
Association of the Women of Afghanistan.
My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban: A Young Woman’s Story
Latifa, Hyperion, 2001
With painful honesty and clarity, Latifa describes her ordered world falling apart, in the name of
a fanaticism that she could not comprehend, and replaced by a world where terror and
oppression reigned.
The Places in Between
Rory Stewart, Harcourt, Inc., 2006
Stewart walks across Afghanistan several weeks after the Taliban is ousted. The recounting of
that journey makes for an engrossing, surprising, and often deeply moving portrait of the land
and the peoples.
The Sewing Circles of Herat; A Personal Voyage Through Afghanistan
Christina Lamb, Harper Collins, 2002
Having spent two years tracking the final stages of the mujaheddin victory over the Soviets,
Lamb returns to Afghanistan after 9/11 to find out what happened to the people she had known.
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations . . .
One School at a Time
Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Viking, 2005
The unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of one man's attempt to alleviate
poverty and improve access to education in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Iran
Funny in Farsi
Firoozeh Dumas, Villard, 2003
Dumas chronicles the often hilarious journey of her engaging Iranian family living in
Southern California and Iran.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, and Persepolis: The Story of a Return
Marjane Satrapi, Pantheon Books, 2003
The author's experience growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, told in graphic
novel format.
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Azar Nafisi, Random House, 2003
The true story of young women who met in secret each week to read and talk about
forbidden Western classics in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Iraq
The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq
George Packer, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005
An analysis of the intellectual origins of the Iraq war, summary of the political argument that
preceded and then led to it, and firsthand description of the consequences on the ground.
Banking on Baghdad: Inside Iraq’s 7,000-Year History of War, Profit, and Conflict
Edwin Black, John Wilen & Sons, 2004
The author uncovers Iraq's hidden economy and the companies that profit from its
upheaval.
Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam
Zainab Salbi, Gotham Books, 2005
A memoir by the daughter of Saddam’s private pilot presents an inside view of Saddam and her
life inside his inner circle.
The Kurds
Heather Wagner, Chelsea House Publications, 2003
Wagner recounts the plight of the Kurds and the political circumstances that have kept this
group fighting for an independent state and a homeland.
Naked in Baghdad
Anne Garrels, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003
Anne Garrels of National Public Radio was one of only 16 "non-embedded" foreign journalists
who remained in Baghdad throughout the 2003 Iraqi War. Her diary-style story about that war
is a riveting eyewitness account.
Thura’s Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq
Thura Al-Windawik Viking, 2004
Al-Windawi began recording this diary a week before the first American bombs landed on
Baghdad. The entries take her through the terror of the bombings to the difficult first days of
postwar reconstruction.
Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land
David K. Shipler, Penguin Books, 2002
Pulitzer prize-winning author Shipler delves into the origins of the prejudices that have been
intensified by war, terrorism, nationalism, and the failure of the peace process.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (At Issue Series)
John Boaz, Greenhaven Press, 2005
This book debates the latest causes of this violent, destructive cycle and the actions
proposed to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Palestinian Authority
John Hall, Chelsea House Publications, 2003
Traces the history of the Palestinian people from ancient origins to the present, and focuses on
the significant issues that have influenced their political history.
Prisoners: A Muslim and a Jew Across the Middle East Divide
Jeffrey Goldberg, Knopf, 2006
This riveting, deeply affecting story follows an American Jew and a Palestinian who, over the
course of more than 15 years, forge a friendship out of what appear to be reconcilable
differences.
A Promise Fulfilled: Theodor Herzl, Chaim Weizmann, David Ben-Gurion, and the
Creation of the State of Israel
Howard Goldberg, Greenwillows Books, 2005
Illustrated with archival photographs, this book offers a portrait of three men and the role
each played in the creation of the state of Israel.
Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
Deborah Ellis, Groundwood Books, 2004
An unblinking, unbiased portrait of the Palestinian and Israeli children victimized by the
endless struggle around them.
Understanding the Holy Land: Answering Questions about the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict
Mitch Frank, Viking, 2005
Written in a "Q & A" format and illustrated with black-and-white photos and maps, this book will
help young people understand this conflict and its significance to the world.
Fiction and Poetry
Anchor Book of Modern Arabic Fiction
edited by Denys Johnson-Davies
This anthology spans the full history of modern Arabic literature and includes seventy-nine
outstanding writers from all over the Arabic-speaking world.
Habibi
Naomi Shihab Nye, Simon & Schuster, 2001
A 14-year-old Arab-American girl moves to Jerusalem and falls in love with a Jewish boy-challenging her family, culture, and tradition.
The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini, Riverhead Books, 2003
The haunting, heartbreaking story of a boyhood friendship in Afghanistan and the events that
cause the two friends to go their separate ways.
Martyr’s Crossing
Amy Wilentz, Simon & Schuster, 2001
At a closed Israeli checkpoint, Marina, a Palestinian mother, tries to save her ailing boy. A
moving novel highlighting the tensions in the region.
19 Varieties of Gazelle
Naomi Shihab Nye, Greenwillow Books, 2002
This National Book Award finalist features a stunning collection of poems about the Middle
East, family, peace, and what it means to be Arab-American.
Panther in the Basement
Amos Oz
The story of Proffy a twelve-year-old boy living in Palestine in 1947. When Proffy befriends a
member of the occupying British forces who shares his love of language and the Bible, he is
accused of treason by his friends and learns the true nature of loyalty and betrayal.
Samir and Yonatan
Daniella Carmi, Arthur A. Levine Books, 2000
Nothing could be more frightening to Samir, a Palestinian boy, than to be where he is now: an
Israeli hospital ward, trapped among the very people he blames for his brother's death and facing
the enemy he has been taught to fear.
Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind
Suzanne Fisher Staples, Knopf, 1989
The Newbery Honor-winning story of a Muslim girl growing up among rural nomads in
modern Pakistan.
The Source
James Michener, Random House, 1965
A sweeping novel that begins with the origins of the Jewish faith and takes the reader on a
journey through history to the founding of present-day Israel and the Middle-East conflict.
A Stone in My Hand
Cathryn Clinton, Candlewick Press, 2002
An 11-year-old Palestinian girl must come to terms with the violence that surrounds her family
and community in 1980s Gaza City.
Under the Persimmon Tree
Suzanne Fisher Staples, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005
A young woman from Afghanistan and an American-Muslim teacher intersect at a school in
Peshawar, Pakistan.
Please ask the library for further information and additional bibliographies.