Black Wave
Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East
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Black Wave
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Narrated by:
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Kim Ghattas
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Nan McNamara
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By:
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Kim Ghattas
About this listen
A timely and unprecedented examination of how the modern Middle East unravelled, and why it started with the pivotal year of 1979
'What happened to us?'
For decades, the question has haunted the Arab and Muslim world, heard across Iran and Syria, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and in the author's home country of Lebanon. Was it always so? When did the extremism, intolerance and bloodletting of today displace the region's cultural promise and diversity?
In Black Wave, award-winning journalist and author Kim Ghattas argues that the turning point in the modern history of the Middle East can be located in the toxic confluence of three major events in 1979: the Iranian revolution; the siege of the Holy Mosque in Mecca; and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Before this year, Saudi Arabia and Iran had been working allies and twin pillars of US strategy in the region - but the radical legacy of these events made them mortal enemies, unleashing a process that transformed culture, society, religion and geopolitics across the region for decades to come.
Drawing on a sweeping cast of characters across seven countries over forty years, Ghattas demonstrates how this rivalry for religious and cultural supremacy has fed intolerance, suppressed cultural expression, encouraged sectarian violence, birthed groups like Hezbollah and ISIS and, ultimately, upended the lives of millions. At once bold and intimate, Black Wave is a remarkable and engrossing story of the Middle East as it has never been told before.
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What listeners say about Black Wave
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- B M.
- 18-07-20
Brilliant
Magnificent listen for anyone interested to understand and learn about the complex dynamics in the Middle East and empathise with its people.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Osama
- 15-03-21
Historical Deep Dive of Middle East Politics
The book draws on the ever-growing complex web known as Middle East politics. It aims to remain factual on historical events yet hints on the author's thoughts between the lines. Recommended read to anyone who is interested in understanding historical events in the Middle East since 1970s to date, with particular focus
on the role of Saudi Arabia and Iran's feud in shaping alliances and hostilities among countries in the region.
While the book is a knowledge mine and comprehensive, it was 1 star short from an overall 5 start review due to the narration. Although the overall English narration was clear, as an Arabic speaker I could not help overcome the inaccurate pronunciation of the non-native speaking narrator of characters, cities, and phrases portrayed in the book. Nonetheless, I very much enjoyed reading this book. Good luck.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 09-05-20
Brilliant
Beautifully narrated riveting explanation of 40 years of Middle East history. For someone with only a passing interest in this area, this book took me on a wonderful tour around the region and through time. A thread is delicately weaved through tales of people and towns that I had heard on the news throughout my life. I am looking forward to listening to it again armed with insight gained from the first hearing.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- E P
- 16-02-20
A real five star eye opener
This is an extraordinary book. Making sense and unraveling a complex story that has shaped our world. Should be compulsory reading for anyone in government.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr. F. Khan
- 12-09-20
Superb
Rarely write reviews but will make a exception for this as it is absolutely gripping from the first page.
Would highly recommend even if you feel you have only a outline interest in middle east related issues.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dr Alf
- 25-06-20
Too Detailed and Light on Analysis
Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I found it too detailed and light on analysis. Much of the book is descriptive but I felt that the author was almost afraid to take a position. I sensed that the author's worldview was based on liberalism but at other times she was passionately supporting the underdog, taking a Marxist perspective. I would have preferred less historic data and more analysis. Overall its an impressive piece of research but could have been improved with a theoretical framework.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs. G. Moynihan
- 05-06-21
A very human story
This is a first class book. It cuts through, but does not ignore the political speak sound bites that we get from the very shallow media coverage (of the Middle East). The book leaves no stone unturned in analysing what has happened & is happening in the main player countries as well as the unfortunate bystander, Lebanon, whose only ‘crime’ is to be geographically & politically situated right in the centre of a maelstrom. It’s a personal taste thing, but the American narrator lets it down slightly for me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ynys Mon1
- 11-09-23
How it all began
This was a very in-depth, well researched, extremely well written account of how the Islamic World was led astray by extremists and how they still are being deceived today.
The misery that was unleashed on the Arab peoples is in parallel to that unleashed on the Russians after the Communist revolution.
I really enjoyed this book. The narration was excellent, the characters chosen to dwell on perfect for the story and the summation poignant and relevant to all.
16 hours flew by!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alan Hughes
- 01-05-24
Valuable book
This book explains well one of the most important conflicts of our age. It helps put much of the present troubles in the middle east in context. Prior reviews coming about the narration are unusual : I found the reader clear, accurate and engaging.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jane
- 25-06-21
Let down by poor narration
The narrator is really terrible…could she not have had some coaching on French, Arabic and Persian pronunciation before she began? She has an irritating habit of pausing before each french word and butchering them all no matter how many times she repeats them. Hard to bear….
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