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The Making of the Modern Middle East

A Personal History

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The Making of the Modern Middle East

By: Jeremy Bowen
Narrated by: Jeremy Bowen
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About this listen

This audiobook is compellingly read by the author, Jeremy Bowen.

A Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year

Jeremy Bowen, the International Editor of the BBC, has been covering the Middle East since 1989 and is uniquely placed to explain its complex past and its troubled present. Here, Bowen offers readers a gripping and invaluable guide to the modern Middle East, how it came to be and what its future might hold.

In The Making of the Modern Middle East – in part based on his acclaimed podcast, ‘Our Man in the Middle East’ Bowen takes us on a journey across the Middle East and through its history. He meets ordinary men and women on the front line, their leaders, whether brutal or benign, and he explores the power games that have so often wreaked devastation on civilian populations as those leaders, whatever their motives, jostle for political, religious and economic control.

Clear throughout is Bowen's deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences between countries as diverse as Erdogan’s Turkey, Assad’s Syria, Netanyahu’s Israel and Palestine, whether Hamas-controlled Gaza or the West Bank, and his long experience of covering events in the region.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Jeremy Bowen (P)2022 Macmillan Publishers International Limited
21st Century Biographies & Memoirs Middle East Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Thought-Provoking Inspiring War Royalty Israeli-Palestinian conflict King
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Critic reviews

Arresting . . . excellent, doom-freighted (Justin Marozzi)
Jeremy Bowen is one of the finest journalists and broadcasters of our age - qualities which shine through every page of this superb book. Written with modesty, grace and compassion, his account of 30 years working in the Middle East for the BBC combines his own personal experience with and a rare understanding of what makes this tortured region so dangerously combustible. His judgements are invariably balanced but when they are due he does not shrink from scathing criticisms of the key actors. The result is an illuminating and riveting read. (Jonathan Dimbleby, broadcaster, author and historian)
Bears witness to how lofty dreams of the post-Cold War period crashed and burned ... with deep empathy and understanding of the roots of the conflict (Emma Sky)

What listeners say about The Making of the Modern Middle East

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interesting and thoughtful

a really interesting look back on the middle east from someone who as spent a majority of his life reporting on it also some very open and honest accounts of the feelings he had and the negative experience Bowen has had in the last 30 years, all in all a very good listen or read

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Fascinating and depressing in equal measure

Considered bc and balanced background to all that is current happening in the Middle East.

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Little Room For Optimism

I bought this book after the events of October 7 2023 because I wanted a better understanding of the recent history and events in the various parts of the Middle East and the historical roots of all the various conflicts. It is informative and related by Jeremy Bowen in a way that is understandable for the interested lay person though the multiplicity of factions involved in each of the conflicts can still be bewildering. It is not a book which gives much room for optimism and some of necessary descriptions and details of the aftermath of bombings on people, be they involved in the fighting but more usually civilians caught in the middle are very distressing. Jeremy is an engaging narrator. A worthwhile and memorable read.

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Good

Very insightful especially at the moment. Thoughtful and helpful in times of complexity. Very well read.

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A superb first hand account

Jeremy’s knowledge of the history of the modern middle east and all its disastrous events is second to none in the West. This account is fast moving with personal experiences of many of the big events in the middle east.

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The clarity of his analysis.

Brilliant insights by an admirably courageous , talented and committed reporter. Recommended for anyone concerned about our future

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Required listening if concerned/interested in Middle East.

An excellent starting point for anyone trying to understand the history and recent developments in tge Middle East. Highly recommended

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Amazing and eye opening

Taking the perspective of one man in the centre of some of the most significant recent events in global history gives a unique insight that can only help develop understanding of the most difficult geopolitical issues currently dominating the news. It is so good that in addition to this audiobook version I have bought a paperback copy and fully intend to revisit it from cover to cover.

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Fascinating insight into a troubled region

Jeremy’s knowledge and first hand experience of the region is difficult to better and he is a delight to listen to. It seems death and destruction blight the region stoked by dictators and other leaders who value their status and wealth well above the lives of their citizens. However the meddling of the West and other world powers over recent history has done nothing to help the situation.
Left me feeling so sorry for the common citizens of the region.

My only slight criticism is that I found some parts lacked a little structure in my mind but then as Jeremy says everything is interconnected so difficult to talk about one area without reference to others.

An enjoyable and thought-provoking listen - throughly recommended.

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Amazing

Although I thought this would be interesting, this book turned out to be fantastic. Even though there have been so many stories from both West and Middle Eastern perspectives lately, this added so much more depth to my understanding. There are always two sides to every story, but these are told from the ground and from the trenches.

I know there is a lot of hate for the BBC right now, but don't tar his story with that brush. The fact that he narrates his own words gives them feeling and validity.

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