ANNOTATION

A history of Syria, focusing on the country's role in the current political climate of the modern Middle East.

FROM THE CRITICS

VOYA - Lora Morgaine Shinn

Titles in this series, "Creation of the Modern Middle East", which also discusses the Palestinian Authority, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Oman, the Kurds, Israel, and Iraq, generally explore modern history from the European colonialists' divisions of Mideast nations along lines of economic gain to post-September 11 instability. Professor Akbar Ahmed suggests in his introduction to each book that the series will challenge stereotypes of the Mideast as anarchic, undemocratic, and homogeneous. The individual series entries, however, do not always accomplish this goal. It is also unclear as to why certain countries were left out, such as Lebanon, which is an interesting example of attempting proportional governance in an extremely ethnically and religiously diverse nation. The volumes pertaining to Syria and Yemen, specifically addressed in this review, are quite different in quality and presentation. In Syria, too much emphasis is placed on nefarious regional conflicts between Syria and its neighbors, most prominently Israel. Little of Syria's rich cultural history or current sociopolitical events are evident here, except for a few photos of the Armenian cultural minority. In Yemen, Weber describes both international and national influences on Yemen, presenting a cohesive overview of recent Yemeni political history. Early Western oil exploration and Saudi desires for physical expansion are explored alongside uniquely Yemeni issues, such as tribal alliances, qat consumption, and Imam lineage. In both titles, women's contributions to modern political establishments are ignored, although they participate in parliament, base support, and leadership. The series is uneven, probablybecause of the use of eight authors with varying experience covering Mideast politics. Morrison is described as a "Philadephia newspaperman," whereas Weber is a professor, and neither approaches his or her subject authoritatively. Nevertheless, the series should be useful for students seeking country-specific modern political history and is unique for including the Palestinian Authority. Middle school and large public libraries will find the series functional. Index. Photos. Maps. Biblio. Further Reading. Chronology. VOYA Codes: 2Q 3P M J (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Chelsea House, 121p. PLB

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