The History Book Club discussion

This is a thread which can be used as a general discussion about "A Book Safari to the Middle East" challenge.

We will focus on traditional Middle Eastern countries this time: Bahrain, Cypress, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Northern Cyprus, Oman, State of Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen.

Link to the I Like to Learn Quiz on the Middle East - lots of fun and learn the locations of all of the countries in this area:

http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2lear...

In terms of my first book - I will be reading with the History Book Club - the following memoir which focuses on the life of Anthony Shadid and the rebuilding of his family's Lebanon home.

The focus country for this book is Lebanon.

by Anthony Shadid (no photo)

Here are some links to some videos that Shadid made before he died:

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/39316...

This is the text of the challenge itself:

This is the challenge for the end of March through the end of September which focuses our attention on the Middle East:

So the challenge is:
A Book Safari to the Middle East - Pick Five

To Read: 5 books (or any number of your choice)|

Dates: March 23rd through September 31st|

Goal: Read 5 books (or the number of your choice) within the dates above - Each of the books could be focused/be about/have a scene or even a bit action in a different country of the Middle East (so if for example you read 5 books - five Middle Eastern countries are referenced in some way, etc.); they can reference a particular country, be about a particular country, take place (even one chapter) in a particular country or be about a person who is from a particular country (so if you read about an individual who is from Jordan - the other 4 books cannot be about a person from Jordan but some other Middle Eastern country) - books can be non fiction, historical fiction, history related or even fiction - the sky is the limit|

Report: Your reading challenge experiences on the shelf that you have created for the challenge.|

Please join in. Just sign in at the bottom and say how many books you plan to read about or taking place in the Middle East and its inhabitants and create your own personal shelf to add them to when you have finished reading them. That is all there is to it and goodreads will keep track. Become your own ship in the desert reaching your oasis of completed books.

Note: Don't forget to set up your shelf first and then add the name of that shelf here when setting up the challenge for yourself.

We hope you will participate in this challenge which is being kicked off today.

We will focus on traditional Middle Eastern countries this time: Bahrain, Cypress, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Northern Cyprus, Oman, State of Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen.

In order for a book to appear toward your goal, you must add it to your '' shelf, and set the date read.

Note: Make sure to click on the title of the challenge which is linkable text (A Book Safari to the Middle East). That will take you to a separate window which then lists the participants who have joined the challenge. Check to see that your name is there. At the bottom of the text which describes the challenge, make sure to enter in the box the number of books you would like to read; then make sure to add the name of the book shelf you would like linked to the challenge - for example: Middle East Challenge. Make sure to save your input and check to see that you are added. You should be good to go.

This is the link to the challenge:

http://www.goodreads.com/challenges/1...

Here is a list of books from goodreads on the Israel/Palestine Conflict:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/22...

This list on goodreads sort of goes beyond the countries that we have selected but there are still some great books on this list which may be on interest: (remember the following are novels)

History through Novels: 1900s/2000s Middle East
Novels set in 1900s/2000s Middle East that give a sense of the time and place.

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For the purpose of this list, the "Middle East" will include the Maghreb countries of northern Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya), Egypt, the Levant countries (Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories), the Arabian Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen), Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. Although Afghanistan is usually not considered a part of the Middle East, books set in Afghanistan will be accepted for this list.

----------------------------------------------------------

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/22...

Note: The challenge does not include Afghanistan nor are we focusing on Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.

Another list: Books Set in the Middle East:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/16...

Another goodreads list:

Best Books About People from The Middle East

Some non-fiction books which may be of interest:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/32...

Popular Middle Eastern Non Fiction Books:

http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/m...

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/13...

http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/n...

Matt Rees's top 10 novels set in the Arab world
The Jerusalem-based crime writer picks novels that offer 'a much more profound contact' with this region than the news

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/...

NPR: The Best Books on the Middle East

http://www.npr.org/programs/totn/feat...

Ten Indispensable Books on the Middle East
From Pierre Tristam, former About.com Guide

http://middleeast.about.com/od/middle...

Foreign Policy - Best books on the Middle East

http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/...

http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/...

Middle East books:

http://www.mideastbooks.com/history.html

Middle Eastern Fiction:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?cate...

Foreign Affairs:

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/feature...

Good idea this, gives me an excuse to move some of my Middle East non-fiction up to the top of the to-read list.

Planning on reading this one next;

byBarry Rubin

Great Henri. If there is no book cover, add the link and mention in parenthesis that there is no book cover:

(no image)Paved with Good Intentions by Barry Rubin

Terrific Henri and remember even though we love non fiction here - on the challenges - it can be non fiction, fiction, historical fiction, memoirs, biographies, autobiographies, etc. The sky is the limit.

I hope that all Middle East safari folks will post what they are planning to read here in advance. It will sort of give a lot of folks some good ideas.

I'm reading Gerald N. Lund

Just wanted to add another booklist source:

Five Books on Desert Nations
http://fivebooks.com/interviews/jo-ta...

This is just one of several lists on the Middle East at the Five Books Interview site. Search around and you'll find quite a lot of resources.

Francis, that looks like a great book, thank you. Let us know how you like it,

Judy, thank you for the booklist source. Some great ones on that list too.

Here are two that I plan to read:

by Azar Nafisi

by Lawrence Wright

Yes these are two great ones Donna R. Thank you for sharing. We can give all of us some great reading ideas.

Your choices are your own Megi - the challenge is yours. Just 5 books about 5 different countries or folks from five different countries. Do you think you will gain from reading these books? If so, then go for it.

Interesting - I heard of the first one but not that latter. Thank you for adding those as considerations. It helps everybody who is doing the challenge.

The Middle East

What if I read a book that is about more than just one country in the Middle East? For example, I want to read The Crusades Through Arab Eyes and although I'm not 100% certain it's about more than just one country, I'd say there's a pretty good chance.

That would be fine June. Just when you complete it - try to read about 4 other countries.

Remember to do proper citations here. Bookcover, author's photo and author's link

The Crusades Through Arab Eyes

by Amin Maalouf

Synopsis:

The author has combed the works of contemporary Arab chronicles of the Crusades, eyewitnesses, and often participants. He retells their story and offers insights into the historical forces that shape Arab and Islamic consciousness today.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the format in this group.

Here is a helpful link, June:

More information:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...

Just finished I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced and about to start In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom.

Thanks, Benthany, please add the proper format with book cover, author photo and author link:

Nujood Ali

Qanta A. Ahmed

I'm currently reading this for the challenge, haven't been able to start on my non-fiction books for it yet as I've still got another non-fiction on the go and I usually only read 1 fiction, 1 non-fiction at a time.

by Ian McFarlane

This one's about a nice conspiracy to protect Israeli kibbutz (settlement) on the Golan Heights.

Never heard of that one Henri - let me know how it is.

Bentley wrote: "Never heard of that one Henri - let me know how it is."

Just finished it now Bentley, was a great read - didn't rely on gun play like some of the modern thrillers do.

Good to hear.

Starting on my "journey to Iran" now with;

by Barry Rubin

Good luck on that book.

Bentley wrote: "Good luck on that book."

I have high hopes, it sounds like a good review of US-Iranian relations from the 40s to the crisis.

That is good Megi. The rental price is much better than the buy price.

Here are some I plan on reading for the Middle East challenge:

Anthony Shadid
Nujood Ali
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Leon Uris
Michelle Moran
Ken Follett
Marjane Satrapi

Wow, Sandra, what a great line-up!

I have to agree - you have chosen some great books.

I hope they're all good!

HOUSE OF STONE DISCUSSION BEGINS MONDAY

Folks, we will be starting our first World History discussion on Monday, April 1st. It is a book which is focused on the Middle East and Lebanon so please join us for this discussion. This book can count towards one of the five books on your Middle East challenge.

This is the link to the discussion folder for the book:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...

This is the link to the event notification: (make sure to respond and it is never too late to start the book and join in on the discussion)

http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/8...

I've enjoyed the prior challenges so I think this should be no different. I've read a fair amount on the Middle East, but I want new books.

Currently on my TBR pile is by Christopher Tyerman which should count, I would think?

I'm also interested in:
Turkey: Orhan Pamuk

Israel: by Amos Oz

Lebanon: by Zena el Khalil

And we'll see what else comes up - I really enjoy travelogues and history, not memoirs so much although there are some excellent ones and travelogues are often interlaced with memoir type material. Historical fiction is usually okay, but I don't want to limit myself to that, either.

I've read so many books (fiction as well as non-fiction) about the Mid-East already, I just keep my eye out for new ones which look interesting and would like to try for 5 new ones. :-)

Well you have a good start Becky. They all look fine to me and will give others some suggestions - thank you for posting.

I'm adding:
(Palestine) BaehrBaehr

There is no cover or author photo and the author's complete name is Consuelo Saah Baehr. The book is available for $2.99 from Amazon, fyi.

I see I have two Egypt books on the list above, and need to choose between them and pick another book for my 8th book.....

Can I read by John D. Balian? It's about the genocide in Armenia, which I belive is part of Turkey?

I'm halfway through the April group read House of Stone: A Memoir of Home, Family, and a Lost Middle East, focusing on Lebanon. This will be the first book toward the Middle East challenge.

Aloha, please follow our citation guidelines when mentioning a book and/or author.

by Anthony Shadid

Thanks.

If we're mentioning the book in the discussion for that book, do we still follow the format?