Three books to help you understand the Arab people
Everybody thinks I am an extension of Google because I am a Historian. Furthermore, they think that I like old things. That’s not entirely true. I like contemporary things. As I am living in the Middle East since 2011, I’ve heard all kinds of question about Arabic issues, from very simple to most complicated. In addition, my father-in-law is an intellectual man and he advised me to get to know everything I can about them as I am to explain it to him. So, I’m doing this.
When I study about cultures, religion, politics, etc., I have a presumption about it: the best person to teach me about a specific genre, is the one living it. So, to understand the Arabic culture I looked for books written by Arab historians. Secondly, I like to compare the same discourse with a Jewish Historian and finally, with a Christian historian. I’m not studying religion, as facts change from historian to historian and I want to understand all of them, for accumulatively it will give me a believable story.
So, I found three Historians:
1) The Arabs: A History, by Eugene Rogan
Superb.
Rogan is an Arab Historian. He did a complex and wild research that explains about Arabic issues from the Ottoman Era until Arab Spring. Arab Modern Era begun before Western Modern Era and Rogan showed us the apices and decline of the Arabic culture, at the end of First World War. It was the first time that I read the Arab version about Palestinian conflicts, the Israeli State and he enlightened me considerably. It was possible to understand how the United States, England and France played with thousands of lives using political and economical games. Borders of countries were formed through these games.
His style of writing is amazingly in detail as his research is extremely thorough. It’s difficult to stop reading. He uses reliable sources and you will be able to judge news from the Middle East as well as the Palestinian conflict with much more wisdom and conviction.
2) Jerusalem: The Biography, by Simon Sebag Montefiore.
Montefiore is a Jewish Historian. His proposal is not to introduce a religious view about Jerusalem, but to introduce this city as the most controversial city in the world. Montefiore says: “Jerusalem is the house of God, the capital of two peoples, the temple of three religions and she is the city twice — in heaven and on earth.”
He started with King David and finished when the new State of Israel was created. Jerusalem is the main character so, because of this, it’s easier to understand the glorious times of the Jews, and how Jerusalem became a holy and desirable city. It’s now possible to understand how the Jews created the new Israel.
His writing is not as good as Rogan, but he did considerable research as well.
3) Jerusalem: One City, Three Faith, by Karen Armstrong
Karen is a Christian Historian. She was a nun and in order to keep her sanity, she left her vocation and started studying religion. She became famous after 9/11, when the press looked to her for possible explanations.
Here you can understand the religious conflict that terrorizes the world. Jerusalem, the city, is the platform for these religious/political struggles. She wants to introduce a historic point of view and not only a religious view on these three faiths.
So, I think that these books can help us to start a new understanding of Arabs. Of course, there are many others. But, one thing I can tell you: Arabs are a good people. What you know about them is a distorted few given to the world by the United States and Europe, which would have you believe only the worst given the economical and political views.
So: follow my father-in-law advice, study and create your own opinion about the Middle East and for goodness sake, turn off the TV!
