Listen to a sample
The Making of the Modern Middle East
- Author
- Jeremy Bowen
- Narrator
- Jeremy Bowen
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 1 September 2022
- Run Time
- 17 hours 9 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Memoirs, Middle Eastern history, True war and combat stories, Military history: post-WW2 conflicts, Reportage, journalism or collected columns
- Rating
- 5.0 (3 reviews)
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
This audiobook is read by the author, Jeremy Bowen.
Now updated with a new chapter on the 7 October attacks and more.
A Sunday Times Paperback of the Year
A Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year
‘An illuminating and riveting read’ – Jonathan Dimbleby
'Arresting . . . excellent, doom-freighted' – The Times
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. In The Making of the Modern Middle East he offers a gripping and invaluable guide, showing how it came to be and what its future might hold.
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, and their leaders, whether brutal or benign. 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, Netanyahu’s Israel and Palestine, whether Hamas-controlled Gaza or the West Bank. His long experience of covering events in the region make this an extraordinarily powerful account of one of the world's greatest problems.
Critics Review
-
Arresting . . . excellent, doom-freighted
The Sunday Times
-
Jeremy Bowen is one of the finest journalists and broadcasters of our age - qualities which shine through every page of this superb book. . . 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
-
[A] compelling blend of sweeping history and vivid memoir . . . Bowen paints in the historical background masterfully and manages to convey the pressure, euphoria and horror of war reporting as well
Mail on Sunday
-
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
The New Statesman
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
Few people are as well placed to authoritatively depict the making of the modern Middle East than Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s long-serving correspondent in the region . . . excellent
The New European
-
A clear and dispassionate account of the impact of oil, nationalism and the West on the Middle East. I left the book feeling both well informed and very depressed.
The New Statesman, Books of the Year
-
A gripping and compelling account that swings between gut-wrenching eyewitness stories and dispassionate analysis, laying bare the hopes and horrors of the Middle East in the twenty-first century. A remarkable book.
Professor Eugene Rogan, author of The Arabs: A History
-
A heart-wrenching read . . . We should be thankful for his journalism; and for this work, too, with its rich historical details, its composure and balance, and its readability. The book is boosted by Bowen’s voice registering in the reader’s mind, in a narrative sprawling across centuries and borders. The writing is like his reporting: steady and clear, considered, compassionate
The Irish Times
-
He is skilled at sketching out the history, the tortous issues and the character of countries in a few elegant paragraphs
The Spectator
-
This book is a very personal and erudite history of a troubled region . . . I highly recommend this fascinating book which is also a testament to a better era in journalism.
Michael Burleigh, author of The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: A History of Now
-
This is a wise, compelling, fast-paced book - essential reading if you wish to make sense of the forces that have convulsed the Middle East, as well as unsettling all our lives, since the end of the Cold War.
Jason Cowley, author of Who Are We Now? and Editor in Chief of The New Statesman
-
Bold . . . wears his knowledge lightly . . . Bowen knows when to provide context and detail, and crucially, when to stop – always a challenge for anyone explaining the Middle East.
The Daily Telegraph
-
It’s a terrific book, pithy and pacy, equally at home telling stories of ordinary people as in encounters with princes and presidents . . . Bowen’s reach is unparalleled and his voice rings through loud and clear on every page.
Matthew Teller, journalist and author of Nine Quarters of Jerusalem
-
As a veteran of numerous Middle East conflicts spanning several decades, Jeremy Bowen is uniquely qualified to analyse and explain the region’s complex political and religious landscape. His book should be essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of this fascinating, but deeply troubled, part of the world.
Con Coughlin, author of Saddam: The Secret Life and Khomeini's Ghost
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
An incredible history written by someone who has witnessed first hand many of the wonders and tragedies of the Middle East. At turns heart-warming, powerful and sad. Although I learned a huge amount about the history, it's also a personal journey of a war correspondent. The people he meets along the way play as an important role in the story as the leaders who shape their surroundings. A truly unforgettable book.
Malkini 2026-05-29 -
5.0 5.0
Lots of amazing personal stories intertwined with recent history from one of the BBC’s best correspondents. Jeremy Bowen’s narration of his own book is fantastic.
The Postman 2024-12-30 -
5.0 5.0
Wow! Lots of detail! Good background though probably more than you could remember. Another doctorate requirement for Jeremy!
colemanclyde 2024-05-30
Details
- Author
- Jeremy Bowen
- Narrator
- Jeremy Bowen
- Duration
- 17 hours 9 minutes
- Release Date
- 1 September 2022
- ISBN
- 9781509890927
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Memoirs, Middle Eastern history, True war and combat stories, Military history: post-WW2 conflicts, Reportage, journalism or collected columns
- Rating
- 5.0(3 reviews)
- Narration
- 5.0(3 reviews)
Synopsis
This audiobook is read by the author, Jeremy Bowen.Now updated with a new chapter on the 7 October attacks and more.A Sunday Times Paperback of the YearA Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year‘An illuminating and riveting read’ – Jonathan Dimbleby'Arresting . . . excellent, doom-freighted' – The TimesJeremy 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. In The Making of the Modern Middle East he offers a gripping and invaluable guide, showing how it came to be and what its future might hold.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, and their leaders, whether brutal or benign. 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, Netanyahu’s Israel and Palestine, whether Hamas-controlled Gaza or the West Bank. His long experience of covering events in the region make this an extraordinarily powerful account of one of the world's greatest problems.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.