Art, Technology, and Language Across the Middle East

Gr 9 Up—These well-written and comprehensive books survey how ancient and unresolved religious and territorial disputes, colonialism, and the destabilizing impact of oil and global geopolitics have influenced and shaped the countries of the Middle East. Authors are objective, describing the region's many contributions to the world from prehistory to the present; its many contemporary economic, social, and governmental challenges; and its potential for the future. The final chapter of each book has brief biographical sketches of influential people, past and present. Illustrations are average, mostly stock photos, and the few maps are inadequate, especially in depictions of changes in boundaries. Nevertheless, this set will help high school students understand the history and current status of complex regions.