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Politics & Social Sciences

Lippman, Thomas W.

Social Sciences

McGraw=Hill

Understanding Islam: An Introduction to the Muslim World

History

World

Signet

An introductory book about the tenants and principles of Islam.

Religion & Spirituality

Islam

Recounts the story of Muhammad and the rise of Islam, briefly surveys the Koran, and explains the five pillars of Islam

Understanding Islam: An Introduction to the Muslim World; Revised Edition

A little over thirteen centuries ago, the prophet Muhammad converted a few Arab desert tribes to the belief in a single god, Allah, thus founding the religion of Islam. Within a century, that belief had created one of history's mightiest empires—and today Islam continues to shape events around the globe.
This comprehensive guide offers an informative and insightful introduction to Islam both as a religion and as a political-economic force. It tells the story of Muhammad—and the rise of Islam; outlines the sacred book, the Koran; explains "the five pillars of faith"; explores the interplay between religion and government; describes the differences that divide Islam; and, above all, shows the influence of Islam on world affairs. This second revised edition provides crucial new material on the Islamic community today, including discussion of the Gulf War and the Salman Rushdie affair; the rise and ebb of fundamentalist fervor in Iran, Algeria, and elsewhere; and the relationships among different factions of the Islamic faith. There are also updated descriptions of internal politics in Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, and other Islamic nations. Complete with glossary, bibliography. and index, Understanding Islam is engrossing, essential reading for both students and all who seek a clearer understanding of the world in which we live.

Understanding Islam: An Introduction to the Muslim World, Second Revised Edition

Christian Books & Bibles

A Meridian Book

Examining his roles as warrior, scholar, spy master, and diplomat, this chronicle of Colonel Bill Eddy’s life details the origin and early development of the U.S.-Saudi diplomatic relationship and its implications on present-day Middle East policy. From his birth in the Presbyterian missionary community in Lebanon to his service in intelligence operations in World Wars I and II to his involvement in academia and his close friendship with Abdul Aziz ibn Saud—the founding king of Saudi Arabia—this narrative traces the unheralded Marine Corps officer’s intimate ties with the Arab world and his unending dedication to promoting good relations between America and the Middle East.

Arabian Knight: Colonel Bill Eddy USMC and the Rise of American Power in the Middle East

Biographies & Memoirs

Historical

Selwa Press

Tells the untold story of how Exxon, Mobil, Chevron, and Texaco teamed up with the CIA and Department of State to thwart the plans of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who almost managed to reshape the Middle East.
In 1954 Aristotle Onassis (long before he married Jacqueline Kennedy) made a bold business gamble: he tried to corner the crude oil shipping market by signing a deal with the King of Saudi Arabia. If it had worked, it would have reshaped the history of the Middle East. As it was, the proposed deal terrified British and U.S. oil companies and the Dulles brothers, who saw it as the first move in the nationalization of Saudi oil. Complicating things were the burgeoning Arab nationalist movement led by Egypt's newly elected president, Gamal Nasser. And of course there were the Soviets, now without Stalin, eager to build influence in the region. 
This little known story about the collision of nationalism, money, celebrity, and oil sheds new light on the tangled history of the Middle East. Drawing on the author's immense knowledge of the Middle East, and original research incorporating unexplored declassified documents, the book is an eye-opener for students of U.S. foreign policy, anyone interested in the global oil business, and scholars and historians of the role of the U.S. in the Arab world.
 • Dramatically illustrates the convergence of interests of the U.S. government and big business
• Shows how McCarthy-era phobia about communism affected U.S. foreign policy decisions―even when no communists were involved
• Examines history with enduring ramifications through narrative to engage students and general readers
• Unveils a world of international intrigue unknown to most citizens

Crude Oil, Crude Money: Aristotle Onassis, Saudi Arabia, and the CIA

Praeger

Looks at the state of Egypt at Nasser's death, assesses the accomplishments and shortcomings of Sadat's leadership, and discusses Egypt's current problems

Egypt After Nasser: Sadat, Peace, and the Mirage of Prosperity

Middle East

Paragon_House

Of all the countries in the world that are vital to the strategic and economic interests of the United States, Saudi Arabia is the least understood by the American people. Saudi Arabia’s unique place in Islam makes it indispensable to a constructive relationship between the non-Muslim West and the Muslim world. For all its wealth, the country faces daunting challenges that it lacks the tools to meet: a restless and young population, a new generation of educated women demanding opportunities in a closed society, political stagnation under an octogenarian leadership, religious extremism and intellectual backwardness, social division, chronic unemployment, shortages of food and water, and troublesome neighbors. Today’s Saudi people, far better informed than all previous generations, are looking for new political institutions that will enable them to be heard, but these aspirations conflict with the kingdom’s strict traditions and with the House of Saud’s determination to retain all true power. Meanwhile, the country wishes to remain under the protection of American security but still clings to a system that is antithetical to American values. Basing his work on extensive interviews and field research conducted in the kingdom from 2008 through 2011 under the auspices of the Council on Foreign Relations, Thomas W. Lippman dissects this central Saudi paradox for American readers, including diplomats, policymakers, scholars, and students of foreign policy.

Saudi Arabia on the Edge: The Uncertain Future of an American Ally (Council on Foreign Relations Books (Potomac Books))

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