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A review by justfoxie
A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and The Creation of the Modern Middle East by David Fromkin
3.0
I can't remember who originally recommended this to me, but I'm pretty sure it was sometime during my college years. I finally got around to reading this before our first trip to the Middle East - Israel to be specific. I didn't finish it in time for the trip, but I carried on anyway finishing it about a week and a half after we got back.
And I'm not sure what to think about it. On the one hand it is very well reasoned, researched and extremely readable given how dry and complex the subject matter is. On the other hand, it is extremely western-centric and the whole explanation seems just a bit too tidy. It's awfully easy to say "It's all the fault of the West!", which to some extent is no doubt true. But still given the limited scope of the book (1902-1926 ish), there's a lot here I suspect is missing.
Still, I'm glad I read it. It gives me one perspective anyway, fills in many gaps in my historical knowledge, and is good starting point for a better understanding of the region.
And I'm not sure what to think about it. On the one hand it is very well reasoned, researched and extremely readable given how dry and complex the subject matter is. On the other hand, it is extremely western-centric and the whole explanation seems just a bit too tidy. It's awfully easy to say "It's all the fault of the West!", which to some extent is no doubt true. But still given the limited scope of the book (1902-1926 ish), there's a lot here I suspect is missing.
Still, I'm glad I read it. It gives me one perspective anyway, fills in many gaps in my historical knowledge, and is good starting point for a better understanding of the region.