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A Line in the Sand

Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East

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A Line in the Sand

By: James Barr
Narrated by: Peter Noble
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‘The very grubby coalface of foreign policy … I found the entire book most horribly addictive’ Independent

‘One of the unexpected responses to reading this masterful study is amazement at the efforts the British and French each put into undermining the other’ Spectator

A fascinating insight into the untold story of how British-French rivalry drew the battle-lines of the modern Middle East.

In 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. They drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier, and together remade the map of the Middle East, with Britain’s 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria.

Over the next thirty years a sordid tale of violence and clandestine political manoeuvring unfolded, told here through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Using declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr vividly depicts the covert, deadly war of intrigue and espionage between Britain and France to rule the Middle East, and reveals the shocking way in which the French finally got their revenge. Europe Great Britain Middle East Politics & Government World War Royalty Africa Imperialism Military Iran England Thought-Provoking Inspiring Middle Ages Winston Churchill Espionage Crusade
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Critic reviews

'With superb research and telling quotations, Barr has skewered the whole shabby story...The convulsion of that fateful line in the sand are still being felt today - not only in the Middle East, but throughout the world' (Michael Binyon)
'Racy... [Barr] is right to assert that few British readers grasp the ferocity of Anglo-French antagonism in the Levant' (Max Hastings)
'One of the unexpected responses to reading this masterful study is amazement at the efforts the British and French each put into undermining each other'
'The very grubby coalface of foreign policy...I found the entire book most horribly addictive'
'Lively and entertaining. He has scoured the diplomatic archives and has come up with a rich hail that brings his narrative to life'
'James Barr's history of imperial machinations in the Middle East offers a revelatory slant on the continuing crisis in that area... an outstanding piece of research and a damning take on what stoked current Middle Eastern woes'
'James Barr has succeeded better than any author before him in telling the fascinating story of Anglo-French rivalries in the modern Middle East... Outstanding' (Eugene Rogan, author of 'The Arabs: A History)
'The book resembles a gripping spy thriller...an expertly researched and authoritative book that is easy to read'
'Barr is particularly good at identifying and portraying officials and agents engaged in these tit-for-tat reprisals that blurred the distinction between patriotism and crime'
'Engaging and well-researched... James Barr's lively account provides some quite astounding sketches of bluster, bickering and bravado'
The struggle between Britain and France for mastery of the Middle East between 1914 and the late 1940s, is analysed by James Barr in his excellent new book. It is a complex story of intrigue and skulduggery, which Barr pieces together in a deft, well-written narrative. A journalist by profession, he manages to bring the whole subject alive through a series of well-chosen details and characters'
'History at its meticulously researched and addictive best'
All stars
Most relevant
Unbiased clarity on a situation that leaves nobody in a good light and is as applicable today as it was 100 years ago.

Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it

Eye opening

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The age of empires and the evil machinations that sustained them for centuries. Absolutely gripping material. Thank you for a great book.

Evil Empires

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Relatively easy listen given that this is a fairly serious history book - would have been awesome if it had been condensed to 3-4 hours. Not a period in history I know much about and it's not an easy tale to tell - yet another depressing episode in British history.

Academic but interesting

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Anyone with an interest in the foundations of modern middle east conflict, must read this book.

fantastic

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The common consensus is that the Middle East is complicated. And rightly so. It takes a brave man to attempt to explain the historical context of the events that have lead to the current fragile situation without becoming overly emotive however author James Barr manages this not scrimping on the detail. It will come as a surprise to many that while Britain was allied to France during the second world war, the French were arming insurgents against the British rule in Palestine. But then nothing is normal when it comes to the Levant. We hear how Palestinians, Zionists, Free French, Vichy French, Druize and other factions struggled to shape a small geographical area that has enormous cultural and religious significance to the three Abrahamic world faiths and the interaction with campaigns both before and after the world war to form a Jewish state. Most of this fascinating book is focused on the struggles prior to the formation of the State of Israel but is bought up to date with continued struggles and conflicts that have shaped the current state of affairs. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the current situation and also serves as a reference for those who want to research particular aspect of the intricate world of Middle Eastern politics.

Superb history of the Middle East

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