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Black Wave

Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East

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About this listen

 A timely and unprecedented examination of how the modern Middle East unravelled, and why it started with the pivotal year of 1979

'What happened to us?'

For decades, the question has haunted the Arab and Muslim world, heard across Iran and Syria, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and in the author's home country of Lebanon. Was it always so? When did the extremism, intolerance and bloodletting of today displace the region's cultural promise and diversity?

In Black Wave, award-winning journalist and author Kim Ghattas argues that the turning point in the modern history of the Middle East can be located in the toxic confluence of three major events in 1979: the Iranian revolution; the siege of the Holy Mosque in Mecca; and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Before this year, Saudi Arabia and Iran had been working allies and twin pillars of US strategy in the region - but the radical legacy of these events made them mortal enemies, unleashing a process that transformed culture, society, religion and geopolitics across the region for decades to come.

Drawing on a sweeping cast of characters across seven countries over forty years, Ghattas demonstrates how this rivalry for religious and cultural supremacy has fed intolerance, suppressed cultural expression, encouraged sectarian violence, birthed groups like Hezbollah and ISIS and, ultimately, upended the lives of millions. At once bold and intimate, Black Wave is a remarkable and engrossing story of the Middle East as it has never been told before.

(P)2020 Tantor©2020 Kim Ghattas Anthropology Middle East Politics & Government Royalty Iran Africa Saudi Arabia Ottoman Empire Middle Ages War
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Beautifully narrated riveting explanation of 40 years of Middle East history. For someone with only a passing interest in this area, this book took me on a wonderful tour around the region and through time. A thread is delicately weaved through tales of people and towns that I had heard on the news throughout my life. I am looking forward to listening to it again armed with insight gained from the first hearing.

Brilliant

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This was a very in-depth, well researched, extremely well written account of how the Islamic World was led astray by extremists and how they still are being deceived today.
The misery that was unleashed on the Persian and Arab peoples is in parallel to that unleashed on the Russians after the Communist revolution.
I really enjoyed this book. The narration was excellent, the characters chosen to dwell on perfect for the story and the summation poignant and relevant to all.

16 hours flew by!

How it all began

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This book explains well one of the most important conflicts of our age. It helps put much of the present troubles in the middle east in context. Prior reviews coming about the narration are unusual : I found the reader clear, accurate and engaging.

Valuable book

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The moment I finished this I realised I'm going to have to listen again as there is so much to it. A wonderfully written book that must have taken some work to pull together. You have to respect the effort to cut through the propaganda and extremism to find the heart of the Middle East and a hope for its people. I'm recommending this to everyone who thinks they know what's been going on for the last 50 years.

an entire Current Middle Eastern Affairs course in one book

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This is an extraordinary book. Making sense and unraveling a complex story that has shaped our world. Should be compulsory reading for anyone in government.

A real five star eye opener

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