Suggested Reading
Harvard University
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
All these books and videos may be borrowed from the TRC library.
Videos go out for one week, books for one month.
Ahmed, Akbar S. Living Islam: from Samarkand to Stornaway.
Facts on File, Inc., 1994.
Attractively
illustrated narrative of modern Islam.
Barboza Steven. American jihad. Doubleday, 1994.
American
Muslims relate their experiences of Islam; diversity of stories and
experiences.
Cragg, Kenneth. Islam
from within: anthology of a religion.
Wadsworth Publishers, 1980.
Excellent
and very readable collection of Islamic writings.
Denny, Frederick. Islam
and the Muslim community. Harper,
1987.
Comprehensive
but very readable short introduction to the doctrines, devotions and
institutions of Islam.
Esposito, John L. Islam:
the straight path. Oxford
University Press, 1991.
A
solid overview of the faith, practices and political dimensions of modern Islam.
Fernea, Elizabeth W. Middle
Eastern Muslim women speak.
University of Texas Press, 1977.
Collection
of biographical and autobiographical writings by and about women of the Middle
East.
Mottahedeh, Roy P. The
mantle of the Prophet: religion and politics in Iran. Pantheon Books, 1985.
"An
exquisite book . . . Mottahedeh has drawn on a massive amount of learning, but
he has gotten scholarly apparatus out of the way and made his book accessible
to a wide audience." New York Times Book Review.
Williams, John Alden.
The word of Islam.
University of Texas Press, 1994.
An
anthology of writings from Islamic sources.
Arab World Notebook. Edited by Audrey
Shabbaz and Ayad al-Qazzaz. Najda, 1998.
Comprehensive, and very useful, loose-leaf text on the cultural, religious and political history of the Arab world. Includes country profiles, readings, lesson plans, student activities, maps etc.
Aramco World.
This is a beautiful bi-monthly publication on Arab and Islamic culture. Avoids politics. Caliber of the photographs and artwork is of the very highest. Articles are well written and always interesting and cover a wide range of subjects; geometry, biography, geography, art, the environment and much, much more. Free
Are You Listening? Voices From the Middle East. Teaching
Resource Center, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, 1999
An
anthology of 22 short stories in
translation from the Middle East, selected for secondary school students.
Contains extensive background notes for each of the stories, student
activities, a glossary and bibliography. Useful for supplementary literature
for Social Studies, History and English teachers, providing cultural and historical insights
into the lives of the people
Batmangelich, Sandra D. The Middle East and the Islamic
World. Center for Middle Eastern
Studies, University of Chicago, 1992.
Loose-leaf
text of 40 slides with teacher’s guide, including maps, charts and suggestions for further study.
Brine, Alan. Islam. Longman, 1993.
One of the books from the “Themes in
Religion” series which presents a dynamic and human introduction to the six
main world religions. Though useful for
all ages, format makes it appear more appropriate for grades 3 through 8.
Cooper, Jane. Muslim
festivals. Wayland Publishers Ltd.,
1989.
Attractive source
of information on Muslim holidays for the elementary grade student.
Macdonald,
Fiona. The world of Islam up to
1500s. Collins Educational, 1993.
Highly recommended for the middle grades as a survey of early Islamic history; its photographs and other graphics would be appreciated by all ages. An excellent teachers’ guide makes it even more valuable for the educator.
Rise of Islam. Teachers’ Curriculum Institute,
1993.
This
excellent, comprehensive resource book
was written by the Middle School World History Development
Team. It includes
hundreds of pages of text, curriculum units, student handouts, slides etc., on
history, culture, art and literature of Islam worldwide.
Young, Catherine. An Introduction to Islamic History.
Minaret Publishing House, 1992.
This book, bound as
a loose-leaf, covers just about every aspect of Islamic history that a teacher
could use. The material is so extensive that appropriate material can be found
for grades 4 to adult. Essays, readings, maps, charts, student activities
abound
The Glory and the Power: Fundamentalism Observed - Remaking the World
The
film concentrates on Islam in the Middle East. 58 min 1992
The growth of Islam
in the United States is explored with a look at its origins and the diversity
of believers. 50 min 1991
A
very good, simple, brief introduction to Islam. 20 min 1991
Includes central passion of Shia, the
martyrdom of Ali.
II. Challenge of
the Past
III. Struggling With Modernity
IV. The Muslim Family
(Paradise Lies at the Feet of the Mother)
family...influence of Hinduism in
Java...Muslim saints...rights of women
V. Among the
Non-believers
VI. Last Crusade
One of the first of the PBS’s
"Say Brother" programs on African-American participation in the
Nation of Islam in Boston is repeated with current perspective. 30 min 1993
Books
Bickerton, Ian J. Concise History of the Arab-Israeli
Conflict. 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, 1995.
Within
a chronological framework, the author explores the issues.
Chacour, Elias. We Belong to the Land.
Harper San Francisco, 1990.
Palestinian Christian reflects on
life in his land.
Fernea, Elizabeth, The Struggle
for Peace: Israelis and Palestinians. University of Texas Press, 1992.
The text was developed from a film
made by the author and presents peace activists talking about their beliefs.
Finklestein,
Norman G. Image and Reality of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Verso,
1995.
Israeli author rethinks Israel’s role
in the conflict.
Frankel, Glenn.Beyond the Promised Land. Simon and
Schuster, 1996.
Pulitzer Prize winning writer explores
the birth of the ‘new’ Israel.
Graham-Brown, Sarah, Palestinians and their Society
1880-1946. Quartet Books, 1980.
Interesting photographic essay.
Grossman, David, The Yellow Wind. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1988.
The Israeli author spent 3 months
living on the West Bank in 1987 and writes about the effects of the occupation
on both peoples, the conqueror and the conquered.
Holliday, Laurel. Children of Israel, Children of
Palestine: Our Own True Stories. Pocket Books, 1998.
Good selection of life stories for
students 7-12.
Israel: Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, 1994.
Very useful book for students, it
provides documentation on different sides of issues such as peace process
and United States foreign policy..
Jayyusi, Salma, Anthology of Modern Palestinian
Literature. Columbia University
Press, 1992.
Selections of poetry, fiction and
memoirs reflect the Palestinian experience.
Khalidi, Walid, Before Their Diaspora: A Photographic
History of the Palestinians 1876-1948.
Institute for Palestine Studies, 1984
This is a meticulously referenced account of the destruction of 400 Palestinian villages.
Laqueur, Walter and Barry Rubin, The Israeli-Arab Reader:
A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict. Penguin Books, 1995.
Ending
with the 1994 Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty, this is an extremely useful source
for texts relating to the conflict.
Middle East: Opposing Viewpoints.
Greenhaven Press, 1999
Another title in the ‘Opposing Viewpoints’ series, this is very useful for generating discussion..
Mozeson, I. E. Jerusalem Mosaic: Young Voices From the
Holy City. Four Winds Press,1994.
Highly
recommended! Thirty-four interviews with teenaged residents of Jerusalem,
Rosenwasser, Penny. Voices From a “Promised Land”:
Palestinians and Israel Peace Activists Speak Their Hearts.
The book presents many ideas for a
final peace.
Said, Edward, After the Last Sky: Palestinian Lives. Pantheon Books, 1985.
Personalized photo essay.
Shazar, Rachel Katznelson. The Plough Woman: Memoirs of
the Pioneer Women of Palestine. Herzl Press, 1975
Fascinating look at early female
settlers in Palestine / Israel .
Shipler, David, Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land. Times Books, 1985.
Though written 15 years ago, insights are valuable today.
Very readable, with accompanying video.
Still Small Voices: The Untold Human
Stories Behind the Violence of the West Bank and Gaza. Harcourt, Brace, Janovich, 1989.
The effect of conflict on ordinary
civilians.
Tessler,
Mark. A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Indiana University
Press, 1995.
A well-balanced, comprehensive and
in-depth look into past history.
Videos
Tackles the tragic events surrounding
the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem. 56 min 1996
Examines the tension between Arabs
and Jews living within the lands under Israeli jurisdiction, including the West
Band and the Gaza strip; includes the history, society, and conflict. (120 min)
1989.
Some archival footage from 1947; assassination of Rabin; PLA oppression;
demolishment of homes; expropriation of land; the continuing struggles of
Palestinians after the ‘peace’ accords. 58 min 1997 Hebrew/English
The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs
I..1946-1956 II: 1967 III:
1968-1982 IV: 1970-1981 V: 1987-1988 VI: 1992-1996
BBC and WGBH narrative history of Israeli /Arab relations.
Interviews with many Jews and Arabs who were directly involved in the conflicts
and negotiations. 50 min each
1998 Hebrew/Arabic/titles
Micha Peled’s portrait, through
interviews, of Hebron’s militant Israeli settlers. (40 min), Hebrew/English, 1994
Confronts the realities of today
against the backdrop of utopian beginnings, documenting what more than twenty
years of occupation have done to the soul of Israel. 173 min 1998 Hebrew/English
Palestinian eye view of life in the
West Bank and Gaza under Israeli military occupation. (90 min) 1993
An
Israeli-Palestinian co-production chronicling the first year of the
implementation of the Israeli-Palestinian accords as experienced by Palestinians
and Israelis from all walks of life. 103min
1995
Palestine 1890-1990
This
United Nations production provides an historical perspective on the
Arab/Israeli/Palestinian conflict. 34
min 1996
This PBS supported
production looks at the history of Palestine and the reality of Palestinian
life under the Israeli occupation, the contradictions between what is said and
what actually happens. 55 min 1997
Hanna Musleh directed this
documentary chronicling the Hamas organization in the Occupied Territories of
Palestine. 52 min 1993
Arabic/English
The World of Oil
Books
Nawwab, Ismail I. and Peter C. Speers, Paul F. Hoye, eds.
Saudi Aramco And Its World. Aramco Services Company, 1995.
A history of Saudi Arabia and Aramco (Arab American Oil Co). Also includes information regarding the Aramco’s operations, many pictures and interesting geological maps.
Sampson, Anthony. The Seven Sisters: the Great Oil Companies and the World They Made. Viking Press, 1975.
This
book tracks the development of the major oil companies of the 20th
century and their efforts to ensure adequate supplies, pacify oil producing
governments, all the while turning a profit. The behind-the-scenes story of the
turbulent oil business will fascinate anyone who lived through the oil crisis
of the 1970's, and is buying gas this summer.Now out of print, but available in
most libraries.
Yergin, Daniel. The Prize: The Epic Quest For Oil, Money,
And Power. Simon and Schuster, 1991.
Written
by one of the leading authorities on the world oil industry and international
politics and a master storyteller, The Prize is a wonderful narrative history
of the oil industry as well as a
history of the modern world to It
reveals how and why oil has become the largest industry in the world, a game
of huge risks and monumental rewards.
The book is peopled by a vividly portrayed gallery of characters that make it a
fascinating story—not only the wildcatters, rogues, and oil tycoons, but also
the politicians and heads of states.
The Oil Kingdoms. Pacific Productions 1983.
Although outdated, the three videos, each fifty minutes, provide an excellent historical narrative on the Persian Gulf kingdoms, the impact of the discovery of oil, and the importance of the Gulf to the world economy, including the relationship to the United States.
The Prize: The Epic Quest For Oil, Money, And Power. WGBH, 1993.
The story of the oil industry as well as the modern world.
Although outdated, the eight vidoes are excellent. Each video is sixty minutes each and are based upon Daniel
Yergin’s book by the same names noted above.
|
© Maine Humanities Council, 2002–2008 Please contact Donna Jones at West End Webs for questions or problems with the web site. |