Containing the Middle East (excluding Egypt), Iran and the Gulf Arab States that comprise the Arabian Peninsula.
4 and a half stars
From the Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple
Published: 1997
Countries: Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Egypt
Blurb: A superb travelogue of Dalrymple’s 1994 journey in the present day Middle East, as he frequents places visited in the late 6th century by the medieval Monk, John Moschos in what was then the Byzantine Empire. Delivering a splendid account of how Christian communities have been impacted over time as Islam has ascended to become the predominant religion, Dalrymple’s story is a reminder of the importance that Christianity used to play in this region and that is in danger of being completely erased from this part of the world.
Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis
Published: 2016
Countries: Israel
Blurb: If you’ve ever wanted to try and get some understanding of the whole “Middle East situation” as it particularly pertains to Israel, there is no better place to start than Gordis’s superb historical narrative Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn. Covering more than 3,000 years this brilliantly written book provides a wealth of infornation on the Jewish people and the search to reestablish themselves in the ancestral homeland after more than 2,000 years in exile. Particular attention is paid to the lead-up to establishing Israel as a modern day state and the conflicts that have occurred to both achieve and retain it. As well the author provides good analysis of the Israeli political scene and the increasing influence that the Jewish religious political parties now play. A must read for anyone interested in both Israeli and Middle Eastern history and geopolitics.
Arabia by Levison Wood
Published: 2018
Countries: Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon
Blurb: Levison delivers again in this, his fifth travelogue, following his adventures around the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula. Going full out he rubs elbows with Hezbollah, ISIS and factions of the al-Qaeda on the front line of fighting as he tries to gain greater insight into this fascinating region that constantly dominates the news. As if that wasn’t dodgy enough he also travels to Yemen and Somalia trying to avoid pirates en route all in the name of delivering another last great adventure.
4 stars
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple
Published: 1989
Countries: Israel, Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and China
Blurb: In Xanadu is a superb first travelogue by William Dalrymple, which describes his 1986 retracing of Marco Polo's 15-year journey from Jerusalem to Inner Mongolia in present day China. Dalrymple's amazingly ambitious journey via the Silk Road is a sheer delight to read and provides a wealth of historical information and no small amount of humour for us to enjoy along the way.
Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger
Published: 1959
Countries: Saudia Arabia, Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates
Blurb: Sir Wilfred Thesiger's an all-time travel literature classic mostly describes his travels and exploration of The Empty Quarter, Yemen and The Western Sands in Arabia in the mid to late 1940’s. This is an extremely important and fascinating account of the nomadic Bedouin (the Bedu) and their lifestyle, and one which exposes the reader to a wealth of information on the people, history, geography and customs of this arid region that now belong to a bygone era.
Revolutionary Ride
Published: 2017
Countries: Iran
Blurb: Pryce takes us on an interesting motorcycle ride through northwest and central Iran having made a decision to travel the country after finding a passionate note from an Iranian pinned to her motorbike whilst outside the Iranian Embassy in London. Navigating the all too real difficulties of procuring a Visa for a British national at the time (in 2014) and the madness of Iranian driving, Pryce's at times unnerving journey is well written and does a nice job of illustrating the wonderful hospitality showered on travellers to this amazing country.
City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism by Jim Krane
Published: 2017
Countries: United Arab Emirates
Blurb: If you’re one of the 16 million international visitsors that are likely to travel to Dubai in the next 12 months and you’re looking for a book to provide you with all the background history on the United Arab Emirates best known Emirate, then Krane has written the book for you. City of Gold is a very readable account of how a range of bold moves made by its ruling family, the al-Maktoums, managed to transform a small Emirate, that only switched on the electrical lights in 1967, into a regional powerhouse despite the absence of significant oil supplies (Dubai only had 4% of the UAE’s oil reserves).
3 and a half stars
Oman by John Beasant
Published: 2002
Countries: Oman
Blurb: Having spent ten years living in the country, Beasant uses all his knowledge and journalist skills to provide an intriguing look at the history of the little-known Sultanate of Oman. To add flavour to his back-story, the author’s expulsion from the country is believed to be as a result of refusing a bribe to stop publication of the book in which he exposes a number of dealings from high ranking ex-pat officials within the country. Oman: The True-Life Drama and Intrigue of an Arab State provides an extremely well distilled history of the country while ramping it up when detailing the supposed shadowy dealings that not only occurred during the 1970 palace coup, but have been endemic to the country since its founding.
Misadventure in the Middle East by Henry Hemming
Published: 2008
Countries: Turkey, Iran, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria
Blurb: Two artists from the United Kingdom undertake a journey through the Middle East to explore the region post 9/11 and up to and during the invasion of Iraq. The book focuses primarily on the people they meet as they drive in a pick-up truck “Yasmine” and showcase their journey-inspired art through less visited places such as Iran, Kurdish Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad immediately after its capture by Western forces. While doing so, Hemming is able to shed some insight into the prevailing mood at the time and delivers an extremely well written account of their adventure during troubled times.
My Desert Kingdom by Jill Coolmees
Published: 2004
Countries: Saudi Arabia
Blurb: My Desert Kingdom is an enjoyable and insightful book detailing an Australian couples ex-pat experience in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Written prior to 9/11, it focuses on the trials and tribulations of ex-pat life, not shying away from the unglamorous aspects that are part and parcel of living in this insular country.
3 stars
Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn by Jamie Maslin
Published: 2007
Countries: Iran
Blurb: A humourous travelogue that provides glimpses of life in Iran from the viewpoint of a young British backpacker as he is showered with hospitality from nearly all he meets during his journey in and around one of the countries that makes up the Axis of Evil. Travelling mostly by bus and train, Maslin's journey is an on-the-ground account of the changing attitudes of people within the country towards those in control and one which has resulted in him being banned from visiting Iran again.
Beyond Dubai by David Millar
Published: 2014
Countries: United Arab Emirates, Oman
Blurb: Beyond Dubai: Seeking Lost Cities in the Emirates takes us on an historical travel journey around the United Arab Emirates as the author attempts to convince his girlfriend of the cultural merits of the UAE, beyond the stereotyped images of glitzy shopping malls. Extremely well researched, the book provides a veritable treasure trove of information on the history and potential places of interest to visit in the Emirates and neighbouring Oman. Whilst not laugh out loud funny, the author’s observations are injected with humour and he makes what might ordinarily be a dry story, very interesting. An honest account of the region and written almost as a guide book narrative, this is certainly one to read for anyone interested in relocating to the UAE.