As David Lesch writes in his Preface, "Historians are a kind of secular priesthood, seemingly endowed with the power and means to select what is and what is not important for the rest of us." In A History of the Middle East Since the Rise of Islam , Lesch focuses on the longue durée . Choosing the rise of Islam as the general beginning point of his one-volume history of the Middle East, Lesch argues that there is an indelible link between the rise of Islam and the overall environment that exists today in the region. The continuum of this chain of events is the primary focus of his book. Combining a comprehensive approach and an appealing, informal tone, Lesch offers the reader enough specifics to digest the flavor of particular periods, dynasties, movements, cultural markers, and ideological developments, yet general enough so that the totality of this history can be compared and contrasted. The result is a brilliant tour de force . " A History of the Middle East is a clear, well-balanced book introducing the Middle East by a well-experienced scholar."--Erik Goldstein, Boston University " A History of the Middle East is a fine, ambitious effort at covering 1,400+ years of Middle East political, religious, and cultural history in one engaging, accessible volume."--Andrew Wender, University of Victoria "Lesch weaves together a rich and nuanced history of the Middle East. Both ambitious and rigorous, this book is an invaluable resource for seasoned scholars, students, and non-academic readers alike--a feat of scholarship."--Jasmine Gani, University of St. Andrews A concise yet comprehensive history of the Middle East by a renowned scholar David W. Lesch is the Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of History in the Department of History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He received his M.A. and PhD in Middle East History from Harvard University. Dr. Lesch is the author or editor of sixteen books and overall has over 140 publications. He has also published numerous articles in leading journals, chapters in books, and opinion essays in such noted publications as The New York Times , The Washington Post , The Financial Times , The Boston Globe , Foreign Policy , and CNN.com.