It is impossible to understand Palestine today without a careful reading of its distant and recent past. But until now there has been no single volume in English that tells the history of the events--from the Ottoman Empire to the mid-twentieth century--that shaped modern Palestine. The first book of its kind; A History of Palestine offers a richly detailed interpretation of this critical region's evolution. Starting with the prebiblical and biblical roots of Palestine; noted historian Gudrun Krämer examines the meanings ascribed to the land in the Jewish; Christian; and Muslim traditions. Paying special attention to social and economic factors; she examines the gradual transformation of Palestine; following the history of the region through the Egyptian occupation of the mid-nineteenth century; the Ottoman reform era; and the British Mandate up to the founding of Israel in 1948. Focusing on the interactions of Arabs and Jews; A History of Palestine tells how these connections affected the cultural and political evolution of each community and Palestine as a whole.
#227749 in Books Princeton University Press 2009-04-20 2009-04-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x .94 x 6.00l; 1.15 #File Name: 0691137935408 pages
Review
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful. A new reading of "Early Modern" PoliticsBy Jack DonnelllyThis is a scholarly; not a mass market; book. But if one is looking for a theoretically challenging and empirically innovative look at early modern Europe; seen not as a transition to "modernity" (whatever that might mean) but as a period in its own right; this is the book. Nexon emphasizes the "composite" (decentralized and dynastic) nature of states in this period; not just in the Hapsburg domains but in "France" and "Britain" as well. And he has a nicely balanced account of the role of Protestantism; emphasizing its significance; but only in the context of a great number of other interacting factors. Also distinctive is his look at this period with an equal emphasis on international and national politics -- and their decisive interaction. On top of these virtues; he writes with immense clarity and at many points considerable flair. Once you get started; it really is hard to put this book down!
