Middle East

This newly revised book provides a basic introduction to contemporary Iran–the land that was ancient Persia. Imagine life in this land of earthquakes, sand storms, and extreme weather, from burning hot deserts to the humid shores of the Caspian Sea to freezing cold mountains.

The vast majority of Iranians are descended from the Aryans, Asian peoples who settled in what became known as Persia. Iran the people follows the history of this ancient land, from the height of the Persian Empire, through the Muslim conquest in the mid-600s, and the Revolution of 1979. Interesting photographs detail how today’s Islamic Republic …

The contributions of Iraq to world culture are numerous. Iraq the culture traces the influence of early civilizations through the construction of ancient temples, the development of cuneiform writing, and the invention of wheel. This book also explores the influence of the Arab language and the Islamic religion on the traditions and celebrations of …

The modern nation of Iraq occupies the ancient land of Mesopotamia, where the world’s first known civilization began. From the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, where these first peoples settled, to the mountain communities of the north, and deserts of the south, Iraq the land explores a timeless landscape scarred by a history of war and …