Iraq: A History By: John Robertson

Iraq: A History

By: John Robertson

     In this insightful analysis, highly-respected expert John Robertson canvases the entirety of Iraq’s rich history, from the seminal advances of its Neolithic inhabitants to the aftermath of the American-led invasion and Iraq today. Grounded in extensive research, this balanced account of a country and its people explores the greatness and grandeur of Iraq’s achievements, the brutality and magnificence of its ancient empires, its contributions to the emergence of the world’s enduring monotheistic faiths, and the role the great Arab caliphs of Baghdad played in the medieval cultural flowering that contributed so much to the European Renaissance and the eventual rise of the West.

This book in many ways, is as tumultuous as the country of Iraq itself. First, this book attempts to cover about six thousand years of history in about three hundred pages. This is just not an achievable goal, especially when you consider the multitude of events the area of Iraq has seen. With that being said the book, Iraq: A History is still a good read. It gives you most of the highlights of the region and more importantly it shows how modern Iraq has come to be. It should be said that the author, John Robertson, pulls no punches when referring to the west, and even paints with a harsh brush at times. That fact might turn some readers off, but if you keep your perspective I believe there is a lot to be learned.