Few understand the real history of the Middle East; fewer still understand its variety and cosmopolitanism, its complexity and interconnectedness. Simon Sebag Montefiore wades into the ideological battles and geopolitical tensions of the Middle East with a chronicle that situates the region in the context of its last one hundred and twenty-five years.
Mr. Montefiore’s goal, he says, is to offer a comprehensive history of the Middle East since the dawn of the 20th century. Not all his stories are original, given the breadth of material he covers, but he enriches them with fascinating details ... Mr. Montefiore doesn’t play favorites, subjecting all his characters to scrutiny ... Mr. Montefiore’s muscular prose, blending highbrow erudition with blunt and occasionally vulgar humor, is indelible. The Cauldron is a triumph of blood-and-thunder narrative history.
For readers already interested in the history of the Middle East, The Cauldron unquestionably earns its place on the shelf of books that have in their turn attempted to explain the whole region ... In scope, it may be considered the most ambitious.
Leading historian Simon Sebag Montefiore provides a masterful survey of the political rivalries and personal vendettas that have shaped this region ... Written with pace and verve ... Essential reading.
