Middle East Audiobooks | Travel

MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed Bin Salman

The gripping, untold story of how Saudi Arabia's secretive and mercurial new ruler rose to power. Even in his youth as a prince among thousands of princes, Mohammed bin Salman nurtured sweeping ambitions. He wanted power – enough of it to reshape his hyper-conservative, insular Islamic kingdom. When his elderly father took the throne in 2015, MBS got his chance. As the hands-on-ruler, he made seismic changes, working doggedly to overhaul the kingdom's economy, loosen its strict Islamic social codes and confront nearby enemies, especially Iran. His vision initially won fans at home and abroad as he convinced other nations that the moment had come to bet big on Saudi Arabia. Over time, however, the sheen of the visionary young reformer has tarnished, leaving many wondering whether MBS is actually an aspiring dictator whose lack of experience and rash decisions are destabilizing the world's most volatile region. Based on years of reporting and hundreds of covert interviews, MBS provides new insights into Saudi Arabia’s catastrophic military intervention in Yemen, the bizarre detention of the Lebanese prime minister, the surprise arrest of hundreds of princes and businessmen, and the greatest scandal of the young prince's rise: the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi state officials with links to MBS – a crime that shocked the world. A riveting portrait of a determined autocrat on the rise, MBS asks how one man’s actions and obsessions are shaking the Middle East.

Ben Hubbard (Author), Robert Petkoff (Narrator)

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History of Palestine

Palestine is probably one of the oldest countries in the world. It has a very rich history in terms of rulers that have conquered the land. Its history is not only rich, but also interesting because it has seen many wars. Some wars were cruel on it and some just provided it with the much-needed stability. Today, it sits proudly as a nation and has its rights and constitution. But back when it was founded, it was captured by different sets of dynasties. At times, it has been ruled by Muslims and, at times by Romans. Many people of many religions have set foot into the country. Learning about its history is a great way to determine the impact Jesus Christ had on the world as well. Not only does the book talk about the important events, but it also details them on how they panned out and why.

Introbooks Team (Author), Tracy Tupman (Narrator)

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Cumans, The: The History of the Medieval Turkic Nomads Who Fought the Mongols and Rus’ in Eastern Eu

“Let us begin this narration, brethren, from the old times of Vladimir to this present time of Igor, who strengthened his mind with courage, who quickened his heart with valor and, thus imbued with martial spirit, led his valiant regiments against the Kuman land in defense of the Russian land.” – The Tale of Igor’s Campaign Before the Mongols rode across the steppes of Asia and Eastern Europe, the Cumans were a major military and cultural force that monarchs from China to Hungary and from Russia to the Byzantine Empire faced, often losing armies and cities in the process. The Cumans were a tribe of Turkic nomads who rode the steppes looking for plunder and riches, but they rarely stayed long after they got what they wanted. From the late 9th century until the arrival of the Mongols in 1223, there was virtually nothing that could be done to stop the Cumans. Old Russian chronicles, Byzantine texts, Western European chronicles, and travel diaries of Islamic scholars all reveal that the Cumans were a threat to any kingdom in their path. Some kingdoms chose to fight the Cumans and often suffered heavy destruction, while others believed buying them off was the more reasonable course of action. The latter course often brought them into intimate contact with the most powerful kingdoms of medieval Eastern Europe before the Cumans were eventually replaced by the Mongols, with the remaining Cumans dispersing and integrating into various European and central Asian kingdoms in the 13th century. Many Cumans joined the Mongol Golden Horde and later became Muslims, while some helped found dynasties in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Understanding Iran: Everything You Need to Know, From Persia to the Islamic Republic, From Cyrus to

William R. Polk provides an informative, history of a country which is moving quickly toward becoming the dominant power and culture of the Middle East. A former member of the State Department's Policy Planning Council, Polk describes a country and a history misunderstood by many in the West. While Iranians chafe under the yolk of their current leaders, they also have bitter memories of generations of British, Russian, and American espionage, invasion, and dominance. There are important lessons to be learned from the past, and Polk teases them out of a long and rich history and shows that it is not just now, but for decades to come that an understanding of Iran will be essential to American safety and well-being.

William R. Polk (Author), Paul Boehmer (Narrator)

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No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria

Based on more than five years of clandestine reporting on the front lines, No Turning Back is an utterly engrossing human drama full of vivid, indelible characters that shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century's greatest humanitarian disasters. Extending back to the first demonstrations of 2011, No Turning Back dissects the tangle of ideologies and allegiances that make up the Syrian conflict. As protests ignited in Daraa, some citizens were brimming with a sense of possibility. A privileged young man named Suleiman posted videos of the protests online, full of hope for justice and democracy. A father of two named Mohammad, secretly radicalized and newly released from prison, saw a darker opportunity in the unrest. When violence broke out in Homs, a poet named Abu Azzam became an unlikely commander in a Free Syrian Army militia. The regime's brutal response disrupted a family in Idlib province, where a nine-year-old girl opened the door to a military raid that caused her father to flee. As the bombings increased and roads grew more dangerous, these people's lives intertwined in unexpected ways.

Rania Abouzeid (Author), Susan Nezami (Narrator)

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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the Republic of Turkey: The History of the Ottoman Empire’s Collapse and t

The fall of the Ottoman Empire set the political and geostrategic scene of the new Middle East. In 1920, two years after the end of the war, the region was already experiencing growing instability. The issues and trends that would plague the region until today were growing. On April 4, Arab riots broke out in Jerusalem, fueled by the growing hostility against the Zionist movement. The British passivity would convince one of the Jewish leaders, Vladimir Jabotinsky (the future founder of the Israeli right-wing), of the strategic necessity of a strong Jewish military as the core of the future state. Just two weeks later in Turkey, the Grand National Assembly in Ankara set the foundation of the Turkish state, opening the way for several years of reforms. In Iraq, a Shiite revolt broke out in the south, as locals demanded the creation of an Islamic state. The British compromise was to place Faisal, the son of Sharif Hussein and a Sunni, on the throne. His father, meanwhile, was embroiled in a conflict with a local tribe, the Ibn Saud, that sought to carve a new kingdom in the Arabian Peninsula. More broadly, the long decline of the “sick man of Europe” fostered the emergence of nationalistic and ideological movements that are still key to any understanding of the Middle East today. The compatibility between the Islamic religion and culture and Western reforms were first discussed within the Ottoman Empire, and they are still up for debate today. Abdul Hamid’s pan-Islamism, while its results at the time remain limited, still resonates within the Muslim world and can still be seen as a viable rival to the region’s various nationalistic aspirations.

Charles River Editors (Author), Tim Planiden (Narrator)

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The Great Siege of Malta: The History of the Battle for the Mediterranean Island Between the Ottoman

After being forced out of Rhodes by the Ottomans in the early 16th century, the Knights Hospitaller spent seven years residing in Sicily without an official home or garrison, but around 1530, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V decided to gift the order the islands of Malta and Gozo, as well as the port city of Tripoli in North Africa, as a fiefdom. The emperor’s motivations varied, but most historians believe he granted the knights the territory partially out of religious devotion and mainly to protect those regions from the looming Ottoman threat. Both Malta and Gozo were between Sicily and the North African coast and were prime locations for the Ottoman Empire to try to make their next move to gain inroads into Europe. In 1565, the Knights Hospitaller were attacked by Suleiman, who sent 40,000 soldiers to attempt to wrest control of Malta from them. This would become known as the Great Siege of Malta, lasting from May 18-September 11. The first two months of the siege were devastating for the Hospitallers, who lost most of their cities and half of their 8,000 knights. On August 23, the Ottomans launched their last assault upon Malta. The fighting was intense, and even wounded knights participated. The Ottoman army was unable to break through the Order’s fortifications, as the garrison had repaired the worst of the damages and any breakages to avoid giving the Ottomans an advantage. After the Great Siege of Malta, the Knights Hospitaller would have no more decisive victories against their enemies, which should come as no surprise given that by the time the Ottomans left, the order only had 600 men capable of fighting.

Charles River Editors (Author), Bill Hare (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean

Brought to you by Penguin. For over three thousand years, the Mediterranean Sea has been one of the great centres of civilization. David Abulafia's The Great Sea is the first complete history of the Mediterranean, from the erection of temples on Malta around 3500 BC to modern tourism. Ranging across time and the whole extraordinary space of the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to Jaffa, Genoa to Tunis, and bringing to life pilgrims, pirates, sultans and naval commanders, this is the story of the sea that has shaped much of world history. © Dabid Abulafia 2011 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

David Abulafia (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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Saving Israel: The Unknown Story of Smuggling Weapons and Winning a Nation’s Independence

As it prepared to ward off an invasion by five well-equipped neighboring armies in 1948, newborn Israel lacked the weapons to defend itself. Enter Al Schwimmer, an American World War II veteran who feared a repeat of the Holocaust. He created factitious airlines, bought decommissioned airplanes from the US War Asset Administration, fixed them in California and New Jersey, and sent his pilots—Jewish and non-Jewish WWII aviators—to pick up rifles, bullets, and fighter planes from the only country willing to break the international arms embargo: communist Czechoslovakia. For the crime of arming Israel with basic war instruments and battle-ready planes, including Messerschmitt fighters and B-17 bombers, Schwimmer and key members of his team paid a heavy price. They lost their civil rights after being convicted of breaking the arms embargo and America's Neutrality Act. Years later, three presidents would pardon three of them. The operation members risked their lives, freedom, and US citizenship to prevent what they viewed as an imminent genocide. They evaded the FBI and State Department, gained the support of the mafia, smuggled weapons—mostly Nazi surplus—across hostile territories, and went into combat in the Middle East. This book recreates the operation members’ sui generis journey in vivid scenes, capturing their multilayered stories and larger-than-life personalities. It documents the spirit as well as the facts of a mostly unknown mission to save a nascent-yet-ancient nation.

Boaz Dvir (Author), Neil Hellegers (Narrator)

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Voices of History Israel: The Complete Set

Throughout the 1970's until his untimely death in 1979, writer/educator/dramatist Dr. Samuel J. Citron took it upon himself to interview leading authorities on special topics in contemporary Jewish history, mostly relating to the State of Israel. Over the course of ten years of painstaking work, he completed the immense task of pulling together personal accounts of many of the more significant events of the last hundred years. The set consists of 58 recordings, more than 22 hours of listening, each one focusing on a different topic of interest. As fascinating as the subject matter are the interviewees themselves: former Israeli Prime Ministers David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir and Menachem Begin, Presidents Yitzhak Navon and Ezer Weizman, archeologist Yigael Yadin and statesman Abba Eban, to name but a few. Topics are as diverse as the Battle of Jerusalem, the Birth of the State of Israel, the Israeli Air Force, Israel in the International Arena, Masada and Recollections of the Pioneering Years. Each program begins with an introduction and a list of suggested subjects for consideration. A unique collection that no home or school should be without. A production of the Jewish Heritage Institute of Friends of the Jewish Theatre for Children, Inc.

Assorted Authors (Author), Abba Eban, Assorted Authors, David Ben Gurion, Ezer Weizman, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin, Yigael Yadin, Yitzhak Navon (Narrator)

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Voices of History Israel: The Pioneering Years

Never before released audio programs! Throughout the 1970's Dr. Samuel J. Citron took it upon himself to interview leading authorities on special topics in contemporary Jewish history, mostly relating to the State of Israel. Over the course of ten years of painstaking work, he completed the immense task of pulling together personal accounts of many of the more significant events of the last hundred years. The early years were difficult times, with disease, limited resources and marauding bands of Arabs. This Collection from The Voices of History: Israel includes these recordings: - The First Colony: Mayor Oved Ben Ami - The Bilu: Amram Hazanoff - Jerusalem, the Old Yishuv: Moshe Nathanson - Pioneering Years - Recollections: Golda Meir - The Beginnings of Tel Aviv: Yehudit Harari - Child of the First Aliyah - Part 1: Yehudit Harari - Child of the First Aliyah - Part 2: Yehudit Harari

Amram Hazanoff, Golda Meir, Moshe Nathanson, Oved Ben Ami, Yehudit Harari (Author), Amram Hazanoff, Golda Meir, Moshe Nathanson, Oved Ben Ami, Yehudit Harari (Narrator)

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Voices of History Israel: Building the Land

Never before released audio programs! Throughout the 1970's Dr. Samuel J. Citron took it upon himself to interview leading authorities on special topics in contemporary Jewish history, mostly relating to the State of Israel. Over the course of ten years of painstaking work, he completed the immense task of pulling together personal accounts of many of the more significant events of the last hundred years. The spirit to create a modern Jewish state permeated every effort. This Collection from The Voices of History: Israel includes these recordings: Beginnings - A Retrospective Evaluation: David Ben Gurion Afforestation & Land Reclamation: Yosef Weitz Founding a City - Netanya: Mayor Oved Ben-Ami Reclaiming the Huleh Marshes: Jacob Tsur Degania-The First Kibbutz: Hayuta Bussel The Jewish National Fund: Ambass. Jacob Tzur, Zvulun Paran, Hayuta Bussel et al Americans Build a City - Herzliyah: Samuel W. Levine, Annie Levine, Dr. Avraham C. Nevo, Colonel (Res.) Jozef Nevo

Annie Levine, Avraham C. Nevo, David Ben Gurion, Hayuta Bussel, Jacob Tsur, Jozef Nevo, Oved Ben Ami, Samuel W. Levine, Yosef Weitz, Zvulun Paran (Author), Annie Levine, Avraham C. Nevo, David Ben Gurion, Hayuta Bussel, Jacob Tsur, Jozef Nevo, Oved Ben Ami, Samuel W. Levine, Yosef Weitz, Zvulun Paran (Narrator)

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Middle East Audiobooks in Travel