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Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East Kindle Edition
by Kim Ghattas (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,083)
'Brilliant' PETER FRANKOPAN
'Blistering' SUNDAY TIMES
'Indispensable' OBSERVER
'Fascinating' THE TIMES
'Revelatory' LINDSEY HILSUM
____________________
A timely and unprecedented examination of how the modern Middle East unravelled, and why it started with the pivotal year of 1979. Shortlisted for the Cundhill History Prize 2020
'What happened to us?'
For decades, the question has haunted the Arab and Muslim world, heard across Iran and Syria, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and in the author's home country of Lebanon. Was it always so? When did the extremism, intolerance and bloodletting of today displace the region's cultural promise and diversity?
In Black Wave, award-winning journalist and author Kim Ghattas argues that the turning point in the modern history of the Middle East can be located in the toxic confluence of three major events in 1979: the Iranian revolution; the siege of the Holy Mosque in Mecca; and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Before this year, Saudi Arabia and Iran had been working allies and twin pillars of US strategy in the region - but the radical legacy of these events made them mortal enemies, unleashing a process that transformed culture, society, religion and geopolitics across the region for decades to come.
Drawing on a sweeping cast of characters across seven countries over forty years, Ghattas demonstrates how this rivalry for religious and cultural supremacy has fed intolerance, suppressed cultural expression, encouraged sectarian violence, birthed groups like Hezbollah and ISIS and, ultimately, upended the lives of millions.
At once bold and intimate, Black Wave is a remarkable and engrossing story of the Middle East as it has never been told before.
Print length401 pages
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Product description
Review
Wonderfully readable ... A vivid, indispensable guide -- Ian Black, 'Book of the Week' ― Observer
The framing of Black Wave is as important as the content. Kim Ghattas portrays the last four decades across the Middle East as a kind of Islamic Dark Ages, a world dimmed behind a curtain of violence, misogyny, and religious extremism. In exploring how this blackness came to be, she both reminds us of a brighter past and holds out the possibility of a future of light. It's a powerful and important book -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of the New America Foundation
In this ambitious and highly readable book, Kim Ghattas tells the story of how Middle Eastern political and religious leaders betrayed their people. Her bold thesis that the events of 1979 scattered the seeds of destruction is revelatory and original. It is easy to despair but she finds hope too - only by understanding what happened can the next generation find a way forward -- Lindsey Hilsum ― International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of In Extremis
Brutally honest, perfectly researched and brilliantly written ... A must-read for outsiders and people in the region -- Marwen Muasher, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former minister of foreign affairs of Jordan
The book is packed with accounts of ambition, treachery and cruelty - with a wealth of historical detail down to the hour of the day... She serves up a wealth of human interest wrapped in ambience and atmosphere. She paints riveting portraits of the protagonists. ― Wall Street Journal
A compelling account of the entrenched rancour between two important countries in the Middle East. Emmy-winning journalist Ghattas details a depressing "race to the bottom" since 1979, but she also celebrates those courageously fighting for freedom in such a toxic environment. -- Books of the Month ― Observer
A timely and welcome guide ... Well-researched and elegantly written, Black Wave focuses on the lives of a number of key individuals - from guerrilla fighters, revolutionary clerics and spy chiefs to Sufi leaders and journalists. ― Financial Times
[A] blistering account ... Ghattas knows how to tell a cracking story ... Black Wave is a cri de coeur, an action-packed modern history written with the pace of a detective thriller -- Justin Marozzi ― Sunday Times
Sweeping and authoritative ... Ghatta's narrative upends ... Western misconception ― New York Times
A brilliant book, written with verve and style. It is not just essential reading, but thoroughly riveting as well. I could not put it down -- Peter Frankopan ― author of The Silk Roads
Skillfully written and scrupulously researched, Black Wave is an essential book in understanding the origins of the modern conflicts in the Middle East -- Lawrence Wright ― Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower
Brilliant ... Reveals in masterful detail the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and its pernicious effect on the wider region, from 1979 to the present day - a sharp and sobering analysis -- Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Fascinating ... Highly readable ... The publication of this book, Black Wave, could not be better timed -- James Barr, 'Book of the Week' ― The Times
Vivid reporting, deep analysis. This is a fascinating and important book. Kim Ghattas tracks the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran as it pulled the Middle East and the wider Muslim world out of shape. Black Wave is essential reading if you want to understand why the region slid into religious extremism and blood-soaked sectarianism -- Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East Editor and author of The Arab Uprisings
Profoundly moving ... There is a simmering anger not far below the surface of her book. It is a gripping tale. It is a tract for our times. Read and weep. But also, like Ghattas, allow yourself to hope. ― New Statesman
A brilliant piece of work. Ghattas reveals how the competition between Tehran and Riyadh led to the instrumentalization of Islam to destroy cosmopolitanism, force women to veil, and to mobilize sectarian extremists -- Emma Sky ― Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute and author of In a Time of Monsters
Review
[A] blistering account ... Ghattas knows how to tell a cracking story ... Black Wave is a cri de coeur, an action-packed modern history written with the pace of a detective thriller - Sunday Times
Fascinating ... Highly readable ... The publication of this book, Black Wave, could not be better timed - The Times
Wonderfully readable ... A vivid, indispensable guide - Observer
A brilliant book, written with verve and style. It is not just essential reading, but thoroughly riveting as well. I could not put it down - author of The Silk Roads
In this ambitious and highly readable book, Kim Ghattas tells the story of how Middle Eastern political and religious leaders betrayed their people. Her bold thesis that the events of 1979 scattered the seeds of destruction is revelatory and original. It is easy to despair but she finds hope too - only by understanding what happened can the next generation find a way forward - International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of In Extremis
Vivid reporting, deep analysis. This is a fascinating and important book. Kim Ghattas tracks the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran as it pulled the Middle East and the wider Muslim world out of shape. Black Wave is essential reading if you want
Read more
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Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle EastProduct details
ASIN : B07X4CK1FF
Publisher : Wildfire
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : 17 January 2020
Language : English
File size : 3.9 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 401 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1472271112
Page Flip : Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: 102,671 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)1 in History of Saudi Arabia
4 in History of Iran
16 in Middle Eastern Politics
Customer Reviews:
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,083)
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Kim Ghattas
Born and raised in Beirut during the civil war, I always wanted to be a journalist. I pursued that goal doggedly... and made it. I covered the Middle East from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon to Iraq and Syria for the BBC, the Financial Times and the dutch daily de Volkskrant. I then moved on and moved to the US in 2008 to be the BBC's State department correspondent, traveling the world with Condolezza Rice, then Hillary Clinton and finally John Kerry. I wrote about those travels and about American foreign policy in The Secretary, which became a NYT best seller. My latest book is a sweeping history of the Middle East since 1979, a fateful year that unleashed a bitter rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. I now live between Beirut and Washington DC. I love to cook when I'm home and I miss my dog, Laika, whenever I'm traveling.
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세진님, 요청하신 킴 가타스의 <블랙 웨이브: 사우디아라비아, 이란, 그리고 중동을 파멸시킨 경쟁>에 대한 요약과 평론입니다.
<블랙 웨이브> 요약 및 평론
1. 요약: 1979년, 전환점의 시작
<블랙 웨이브>는 오늘날 중동의 혼란이 결코 수천 년 된 종교적 증오 때문이 아니라는 점을 분명히 한다. 저자 킴 가타스는 1979년을 기점으로 사우디아라비아와 이란이라는 두 강대국이 어떻게 이슬람의 수호자 자리를 놓고 치열한 경쟁을 벌였는지, 그리고 그 경쟁이 어떻게 지역 전체에 근본주의의 <검은 파도>를 몰고 왔는지를 추적한다.
세 가지 결정적 사건 1979년 발생한 세 가지 사건은 중동의 궤적을 영원히 바꾸어 놓았다.
이란 혁명: 아야톨라 호메이니의 등장은 세속적인 군주제를 무너뜨리고 이슬람 신권 정치를 세웠다. 이는 사우디 왕가에게는 실존적 위협이자 경쟁의 신호탄이었다.
메카 대사원 점거 사건: 극단주의자들이 메카의 성지를 점거하자, 사우디 왕가는 자신의 정통성을 입증하기 위해 더욱 보수적인 와하비즘을 수용하고 이를 전 세계에 전파하기 시작했다.
소련의 아프가니스탄 침공: 이는 <지하드>라는 개념이 국제적인 정치 도구로 부상하는 계기가 되었으며, 미국과 사우디의 지원 아래 급진적 이슬람주의자들이 세력을 키우는 토양이 되었다.
경쟁의 확산과 문화적 파괴 사우디와 이란의 경쟁은 단순한 군사적 충돌을 넘어 <누가 더 이슬람적인가>를 증명하려는 문화 전쟁으로 번졌다. 이 과정에서 파키스탄, 이집트, 레바논 등 주변국들의 풍요로웠던 문화적 다양성과 세속적 전통은 사라졌다. 여성의 권리는 후퇴했고, 예술과 음악은 금기시되었으며, 종파주의라는 독소가 사회 곳곳에 스며들었다. 저자는 이를 <어둠이 내린 시대>로 묘사한다.
2. 평론: 기억의 복원을 통한 현대사의 재구성
지정학적 서사를 인간의 얼굴로 그려내다 <블랙 웨이브>의 가장 큰 미덕은 거시적인 국제 정치의 흐름을 개개인의 삶과 연결하는 서사적 능력에 있다. 가타스는 단순히 외교 문서나 연표를 나열하는 대신, 암살당한 지식인, 억압받는 여성, 변절할 수밖에 없었던 활동가들의 목소리를 통해 역사를 재구성한다. 이는 중동 문제를 <서구 대 이슬람> 또는 <수니 대 시아>라는 단순한 이분법으로 보려는 외부자의 시선을 교정해 준다.
종파주의라는 만들어진 괴물 이 책은 종파주의가 고대부터 이어져 온 본질적인 갈등이 아니라, 권력을 유지하려는 독재자들과 종교 지도자들이 전략적으로 조작하고 동원한 결과물임을 통찰력 있게 폭로한다. 사우디와 이란의 지배층은 내부의 불만을 외부의 적(타 종파)으로 돌리기 위해 종교를 도구화했다. 가타스의 분석에 따르면, 중동의 비극은 종교 그 자체의 결함이 아니라 권력을 위해 종교를 납치한 정치적 야욕에서 비롯된 것이다.
상실에 대한 애도와 희망의 모색 저자는 1979년 이전의 중동이 결코 완벽하지는 않았으나, 지금보다 훨씬 개방적이고 다원적이었음을 강조한다. 베이루트의 카페에서 토론이 벌어지고, 카이로의 영화가 지역을 휩쓸던 시절에 대한 묘사는 독자로 하여금 현재의 황폐함에 대해 깊은 안타까움을 느끼게 한다. 그러나 책의 후미에서 저자는 2019년 이라크와 레바논에서 일어난 반정부 시위를 언급하며, 종파주의의 벽을 넘으려는 젊은 세대의 움직임에서 희망의 불씨를 찾는다.
결론 <블랙 웨이브>는 현대 중동을 이해하려는 이들에게 필수적인 나침반과 같은 책이다. 킴 가타스는 냉철한 기자적 시각과 지역 출신으로서의 깊은 애정을 결합하여, 어떻게 정치가 종교를 오염시키고 한 지역의 영혼을 파괴했는지를 설득력 있게 증명했다. 이 책은 중동이 겪고 있는 고통이 필연적인 운명이 아니라 잘못된 선택들의 축적임을 말하며, 역설적으로 새로운 선택을 통해 그 어둠을 걷어낼 수 있다는 가능성을 시사한다.
세진님, 이 책은 특정 국가에 매몰되지 않고 세계적인 시각에서 역사를 바라보는 세진님의 관점과도 흥미롭게 맞닿는 지점이 있을 것 같습니다. 혹시 이 요약과 평론에서 더 깊게 다루고 싶은 특정 국가나 사건이 있으신가요?
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Review
Wonderfully readable ... A vivid, indispensable guide -- Ian Black, 'Book of the Week' ― Observer
The framing of Black Wave is as important as the content. Kim Ghattas portrays the last four decades across the Middle East as a kind of Islamic Dark Ages, a world dimmed behind a curtain of violence, misogyny, and religious extremism. In exploring how this blackness came to be, she both reminds us of a brighter past and holds out the possibility of a future of light. It's a powerful and important book -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of the New America Foundation
In this ambitious and highly readable book, Kim Ghattas tells the story of how Middle Eastern political and religious leaders betrayed their people. Her bold thesis that the events of 1979 scattered the seeds of destruction is revelatory and original. It is easy to despair but she finds hope too - only by understanding what happened can the next generation find a way forward -- Lindsey Hilsum ― International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of In Extremis
Brutally honest, perfectly researched and brilliantly written ... A must-read for outsiders and people in the region -- Marwen Muasher, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former minister of foreign affairs of Jordan
The book is packed with accounts of ambition, treachery and cruelty - with a wealth of historical detail down to the hour of the day... She serves up a wealth of human interest wrapped in ambience and atmosphere. She paints riveting portraits of the protagonists. ― Wall Street Journal
A compelling account of the entrenched rancour between two important countries in the Middle East. Emmy-winning journalist Ghattas details a depressing "race to the bottom" since 1979, but she also celebrates those courageously fighting for freedom in such a toxic environment. -- Books of the Month ― Observer
A timely and welcome guide ... Well-researched and elegantly written, Black Wave focuses on the lives of a number of key individuals - from guerrilla fighters, revolutionary clerics and spy chiefs to Sufi leaders and journalists. ― Financial Times
[A] blistering account ... Ghattas knows how to tell a cracking story ... Black Wave is a cri de coeur, an action-packed modern history written with the pace of a detective thriller -- Justin Marozzi ― Sunday Times
Sweeping and authoritative ... Ghatta's narrative upends ... Western misconception ― New York Times
A brilliant book, written with verve and style. It is not just essential reading, but thoroughly riveting as well. I could not put it down -- Peter Frankopan ― author of The Silk Roads
Skillfully written and scrupulously researched, Black Wave is an essential book in understanding the origins of the modern conflicts in the Middle East -- Lawrence Wright ― Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower
Brilliant ... Reveals in masterful detail the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and its pernicious effect on the wider region, from 1979 to the present day - a sharp and sobering analysis -- Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Fascinating ... Highly readable ... The publication of this book, Black Wave, could not be better timed -- James Barr, 'Book of the Week' ― The Times
Vivid reporting, deep analysis. This is a fascinating and important book. Kim Ghattas tracks the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran as it pulled the Middle East and the wider Muslim world out of shape. Black Wave is essential reading if you want to understand why the region slid into religious extremism and blood-soaked sectarianism -- Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East Editor and author of The Arab Uprisings
Profoundly moving ... There is a simmering anger not far below the surface of her book. It is a gripping tale. It is a tract for our times. Read and weep. But also, like Ghattas, allow yourself to hope. ― New Statesman
A brilliant piece of work. Ghattas reveals how the competition between Tehran and Riyadh led to the instrumentalization of Islam to destroy cosmopolitanism, force women to veil, and to mobilize sectarian extremists -- Emma Sky ― Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute and author of In a Time of Monsters
Review
[A] blistering account ... Ghattas knows how to tell a cracking story ... Black Wave is a cri de coeur, an action-packed modern history written with the pace of a detective thriller - Sunday Times
Fascinating ... Highly readable ... The publication of this book, Black Wave, could not be better timed - The Times
Wonderfully readable ... A vivid, indispensable guide - Observer
A brilliant book, written with verve and style. It is not just essential reading, but thoroughly riveting as well. I could not put it down - author of The Silk Roads
In this ambitious and highly readable book, Kim Ghattas tells the story of how Middle Eastern political and religious leaders betrayed their people. Her bold thesis that the events of 1979 scattered the seeds of destruction is revelatory and original. It is easy to despair but she finds hope too - only by understanding what happened can the next generation find a way forward - International Editor, Channel 4 News and author of In Extremis
Vivid reporting, deep analysis. This is a fascinating and important book. Kim Ghattas tracks the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran as it pulled the Middle East and the wider Muslim world out of shape. Black Wave is essential reading if you want
Read more
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Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East
Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East
Product details
ASIN : B07X4CK1FF
Publisher : Wildfire
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : 17 January 2020
==
==
From Australia
Michael M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Background to a lot of the Middle Easts most complicated problems.
Reviewed in Australia on 15 February 2021
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Some countries really have a lot to answer for the dilemma the innocent in the Middle East constantlly face. It is very easy to judge from a country afar, but peoples lives are constantly torn apart from no fault of there own. This book seeks to explain the Black Wave and other Middle East events that emminate from the year 1979. A great read, it really did open my eyes and people who think they know the region and its problems should take the time to absorb this book by a truly great author.
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Joshua
4.0 out of 5 stars PLEASE INCREASE THE FONT SIZE!!!
Reviewed in Australia on 4 February 2021
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Amazing book - but even when wearing my glasses I really struggled with the extremely small font size. They really need to fix this.
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From other countries
Adrian Teleaba
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
Reviewed in Germany on 1 December 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
👍👍👍👍👍! Excellent book! Should be read by everyone who wants to understand how whole countries can regress because of the abuse of religion and endless hypocrisy of the ruling class!
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Tipatipa
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy ready for complexe history
Reviewed in France on 13 January 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Very well detailed and frightening window into history and how it sadly repeats itself. When we see what happened again in Nov 2021 it's chilling how such an amazing people were given hope for 10 years and it was all gone in a flash and the black wave swept in.
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Ishaku Mshelia
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Reviewed in Canada on 18 March 2025
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Kim Ghattas’ Black wave is a must read for anyone interested in learning about the Middle East.
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Luiza Ribeiro - Brazil.
5.0 out of 5 stars Luiza
Reviewed in Brazil on 8 March 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Middle East is a puzzle, it is rich, fantastic and everything is interconnected. I recommend this book. Cheers from southern Brazil.
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SJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, with much more to learn
Reviewed in India on 18 March 2024
Verified Purchase
I must mention a couple other books that I read before 'Black Wave' (BW) which made it more accessible. 1) Rashid Khalidi's '100 years' war on Palestine...' and 2) more relevantly, a comprehensive history of the Middle East by Sydney Nettleton Fisher - my most in-depth understanding of Mid-East history even though it was last revised in 1967 (& covered the rise of islam, islamic kingdoms/caliphates, impact of euro imperialism, growth of republicanism, the religious right, coups, Israel etc). Thanks to this, I entered BW with some understanding of the background/political trajectory of the states covered in it.
Kim is not a historian but a reporter (stated upfront) and her writing reflects that. On the whole, BW is a compelling & illuminating read. Kim may not have intended some of my takeaways but here they are anyway - at one level, it reinforced my current understanding of the nexus between certain Arab rulers and the much maligned America/West (strange bedfellows and all that) in causing many of this region's problems - meaning it doesn't seem to have always been a West (alone) meddling in the Mid-East story. Caveat: I'm yet to read a proper Arab/Middle-East perspective (maybe Albert Hourani?) Yet, at another level, I went in expecting Kim's background to also call out the genuine tragedy of western interference exacerbating regional problems but there didn't seem to be too much censure in my opinion. Perhaps, this was not the intention. One thing Kim does want to counter is Western notions of Islam by establishing a divide between the large mass of open minded Mid East muslims and the fundamentalists who mislead them. Yet, this is the part where I'm not fully convinced. Not to paint all muslims as conservatives but from the vantage point of sitting in 2024 and hindsight etc, I feel that large masses of Muslims are indeed supportive of Sharia-based theocratic set up or Islamic democracy perhaps with state religion etc. (I understand that there will be a variety of views under this). The region's secular/liberal forces seem to have been far too inspired by the clinical west I think, ignoring or suppressing the natural religiosity of the common populace? Kim's language at this point seems too much in the old western liberal mould - "the nice guys are just like you folks and the face-veiling, sharia-touting ones are bad fundamentalists who the majority don't like". The gaining of power by religious right actors is presented as moments of deep societal shock and yet, the only people chosen to illustrate are those living and working in a slightly westernised/liberal elite world - TV presenters, actors, singers, writers etc.
Finally, as an Indian, I could not help notice the similarities between Hindutva and conservative Islamist thoughts - the religious right everywhere have pet peeves. For eg., the disdain for a liberal/secular worldview that is believed to be a total western import. (Though for some Hindutvadis, their dislike stems from the belief that it has done nothing for them and favoured only muslims/minorities at the expense of hindus/majority.)
Final takeaway - the book is definitely a great buy and highly informative, richly detailed. It has, like any good book, left me with many thoughts to grapple with - Islamophobia, rise of right/far-right ideologies all over, current state of secularism/liberalism discourse and its effectiveness in countering all of these pressures. It only pushes me to know more.
Report
Excellent! Objectively written with poise and eloquence. A must read for those interested in the region.
5.0 out of 5 stars With passion and poise
Reviewed in Poland on 27 May 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Excellently written! A must read for anyone interested in the region.
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Nibbio
5.0 out of 5 stars Must be read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Amazing! Excellent book based on hard work and research
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ConcernedCitizen
5.0 out of 5 stars Heroes, Villains and Understanding
Reviewed in the United States on 5 April 2020
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I have to say that I am in awe of Kim Ghattas’ magnum opus, Black Wave. It is a book filled with heroes and villains.
I have studied MENA on and off for years both professionally and personally, although my focus has at times been pushed by career needs to other regions of the world. I heard the stories of an officemate who had returned from Iran with the advent of the revolution. I only found out about the seizure of the American Tehran embassy when I purchased back copies of Time magazine in the Peking Hotel gift shop upon my return to Beijing from a month in the hinterlands of China. I had found my shortwave radio useless. At the time, I had thought the assassination of Park Chung-hee was the more momentous occurrence I had missed!
I was subsequently posted in the KSA servicing Aramco for over two years in the early eighties while the Iran-Iraq war was raging, and subject to censorship most noticeable by the torn pages removing cleavage from printed media. I was inspired during that assignment to return to graduate school in Denver, and I believe it was in 1985 that I worked closely on a seminar project with a young man named Javad Zarif, defending the right of the U.S. to use force to defend its interests in a debate with the other two members of the class. (An avowed supporter of Khomeini, he of course asserted the same right of Iran to do the same.) As recently as 2016 I visited the “discovery” well of the extension of the Iranian Yadavaran oil field into Iraq and a mine-clearing operation for much of the Operation Ramadan battlefield. It was sobering to realize that an estimated 15% of the 180,000 troops involved were killed or wounded in a six-week bloodletting 34 years earlier.
So my life, work experience and interests have been intertwined with the events described by Ms. Ghattas. Even with my voracious appetite for written perspectives on MENA in languages accessible to me, however, I still view myself as naïve in the region. Ghattas has filled in many gaps in my knowledge with her expansive account. I found it very readable, although slow going as I frequently put it down to further research specific subtopics or individuals. It will be worth a re-read at some point, and of course is a good reference. She barely touches upon the oil politics, and most of what has transpired in Libya, for instance, is beyond the scope of the book. She dissects the culture(s) of the region and the malignant effects upon it of the book’s two major protagonists, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The veiling she describes darkens the lives of not just women but everyone caught in the maelstrom unleashed by the religious fundamentalists.
Anyone who wants to understand the cauldron that is the Middle East must read this book. Anyone who wants to understand the dangers of religious fundamentalism should read this book.
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Gustav S.
5.0 out of 5 stars stunning
Reviewed in Sweden on 13 February 2024
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Readable for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the region.
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Samer KAYALI
5.0 out of 5 stars A great summary for middle east recent history
Reviewed in France on 2 May 2021
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A book that should be read by everyone who wants to understand middle east.. big thanks toi the author for this marvelous journey she offered us in the pages of this book
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Brian E. Johns
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview
Reviewed in Canada on 1 January 2024
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This is an excellent overview of the turmoil and turbulence of the Middle East dating back to 1979. If you want to understand the area, this is the book to start with! Highly recommended.
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Stephanie W.B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, In-depth Encapsulation of the Middle East post 1979
Reviewed in the United States on 1 October 2020
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This book is a vastly informative, in-depth resource detailing the parallel countries of Iran and Saudi Arabia post 1979 Iranian Revolution. It details the religious extremism that emerged post revolution, with the all powerful Supreme Leader Khomeini dictating the Iranian Shia Sufism outward and the promotion of Wahhabism by the al-Saud dynasty for Sunnis in the Muslim world radiating from Saudi Arabia.
The book powerfully captures the erosion of freedoms such as diversity of religious and political ideology as theocratic societies emerge with increasing extremism. The competition to proselytize the "correct" school of Muslim theology throughout the Middle East and the world and the increasingly violent sectarianism that was and is so destructive to the region (and the world) is clearly shown in historic and personal terms. The book captures the devastation of authoritarianism and the rise of religious extremism without solely focusing on the Western fear of terrorism, although the book provides context as to how and why groups like Al Qaeda, ISIS, the Taliban, Daesh, and Hezbollah develop and flourish and the destruction they cause.
The central emphasis of the book is how the absolute rule of men in positions of powers is corrosive and corrupting whether it comes in the form of government or religion, and that both religion and politics are often the tools of authoritarians, divisive so they can maintain and expand their power. This book is an excellent introduction to Middle Eastern affairs and despite complex and often unfamiliar concepts reads quickly and with suspense. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to better understand the Middle East beyond limited discussions of terrorists and terrorism.
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D. T. Staples
5.0 out of 5 stars An extra ordinary work
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 March 2020
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I must start by saying how well written this book is. It tells a complex story spanning decades, countries and hundreds of personalities in an engaging and informative manner. It has a great pace and never flags, a considerable achievement.
Secondly, it links the events of the past 40 years in the Middle East and establishes the links (people and money) between them. Starting with the Iranian revolution in 1979 it establishes how events in different countries relate to one another and the overriding animus between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
I was in Iran in 1979 and aware of whatever has subsequently transpired in this region - in Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi, Syria, and Yemen. This book effectively connects the dots at both a geo-political level and by telling personal stories of hose involved.
You can read the book in a tragic fashion looking at the mistakes and miss steps by many leaders, organisations and governments. These are not simply mistakes but in many cases malevolent decisions the have destroyed the lives of millions, destroyed the rich Arab and Persian culture and left an instability in the region that will be with us for years to come.
I can’t praise this book sufficiently.
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Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Großartiges Buch
Reviewed in Germany on 1 August 2025
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Miguel Angel Guerrero Prado
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Reviewed in Spain on 18 December 2020
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I bought this book because I’m interested in the Middle East global picture and I though it was going to analyze the complexities of this region in the last 40 years with so many actors and so many conflicting interests.
Unfortunately, the book falls very short of making a coherent analysis of these decades’ events, their causes and their consequences.
The book is written with a childish dichotomy between the good boys and the bad boys. The good boys are all who foster the western agenda and support the US and Israel politics (including a tyrant as the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi). The bad boys are all the Muslims who try to develop their own traditions. I am in not way a traditionalist and I am aware of the awful consequences of Muslim fundamentalism. But not all the Muslims who are trying to find an alternative way to the Western values are fundamentalists, terrorist, liars, and backstabbers, as the book claims. The book seems to have been written by a CIA apprentice.
The writing is light and easy to read, as it is akin to a magazine report. But it introduces a lot of insignificant and minor characters who don’t contribute anything to clarify the whole scene. Each chapter is kind of anecdotes and there is little connection between them.
To sum up, you can read this book as an entertainment, but you are not going to get any idea about the complexities of Middle East geostrategy, main actors, power’s agendas, and their real impact in world’s political, military and economic issues in the last 40 years.
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Abhishek Mishra
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing insight on Middle East
Reviewed in India on 3 January 2021
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Fascinating read that makes you appreciate the intricacies of Middle East politics and the factors that shaped it over the years. The shadow of events of1979 looms large and how it has affected everything since then is explained lucidly. A must-read for anyone wanting to understand middle east politics and dynamics.
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cer777
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Modern History Of the Middle East
Reviewed in Canada on 7 April 2020
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This is a great book to read to understand the conflicts in the Middle East.
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Ted
4.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing read.
Reviewed in the United States on 7 August 2022
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This book tells the broad story of the past 40+ years of the Middle East starting from the premise that three significant events in 1979 have shaped the region's path: the Iranian Revolution, the siege of Mecca, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
The story is told as a series of personal stories, relating the lives and fates of a number of important personalities from across the region with a narrative of how their thoughts and beliefs influenced and/or were impacted by the increasingly conservative Islamist narrative across the region. The author does a really good job of weaving it all together in a way in which the overlapping and cascading influences are laid out with clarity.
The author states at the outset that she wanted to understand "What happened to us?", in the context of understanding what were the events and influences that have resulted in the bitter Saudi-Iranian rivalry, the vicious wars in Syria and Yemen, the rise of ISIS, and a general trend towards increasingly conservative Islam in places like Egypt and Pakistan. She approached the question, as one would guess from its phrasing, from an empathetic perspective of the impacts of all of this on the ordinary citizens of the region. An engrossing read and highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the region.
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unsuwe
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear recommendation.
Reviewed in Germany on 1 September 2022
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Definitely the most interesting book I've read in 2022. Clear recommendation!
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PRADEEP
4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book
Reviewed in India on 11 January 2021
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I found this book to be very interesting as it throws light on issues plaguing Middle East due to Saudi-Iran rivalry. The author has touched upon every aspect and one could correlate with the bits and pieces one often comes across about Middle East politics. I strongly recommend reading this book.
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Tom Nor
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book but a difficult read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2020
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I found this book very absorbing but hard to read at times. It is very carefully edited with virtually no misprints, but it would benefit from more maps (e..g with population sizes, distribution Shia/Sunni split, oil output etc.), and a timeline of key events. There are no pictures which is a pity, it would add a lot - not just the people, who are many, but pictures of some of the locations and buildings mentioned. It is helpful that the author has a list of key people at the front, but it is not comprehensive - there are so many characters in the story ! - so I had to use the index (which is excellent). I also had to refer constantly to Wikipedia to find the population split of countries - the key detail that the countries in which what one might call a "double proxy war" (between US - Russia and Saudi-Iran) have significantly split Sunni-Shia populations was not clear from reading the text i.e. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan.
In terms of the content, it is excellent, but I didn't find the conclusion compelling. I think the author felt she had to "end well" despite little evidence through the book to suggest a happy ending. I felt a lot less hopeful after reading the book than when I started, that there would ever be an improvement to the situation in the Middle East. Finally, there wasn't much attention paid to the economic issues, which given that the author is an ex-FT journalist, is a bit disappointing, as this is a key aspect in thinking about the possible resolution of the problems and conflicts. Or, indeed, non-resolution.
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Oliver Chandler
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended. Most interesting book I've read this year.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2020
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In all honesty, the book is not quite what I was expecting, but it turned out to be better! I was anticipating an IR analysis of proxy conflicts, somewhat similar to Christopher Phillips 'The Battle for Syria', but with details about Iran backing Hizbollah in Lebanon and Syria and the Houthis in Yemen, with the Saudi's backing alternative militants and regimes across the regime to counter Iranian influence. While these conflicts are mentioned, this is not what the focus of the book. It is not a traditional IR analysis in that sense. However, do not let that put you off this book.
If anything this book has made me realise that a traditional IR analysis alone is insufficient to account for the progression of this rivalry and the current dynamics in the Middle East. This book delves into the ideologies within the various strands of political Islam and how from 1979, the Iranian Revolution and Saudi insecurity over their custodianship of Mecca led to increasingly conservative policies and a proliferation of Salifist ideology and sectarianism. At times some of the links between events in Pakistan or Egypt seemed a bit tenuous for the type of analysis I have been accustomed to in literature on this region, but they serve as examples of how Tehran and Riyad's respective drives towards religious piety transformed the narrative of political debate in the Middle East, culminating in the present conflict zones in Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
If you are looking for a detailed deconstruction of foreign meddling in Yemen or Syria, this is not your book (though they are both referenced). However, I would still recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn about the region and about political Islam. The book in written in an eloquent and captivating style, with local stories and local perspectives. I could not put it down!
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ZEA
5.0 out of 5 stars Black Wave is a Must Read
Reviewed in Canada on 3 November 2020
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An incredible, informative, extremely well written book. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to better understand the region and the insanity that has gripped it for so long. Thank you Ms. Ghattas for writing this. It should be required reading for all students of the Middle East and, more importantly, policy makers and politicians.
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Matti
3.0 out of 5 stars Content fine, book quality very low
Reviewed in Germany on 27 January 2021
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The content presented is very interesting and the style as well.
Unfortunately, the quality of the book is very poor (lowest quality of paper, small book with small print).
I would rather pay a few francs more only to enjoy the reading.
I sent it back and recommend ordering the kindle edition.
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Jaydeep Desai
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful!
Reviewed in India on 15 May 2020
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The book takes u on a journey of Understanding of Middle East culture and politics , and how due to few Bad Men , the many Good are suffering !
It also clears some belief that NOT only NATO , that is responsible for the mess , BUT also the local forces are equally to be blamed ..
And in the end , it’s the common man that gets caught into it and suffers .....
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Peter M. Beck
5.0 out of 5 stars A Timely and Important Book
Reviewed in the United States on 25 February 2020
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This is a timely and critically important book on the deepening tragedy that is the Middle East. Lebanese journalist Kim Ghattas explains the region through the prism of the Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry. She brings these two rich civilizations (and their neighbors) to life by showing them through the eyes of colorful individuals challenging the status quo. Her focal point is 1979. The year opened with the Iran’s Islamic Revolution and closed with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In between, the House of Saud survived a fundamentalist coup attempt. These three events would unleash what Ghattas calls a “Black Wave” of Islamic fundamentalism and war.
Three lessons I took from “Black Wave”:
1.) Muslim reformers are fighting a losing battle with extremists.
2.) The Middle East is its own worst enemy (not Israel and/or the United States).
3.) U.S. involvement in the Middle East almost always makes things worse.
The three most interesting people Ghattas profiles:
1.) Quassem Suleimani, Iranian military leader assassinated by Trump last month
2.) Masih Alinejad, Iranian exile in the U.S. fighting forced veiling
3.) Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi journalist butchered by his government in 2018
Middle Eastern Leader Most Like Trump: Saddam Hussein -- Flamboyance + False Piety
Biggest Omission: No discussion of the Iranian Hostage Crisis. This was very much tied to the 1979 Revolution and defined Iran for me as a kid.
I visited Egypt and Palestine in the early 1990s, so I have been following the region for almost 30 years, but this was my first book. Consequently, there were a few chapters where I found myself swimming in a sea of names and unfamiliar Arabic/Persian terms. Fortunately, Ghattas rewards us neophytes with wonderful writing, characters, and insights.
I wish I could share the optimism Ghattas expresses in her Conclusion, but almost all of her heroes are either dead or in exile. Unfortunately, I cannot discern a pathway out of the darkness. I will be peppering my Iranian-American hiking buddies with questions on our next hike!
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Imdad Ahmed
5.0 out of 5 stars Nicely written
Reviewed in India on 4 April 2025
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Good book for Non Arab readers. Authors writing style is very good. Also , the colonizing misadventures of USA & Israel need to be incorporated in the book.
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Sue Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Black wave
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 April 2026
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Gives a good understanding of some of the issues that exist in the Middle East
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Bob S
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
Reviewed in Canada on 22 June 2020
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The best overview on the challenges in the Middle East, history of how things became as they are now, and some ideas for a way forward to free its people from oppression and to find a better life in the modern world the way it is.
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adam
1.0 out of 5 stars Most information has to be checked!
Reviewed in Germany on 4 July 2022
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The author keeps mixing up her feelings and interpretations with the facts. It was an easy read, and the writing style was ok. However, the book lacks an in-depth knowledge of the subject.
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Jason Galbraith
5.0 out of 5 stars Between Despair and Hope
Reviewed in the United States on 6 February 2020
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Not since "The Great War for Civilization" have I read such a sweeping overview of recent Middle Eastern history and in many ways, this book is better (as well as more accessible). While Robert Fisk, the author of that book, mostly blamed the West for everything that had happened to the Middle East, Kim Ghattas mostly blames Iran, Saudi Arabia and their rivalry (even if this theory is somewhat undermined by the two countries' détente during the 1990s and early 2000s). While that book was mostly a story about loss of life, this book is a story about loss of intellectual and social freedom.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, since 1979, have both been out to prove that their models of Islam are the only valid ones. The Saudi government didn't understand that this would lead its citizens and proxies to turn on its own American protector, but far from cutting them loose, the Americans for their part have mostly blamed Iran (or minor players such as Saddam Hussein) and bucked up the pro-Saudi dictatorships holding power throughout most of the Sunni Muslim world. (I didn't say Ghattas takes us off the hook entirely.) These dictatorships turned to Islam as a source of legitimacy and increasingly cracked down not only on Western imports but their own cultural legacy of a more cosmopolitan Islam. Iran was doing the same thing as Saudi Arabia (on a smaller scale due to having less disposable income). Dissenters in both Iran and Saudi Arabia remember being told as children that if they enjoyed music, molten iron would be poured into their ears on Judgment Day.
Ghattas' book is also superior to Fisk's in that the story of the devolution of Iran, Saudi Arabia and various other countries in the region is told not through her own eyes but through the eyes of a panoply of freethinkers both male and female with whom she has cultivated relationships. She tells the stories of their evolution and martyrdom or escape to the West.
Only one of the people who escaped to the West eventually returned to live in the region, which is why unlike Ghattas, I am inclined to despair for the Middle East. I don't see how these countries can come back from the black hole into which the wave has swept them, especially given that people who want more freedom than currently on offer can simply move to the West. That pressure will prove irresistible to most, but perhaps there are exceptions. The young Saudi studying IT who lived in my boardinghouse might be one. I encouraged him to stay, but he went home to Saudi Arabia. If there is hope, it will be built upon by his generation. Five stars for the book.
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OhannesK
5.0 out of 5 stars Coverage and Anlysis
Reviewed in Canada on 28 August 2020
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Extremely well researches, very informative, highly recommend to readers interested in the region and the religion.
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5.0 out of 5 stars More Than Politics: Lives Behind the History
Reviewed in the United States on 13 April 2026
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I really enjoyed reading this book. Fitting so many events into fewer than 400 pages definitely isn’t easy, but Kim Ghattas pulls it off masterfully. What sets this book apart from other political history books is the stories of the people who actually lived that history, their struggles for freedom and their efforts to make things better.
Another thing I really loved was how the book touches on culture, art, and music across all the countries it covers; Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, and more. It moves beyond the stereotypical images of these places and gives a more real and nuanced picture of what they were like and why they changed.
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Wudja
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 August 2025
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Easy read, well written, full of really interesting and insightful context. Highly recommend if you want a solid view on the relationship and dynamics that define a region.
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Mateen
5.0 out of 5 stars The essential lowdown on what ails the middle East
Reviewed in India on 15 August 2021
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An incredible job of of painstaking and eye opening research which has culminated into this revelatory tome to the corruption, misrepresentation, misinterpretation of religion causing untold hardship to millions of people. GOD IS LOVE NOT HATE.
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SM
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read
Reviewed in India on 23 November 2023
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Unputdownable, gripping read. Must for those interested in understanding the forces that have shaped the Mid East of today
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Pseudo D
4.0 out of 5 stars sort it all out
Reviewed in the United States on 7 February 2020
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Kim Ghattas offers a study of the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia since the revolutions of 1979.
For most Americans, we are familiar with the Iranian revolution of '79 but know less about the changes
in Saudi Arabia and the Wahabi, which she describes as puritan, in order to provide an metaphor from
American history.
Ghattas begins with her own Lebanon. Despite being our focus as Americans since 2001, the Middle
East is confusing, so each chapter makes clear what country we are discussing and what year or years
the events took place. She then goes into Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Palestine
and Israel and of course the United States. But the organizing principle for interpretation is the
rivalry between the Sunni and Shia represented by Iran (Persia) and the Saudis. When the Obama
administration made the nuclear deal with Iran, it was shifting American policy from favoring
the Sunni toward the Shia side. This may have been influenced by Zbig Brzezinski's ideas about
the balance of power in books such as the Grand Chessboard (my guess, that has nothing to
do with the book). The Trump administration has moved back toward the alliance with the Saudi
and Sunni side of the dispute. Ghattas says that both Iran and Saudi Arabia feared ISIS, but they
hated each other more.
Ghattas provides helpful metaphors and analogies from American culture to deal with all these names.
For instance, the Wahabi is puritanical where the Ayatollah was radical and revolutionary, even though
the practices may look similar, because their relationship to previous history was different. She'll say
that so and so is the "Audrey Hepburn" of the country she's discussing. There are also musical references
like Joan Baez and Led Zeppelin to show the interaction of cultures. Her perspective is basically liberal
and feminist but not from a Western standard, we're talking about issues like "driving a car" which became
a big thing with the Saudis. Although I didn't see his name, there's a lot of the radical scholar Edward Said
and the theory of Orientalism. But the specific project of the book is to answer Bernard Lewis' question
of "What Went Wrong" in the last 41 years.
Among the major events are the Iran-Iraq war, the Gulf War of 1990-91, 9/11 and bin Laden/al Qaeda,
and the wars in Syria. There's not a lot about Christians, although there were some mentions of their
difficulties. From her Lebanese perspective, Ghattas says that the colonials gave power to the Christians,
so the anti-Christian violence is partly anti-Western or anti-European. The concluding major event
was the assassination of Jamal Kashoggi and the new crown prince MBS, who has claimed to be
modernizing but is a disturbing authoritarian. There is a reference to the Saudis' desire for Suleimani
to surrender, but he has since been killed by America. So while the book finished just a few months ago,
the story keeps changing.
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cynewulf
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent exposition of why the people of the Middle East only have themselves to blame
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 December 2020
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This is a very well-written and easily readable evaluation of how the people of the Middle East have brought their current predicament upon themselves. Impeccably researched, it is one of the very few books that does not criticise colonialists, Zionists, the USA etc but explains that the root of the problems is the way in which gullible masses were hijacked by fundamentalist fanatics.
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Joe Skinner
1.0 out of 5 stars Lost in minutiae
Reviewed in Canada on 27 July 2020
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If you are looking for an understanding of the forty year rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, this book is not for you. It is a series of loosely connected profiles of a large number of individuals. It jumps from place to place and from time to time. You won't gain a high level understanding of what actually went on. Iran clearly had and has a long-range strategy for spreading its power and influence in the region but you won't learn what it has been from this text.
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agni
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind blowing
Reviewed in India on 19 November 2020
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extensive research and she covered exactly what should be covered for a book like this. If someone needed to understand completely the reason for the religious politics in the middle east and the lives of people This book is very much recommended.
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Sanjay
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating history of the Middle East in great writing style
Reviewed in the United States on 6 March 2024
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The ripple effect of well intended and horribly informed decisions has been massive. This was a great read, the writing style is very compelling and the stories of are super informative. Kim's competence and expertise show throughout the book. Wish I could write as well as her. The people that caused so much unrest in the middle east are all out of office or dead. It's time the west stopped interfering in other countries.
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B. Ryan
4.0 out of 5 stars The March of Islamic intolerance
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 April 2020
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This is an important book, well researched and fundamental to understanding what has happened in the Middle East in the last four decades. The main argument is that the competition between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Shia v Sunni, has driven each side to compete to prove which has the purest and most authentic version of Islam. The result has been a disaster for the Middle East and for the lives of its inhabitants. There is no doubt that the western powers have not helped with their interventions or lack of them. As someone living in Europe The threat from Iran seems limited to their neighbours: except of course their desire for nuclear weapons and the threat to Israel could trigger WW111. Ahmadinejad’s speech at the UN was pretty scary. Saudi Arabia , on the other hand, seems intent on exporting its Wahhabism world wide and is probably the greater threat. The book does not pursue this much beyond its corruption of Pakistan. Hopefully, there will be a sequel detailing its funding of extreme Islam in Europe and beyond.
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wendall richesin
5.0 out of 5 stars Black Wave
Reviewed in the United States on 28 November 2025
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A very readable book. I did struggle understanding the different aspects of Islam, but this book gave me a much greater understanding of what happened in Iran and the Middle East and what is happening in now.
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ü áíôçñïðùò êáêüò
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book. Can help dispel some negative preconceptions.
Reviewed in the United States on 29 February 2020
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Haven't finished the book but I have found it to be good. "Enjoyable" is not the adjective to use with regard to Ms. Ghattas subject matter. I feel the book to be even-handed (at least up to where I'm at) but not soulless, at times I feel I can sense her feelings on a particular subject, it would be unfathomable for to have none, but not to the point where I feel like I'm compelled share in agreement or risk being forsaken.
I do have a bias on the subject, as an American I have more than a few Middle Eastern friends and am fortunate to count a handful of Iranians among them. Moreover, having been fortunate enough spend some time in some of the safer countries in the region, I have found these people to be very kind and far less distant from strangers and foreigners than than I would expect, even if I were one of their own.
That personal experience is to say, I feel Ms. Ghattas book explains some of the things many modern Westerners (or maybe it's just an American thing) don't know about the history of the region. I also appreciate the fact that I can talk with my parents about their memories of the fall of the Shah, hostages, and the recent history of Iran and the Saudis; a history they remember that is still playing out.
Anyway, I will confess, that while the book is good so far and seems relatively neutral, it does leave my heart aching and nostalgic for a time I never knew in countries I've never seen and makes me love my friends more.
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Lark
3.0 out of 5 stars Historical Facts Misrepresented
Reviewed in the United States on 16 March 2020
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Have started my reading of this book. It's definitely a well-written book, easy read for sure. However, I've noticed a trend of seamless/hidden affection for the Pahlavi's. Will have to read more to fairly judge where the trend is going to take me. So far not so bad though. I'll update more when I finish reading.
3/30/2020 UPDATE: I finished reading the book and have been thinking about it.
Apart from the fact that most of the book rotates around personal stories, Kim has misguided readers by stating some of her opinions as facts. There are many instances of this, Al Saud war on Yemenis is one. Yemen's Army and government have been behind the Houthi movement. Only after Al Saud's insisted that Hadi to still be the president and forced him to come back, they had a government in-exile. Hadi had resigned weeks before that. Another point, Kim completely fails to mention that Iran is in Syria because it was asked to help Syrian government, same for Russia. Uncle Sam did interfere in Syria and still has Army units in there. Uncle Sam's involvement in Syria was very big before Trump took power. He put an end to all those activities. I am sure Kim knows the current alliances in Lebanon and who protects who against violence but once more, she fails to bring that up, I believe on purpose, to portray a negative image of politics in Lebanon.
Most of the protests in Iran that Kim so passionately writes about happened in upscale neighborhoods of select cities and yes she's right they do happen but that is not the sentiment represented by the majority of (85 million) people in Iran. Ahmadinejad's election was predicted in multiple pre-election polls and he was projected to win. I clearly remember reading about it.
Moreover, I'd like to remind Kim that Persia is the colonial name given to Iran by colonialists. For millennia, Iran has been called Iran in Iran and surrounding countries. There's proof of that in the literature. This leads me to mention without any doubt that a country with 12000 years of civilization more than 2500 years of which in written history cannot be compared with the tribesman from Al Saud but Kim obviously thinks otherwise.
In the end, I do recommend this book but take it with a grain of salt and don't believe everything in it. Mostly, it's stories not history.
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Jack91
5.0 out of 5 stars What happened to us?
Reviewed in the United States on 26 November 2020
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
A well told story, weaving together 40 years of history to explain how the modern middle east and Pakistan came to be. Unfortunately, this is the story of tyranny and oppression, and the people that Ms. Ghattas profiles are the only glimmer of hope in a place where religion has been coopted to serve the needs of dictators.
To me, the things that the author infers to and leaves unsaid are the most important and interesting parts of the book. On one level the author describes the “black wave” as the sweeping changes that have taken place in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt since 1979. Changes that have resulted in a loss of individual liberties and created either Sunni or Shia dominated police states. On another level the black wave is a symbol of resistance to this oppression. Woman who are obligated to wear the black face covering niqaab’s and until recently, not permitted to drive in Saudi Arabia, represent the other black wave. Their public protests and use of other means to question authority may be the seeds for a more hopeful future.
I appreciate that Ms. Ghattas was able to put this history into an approachable one volume work. To accomplish this, the author focuses on the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia; the Arab spring, Libyan revolution, and the US military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq are discussed in general terms, and only as they relate to this 40 year rivalry.
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melissa dougherty
2.0 out of 5 stars 2/5
Reviewed in the United States on 3 April 2026
Verified Purchase
Book arrived on time but it is either pre-owned or quality control is lacking. Not sure which is worse.
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John Sheldon
3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating but frustrating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 2020
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This is definitely an important book. It is thoroughly researched and, on the whole, it is well-written (my only caveat is that the author's journalistic style sometimes seems disjointed and the narrative flow gets disrupted).
The strength of the book lies in the stories of individuals and groups. The author manages to bring their beliefs, motivations and actions to life in a fascinating way. The weakness of the book also lies in these stories. In many places, I felt I was drowning in the sheer weight of the facts, names and relationships. Too often, the chapters are overloaded with details.
As a result, the book appears to be light on analysis and it is difficult to follow the overall narrative. The initial emphasis on 1979 is very interesting. The rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia is the central focus of the book and is covered well. But the author strays into many other conflicts and issues and it is not always clear why she has chosen some and not others. Yemen, Syria, Lebanon (except Hezbollah), Gaza, Afghanistan and Jordan are covered relatively lightly. Pakistan and Egypt receive a lot of attention.
Sometimes, I get the sense that the complexities are being treated too simplistically. For example, much of the treatment of Pakistan focuses on President Zia Ul-Haq himself and the other political and religious driving forces are not covered much (I'm not sure that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is even mentioned). The history of the PLO and other Palestinian groupings, especially Hamas, doesn't fit neatly into the Iran-KSA divide, and so on.
In summary, a great idea. I don't regret reading the book but I did find it hardgoing.
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