The Middle East category has 186 audiobooks on Listento.it, with an average listener rating of 4.3★ across 560 ratings. The most-rated is The Crusades.
12 Strong
Summary
"A thrilling action ride of a book" (The New York Times Book Review) - from Jerry Bruckheimer in theaters everywhere January 19, 2018 - the New York Times best-selling, true-life account of a US Special Forces team deployed to dangerous, war-ridden Afghanistan in the weeks following 9/11.
Previously published as Horse Soldiers, 12 Strong is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. Outnumbered 40 to one, they pursued the enemy army across the mountainous Afghanistan terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city. Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn.
During a surrender of 600 Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers were ambushed by the would-be POWs. Dangerously overpowered, they fought for their lives in the city's immense fortress, Qala-i-Janghi, or the House of War. At risk were the military gains of the entire campaign: If the soldiers perished or were captured, the entire effort to outmaneuver the Taliban was likely doomed.
"A riveting story of the brave and resourceful American warriors who rode into Afghanistan after 9/11 and waged war against Al Qaeda" (Tom Brokaw), Doug Stanton's account touches the mythic. The soldiers on horses combined ancient strategies of cavalry warfare with 21st century aerial bombardment technology to perform a seemingly impossible feat. Moreover, their careful effort to win the hearts of local townspeople proved a valuable lesson for America's ongoing efforts in Afghanistan. With "spellbinding...action packed prose...The book reads more like a novel than a military history...the Horse Soldier's secret mission remains the US military's finest moment in what has since arguably been a muddled war" (USA Today).
©2009 Simon and Schuster, Inc.; 2009 Reed City Productions
The CIA War in Kurdistan
Summary
In 2002, Sam Faddis was named to head a CIA team that would enter Iraq to facilitate the deployment of follow-on conventional military forces numbering more than 40,000 American soldiers. This force, built around the 4th Infantry Division, would, in partnership with Kurdish forces and with the assistance of Turkey, engage Saddam's army in the North as part of a coming invasion. Faddis expected to be on the ground in Iraq within weeks, the entire campaign likely to be over by summer. The 4th Infantry Division never arrived, nor did any other conventional forces in substantial number. The Turks not only refused to provide support, they worked overtime to prevent the United States from achieving success. And an Arab army that was to assist US forces fell apart before it ever made it to the field. Alone, hopelessly outnumbered, short on supplies, and threatened by Iraqi assassination teams and Islamic extremists, Faddis' team, working with Kurdish Peshmerga, miraculously paved the way for a brilliant and largely bloodless victory in the North and the fall of Saddam's Iraq. That victory, handed over to Washington and the Department of Defense on a silver platter, was then squandered. The decisions that followed would lead to catastrophic consequences that continue to this day.
©2020 Sam Faddis (P)2020 Tantor
The Ottoman Endgame
Summary
An astonishing retelling of 20th-century history from the Ottoman perspective, delivering profound new insights into World War I and the contemporary Middle East. Between 1911 and 1922, a series of wars would engulf the Ottoman Empire and its successor states, in which the central conflict, of course, was World War I - a story we think we know well. As Sean McMeekin shows us in this revelatory new history of what he calls the "wars of the Ottoman succession", we know far less than we think. The Ottoman Endgame brings to light the entire strategic narrative that led to an unstable new order in postwar Middle East - much of which is still felt today. The Ottoman Endgame: War, Revolution, and the Making of the Modern Middle East draws from McMeekin's years of groundbreaking research in newly opened Ottoman and Russian archives. With great storytelling flair, McMeekin makes new the epic stories we know from the Ottoman front, from Gallipoli to the exploits of Lawrence in Arabia, and introduces a vast range of new stories to Western listeners. His accounts of the lead-up to World War I and the Ottoman Empire's central role in the war itself offers an entirely new and deeper vision of the conflict. Harnessing not only Ottoman and Russian but also British, German, French, American, and Austro-Hungarian sources, the result is a truly pioneering work of scholarship that gives full justice to a multitiered war involving many belligerents. McMeekin also brilliantly reconceives our inherited Anglo-French understanding of the war's outcome and the collapse of the empire that followed. The book chronicles the emergence of modern Turkey and the carve up of the rest of the Ottoman Empire as it has never been told before, offering a new perspective on such issues as the ethno-religious bloodletting and forced population transfers that attended the breakup of empire, the Balfour Declaration, the toppling of the caliphate, and the partition of Iraq and Syria - bringing the contemporary consequences into clear focus. Every so often, a work of history completely reshapes our understanding of a subject of enormous historical and contemporary importance. The Ottoman Endgame is such a book, an instantly definitive and thrilling example of narrative history as high art.
©2015 Sean McMeekin (P)2015 Recorded Books
Akkadian Empire - A History from Beginning to End
Summary
The Akkadian Empire was one of the first empires in human history and certainly the first to involve the central government of a large, multi-ethnic populace. It also introduced things like the very first postal system and facilitated advances in science, art, and medicine. The heart of the empire, the city of Akkad, became the most important trading center in the ancient world and one of the largest cities in the world. Then, in a relatively short time, the empire disintegrated, and the city itself was abandoned. Now, we don’t even know where the city of Akkad was located. How is this possible? How could an empire that controlled most of the civilized world suddenly fall apart? Successors of the Akkadians thought that they had the answer. Many texts from the Babylonians and others talk of the Curse of Akkad, a curse placed on the empire after its king offended the gods, which led to its destruction. For thousands of years, historians assumed that the story of the curse was nothing more than a quaint legend. However, modern research shows that the Akkadian Empire was most likely destroyed by a cataclysmic change as a result of sudden and unprecedented climate change.
©2018 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Eridu
Summary
"After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridu." - Excerpt from the opening paragraph of the Sumerian King List Emerging from the desert flats of southern Iraq can be seen the remains of a large mound, approximately 1750 feet x 1750 feet in size, surrounded by several smaller mounds. Known today as Tell Abu Shahrain, or in the ancient world as Eridu, this site contains some of best examples of the Ubaid culture, and it was one of the first urban centers of civilization in southern Mesopotamia, if not the first itself. Many famous stories came from the mythical landscapes of Iraq's deep south. In the literature of ancient Sumer, Eridu was regarded as the primordial city, the first urban center, believed to have existed long before the great mythical flood that wiped out human culture in the Book of Genesis and other earlier traditions. It was to places like this that Western explorers first came in the 19th century, searching for the origins of the lands which the Bible described as the cradle of the human race. In doing so, they discovered that Eridu was also a real place. The astonishing site is located about eight miles southwest of the Sumerian city of Ur, and when it was first excavated in the mid-19th century, Western archaeologists were confused as to how a city as large as this could have existed in such a vast and waterless desert. But Eridu is positioned on the edge of the great alluvial plain of Sumer, a wild and beautiful marshland where the Tigris and the Euphrates meet. This was the Biblical "Garden of Eden", an ancient landscape that was renowned for its fertility in the past.
©2016 Charles River Editors (P)2017 Charles River Editors
Arabian Sands
Summary
Arabian Sands is Wilfred Thesiger’s stunning account of five years spent crossing the Arabian Peninsula by foot and on camels, with nomadic Bedouin tribesmen as guides. Travelling between 1945 and 1950, the British explorer treks through Yemen, the Empty Quarter, Oman, and parts of the then Trucial States, crossing and re-crossing around 250,000 miles of this most inhospitable terrain. He was the first European ever to set eyes on the dunes and wadis of these deserts. Faced with constant challenges and trials beneath the punishing sun, his journey is also spiritual and enriching, as it requires the utmost courage, patience, generosity, and humor. In clear and evocative prose, Thesiger documents a journey of unimaginable hardship and startling beauty, as well as a time, place, and people on the cusp of change. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©1959 Wilfred Thesiger (P)2018 Naxos AudioBooks
Nubian Origins of Egyptian Predynastic Civilization
Summary
Without Nubia there would have been no dynastic Egypt! The origins of the ancient Egypt we all know and love lie in the predynastic cultures of southern Egypt. This culture created the world's first city known as Hierakonpolis around 3800 BC. The Egyptians called it Nekhen. In this city was found evidence of the first temple, the first pottery factory, the first brewery, the first image of the Falcon Horus. Hierakonpolis was part of the Naqada predynastic culture of southern Egypt which began around 4000 BC. It was located around 100 miles from Aswan in present-day Nubia. Few people, however, are aware of the technical accomplishments and cultural impulses that came to Hierakonpolis from Lower and Upper Nubia. It made possible the economic and military expansion that created the Egyptian civilization of dynastic times. Without Nubia there would have been no Hierakonpolis! PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2013 Gert Muller (P)2015 Gert Muller
Suleiman the Magnificent: A Captivating Guide to the Longest-Reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Summary
Explore the captivating history of Suleiman the Magnificent! Suleiman I probably knew of other monarchs and celebrities we might recognize: Ferdinand and Isabella II of Aragon; King Henry VIII and his infamous trail of wives; and Charles the V, the Holy Roman emperor who dressed in black for the majority of his life. Columbus had set off to sail the ocean blue just two years before Suleiman’s birth. William Shakespeare was just two years old when Suleiman died, as was Galileo Galilei. During his reign, Suleiman the Magnificent guided the Ottoman Empire through its golden age of trade and expansion. His reign changed the face of the world and the lives of millions of people, and his name echoes down to us in the present day. Suleiman the Magnificent wasn’t quite like any other sultan before or after him. This audiobook explains why. In Suleiman the Magnificent: A Captivating Guide to the Longest-Reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, you will discover topics such as: The world before Suleiman I Succession Lover, poet, and patron of the arts Father Friend Campaigner Statesman And much, much more So listen to this audiobook now if you want to learn more about Suleiman the Magnificent!
©2018 Captivating History (P)2018 Captivating History
Sarmatians and Scythians
Summary
If you want to discover the captivating history of the Sarmatians and Scythians, then pay attention.... Masters of the horse, the Scythians and Sarmatians opened the Eurasian Steppe to nomadic civilizations like it had never seen before. For the first time, a group of tribes sharing a common culture called the Steppe their home, adapting themselves to its harshness. Born out of this environment, a very particular way to live was adopted and later spread to peoples of Central Asia - the pastoral nomadic lifestyle. It would be the bane of organized armies of great empires, as the excellent mobility granted by their superior horse-riding skills were no match compared to the slow, organized infantry. The tale of the Scythians and Sarmatians have lasted through history, and although they had not one written historical record of their own, their presence was registered by dozens of classical historians. More importantly, though, their precious burial tombs still retained some of the civilizational remains of this extraordinary group of peoples. In Sarmatians and Scythians: A Captivating Guide to the Barbarians of Iranian Origins and How These Ancient Tribes Fought Against the Roman Empire, Goths, Huns, and Persians, you will discover topics such as Origins of the Scythians and Sarmatians Art, culture, and religion Economy and society Warfare and conquest End of the Scythians and Sarmatians And much, much more! So if you want to learn more about Sarmatians and Scythians, buy now!
©2020 Captivating History (P)2020 Captivating History
The Sumerians: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
The Sumerians settled in the area known as Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, around 5,000 years ago. They produced many fundamental changes to the way in which human societies developed - these were the first city-builders, the first people to use wheeled vehicles, the first methodical astronomers, and the first people to develop a sophisticated written language. The Sumerians also produced art, music, and literature as well as created some of the first professional soldiers the world had ever seen. But for all that we know about the Sumerians, one central mystery remains: We have no idea where the Sumerians came from when they suddenly arrived in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago. Many people have put forward answers ranging from the plausible to the esoteric to the (literally) out of this world, but none of the solutions suggested to date appears to provide a complete or final answer. From this audiobook you will learn about... The Black Heads Arrive The Conquest of Sumer Sumerian Society and Religion Technology and Writing Music and Art Mysteries of the Sumerians And much more! When looking at how Homo sapiens have developed from primitive tribes of hunter-gatherers to today’s urban dwellers, the Sumerians represent one of the biggest and most dramatic single periods of change ever achieved by the human race. This is the story of the advanced, ingenious, and mysterious Sumerians.
©2018 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Discover Morocco: The Ultimate Travel Guide for Exploring Morocco Like a Local
Summary
Are you planning a vacation in Morocco? Do you want to be well prepared and well informed before you leave? Now you can ready to enjoy the delights of this fascinating and historical country, packed with bazaars, stunning beaches, friendly people and delicious food, with Discover Morocco: The Ultimate Travel Guide for Exploring Morocco Like a Local. Inside this book, you will discover plenty of interesting facts and information about Morocco, to help you get the most out of your trip, including: What you will need before you leave? Places to visit? Things to do in Morocco? Recommended accommodation? Things to be wary of? And much more! Morocco is a magical country with a culture unlike any other country and with this book you will have a head-start when it comes to knowing much more about the people and their customs. It is ideal for taking with you as you travel, always keeping close at hand if you get stuck for ideas or knowledge.
©2017 Joe Stanton (P)2017 Joe Stanton
Israel for Travelers
Summary
The Best and Most Unique Israel Travel Guide When you decide to choose Israel for your next holiday, you know that you are in for the best experience of your life. There are so many things to see and discover in Israel, with the mix of new and old being almost intoxicating. History tells us that this is a relatively new country, despite being located on what can only be described as an ancient land. Israel is the country where three religions meet (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), and this makes up for the most unique traveling experience. Let this audiobook guide you to the many places that you must see in Israel to take full advantage of your once in a lifetime trip. This audiobook is filled with suggested places to stay, from budget to luxurious, places to visit, local cuisines to try, and places to shop. All these suggested itineraries have been experienced firsthand and are all highly recommended to tourists. Experience a whole new world when you come and visit Israel. In this total guide you will find: Areas covered: history lessons/Jerusalem/Tel Aviv/best beaches/surfing/adventure land off-road trips/wildlife spotting/Israel towns/medical tourism/learn Hebrew in Israel/cooking and drinking/accommodation/staying safe/music/festivities General information of each area Area transportation (how to get around - i.e., car, bus, taxi, train, bicycle, etc. - and how much it would cost) Sightseeing (best sights to see, off the beaten path) Best shopping (where the major shopping districts are and what they are known for) Bargain alternatives (where the locals shop to avoid the high tourist gouging) Things to do (recreation outdoor, indoor events, and festivals) Local food specialties Farmer's, fish, and meat markets (locations, dates, and times of various markets) Language, political, and etiquette considerations (What the average tourist should know and how to get along with the locals. Type of currency used and types of places that exchange currency.) Seasonal considerations (typical high and low temperatures, if there is a rainy season, if it snows, floods, or is known for "heavy weather") Comfort services (massage, hair and nail salons, spas, etc.) Essential services (embassy locations, medical facilities, law enforcement, etc.) Area specific discounts and coupons So, purchase now this Israel total guide and start traveling as you listen!
©2018 Brenda Caizza (P)2018 Brenda Caizza
How the West Stole Democracy from the Arabs
Summary
When Europe's Great War engulfed the Ottoman Empire, Arab nationalists rose in revolt against the Turks. The British supported the Arabs' fight for an independent state and sent an intelligence officer, T. E. Lawrence, to join Prince Faisal, leader of the Arab army and a descendant of the Prophet. In October 1918, Faisal, Lawrence, and the Arabs victoriously entered Damascus, where they declared a constitutional government in an independent Greater Syria. At the Paris Peace Conference, Faisal won the support of President Woodrow Wilson. However, other Entente leaders at Paris - and later San Remo - schemed against the Arab democracy, which they saw as a threat to their colonial rule. On March 8, 1920, the Syrian-Arab Congress declared independence and crowned Faisal king of a "representative monarchy". Rashid Rida, a leading Islamic thinker of the day, led the constituent assembly to establish equality for all citizens, including non-Muslims, under a full bill of rights. But France and Britain refused to recognize the Damascus government and instead imposed a system of mandates on the Arab provinces of the defeated Ottoman Empire. Under such a mandate, the French invaded Syria in April 1920, crushing the Arab government and sending Faisal and Congress leaders in flight to exile.
©2020 Elizabeth F. Thompson (P)2020 Tantor
Achaemenid Empire: A Captivating Guide to the First Persian Empire Founded by Cyrus the Great, and How This Empire of Ancient Persia Fought Against the Ancient Greeks in the Greco-Persian Wars
Summary
Did you know that the Achaemenid Persian Empire stretched from North Africa to Central Asia? If ranked by population percentage, the Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire, is the largest Empire the world has ever seen with 44 percent of the world’s population belonging to it. But despite its remarkable conquests, riches, and astonishing achievements in fields such as engineering, the Achaemenid Empire has remained shrouded in mystery. But that is about to change. In this new captivating history audiobook, you will discover the truth about this startling empire. In Achaemenid Empire: A Captivating Guide to the First Persian Empire Founded by Cyrus the Great, and How This Empire of Ancient Persia Fought Against the Ancient Greeks in the Greco-Persian Wars you will: Discover how the Achaemenid Empire got its start, as well as the conditions that allowed their culture to grow and prosper. Learn how Cyrus the Great came to power and the remarkable ways in which he and his successors ruled the empire. Get insights into the Achaemenid style of warfare, including rituals, strategies, and tactics they used to conquer their foes, as well as how they protected themselves against intruders. Learn about the roles and obligations of the people, who and how they worshipped, including their beliefs. Discover how the royalty lived in lavish luxury and how they had other people carry out their wishes. Learn about the rituals that were part of their daily lives, and how those rituals were performed. Discover little-known facts such as the cause that ultimately led to their downfall, the lessons learned from their history, and what we can take away as a modern society. And much, much more! So if you want to learn about the Achaemenid Persian Empire without having to go through boring textbooks, buy this audiobook today!
©2018 Captivating History (P)2018 Captivating History
My House in Damascus
Summary
How did Syria’s revolution reach its current boiling point? And what’s next? This updated edition of My House in Damascus offers an insider’s view on these questions and the darker recesses of Syria’s history, politics, and society. Diana Darke, a fluent Arabic speaker who moved to Damascus in 2004 after decades of regular visits, details how the Assad regime, and its relationship to the people, differs from the regimes in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya - and why it was thus always less likely to collapse quickly, even in the face of widespread unrest and violence. Through the author’s firsthand experiences of buying and restoring a house in the old city of Damascus, which she later offered as a sanctuary to friends, Darke presents a clear picture of the realities of life on the ground and what hope there is for Syria’s future. Including additional material on topics like the advance of the Islamic State, as well as a new epilogue describing the current turmoil surrounding her house and the refugees she tried to help, this edition of My House in Damascus powerfully documents the human cost of the ongoing civil war.
©2014 Diana Darke (P)2019 Diana Darke
The Road to Oxiana
Summary
In 1933, Robert Byron set off from Venice with his friend Christopher Sykes to explore the architecture of the Middle East. Their long and arduous journey took them from Cyprus and Jerusalem to Syria, Iraq, Persia, Afghanistan, and finally, Oxiana, a tiny country around the river Oxus, the Greek name for the river Amu Darya, which snakes down from Russia into Afghanistan. They travel by any means necessary (truck, camel, horses, and foot), and encounter several setbacks, but their risks are rewarded as they encounter some of the greatest examples of Eastern art and architecture, many of which have now vanished forever. Funny and erudite, The Road to Oxiana's combination of exquisite lyricism, detail, and humor gave birth to a new kind of travel literature, serving as inspiration for later writers such as Bruce Chatwin, Peter Matthiesson, and Jan Morris. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©1937 Robert Byron (P)2019 Naxos AudioBooks
The Ancient Black Hebrews and Arabs
Summary
The evidence from the Bible describes the ancient Hebrews as being Afro-haired and Black. Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon were Black. Pictures of the ancient Hebrews show this part of Biblical record to be accurate. Most people do not know that the original Arabs of ancient times were Black. This audiobook quotes ancient authorities and the ancient Arabs themselves to show that they were considered by themselves, and others, as Black. It also demonstrates how the Arabs became more intermixed with time. A must buy for those interested in ancient Asiatic Black people!
©2013 Gert Muller and Anu M'Bantu (P)2014 Gert Muller and Anu M'Bantu
Zero Six Bravo
Summary
The No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling modern classic: A Bravo Two Zero for the Second Gulf War. They were branded as cowards and accused of being the British Special Forces Squadron that ran away from the Iraqis. But nothing could be further from the truth. Ten years on, the story of these sixty men can finally be told. In March 2003 M Squadron - an SBS unit with SAS embeds - was sent 1,000 kilometres behind enemy lines on a true mission impossible, to take the surrender of the 100,000-strong Iraqi Army 5th Corps. From the very start their tasking earned the nickname 'Operation No Return'. Caught in a ferocious ambush by thousands of die-hard fanatics from Saddam Hussein's Fedayeen, plus the awesome firepower of the 5th Corps' heavy armour, and with eight of their vehicles bogged in Iraqi swamps, M Squadron launched a desperate bid to escape, inflicting massive damage on their enemies. Running low on fuel and ammunition, outnumbered, outmanoeuvred and outgunned, the elite operators destroyed sensitive kit and prepared for death or capture as the Iraqis closed their deadly trap. Zero Six Bravo recounts in vivid and compelling detail the most desperate battle fought by British and allied Special Forces trapped behind enemy lines since World War Two. It is a classic account of elite soldiering that ranks with Bravo Two Zero and the very greatest Special Forces missions of our time.
©2013 Damien Lewis (P)2014 WF Howes Ltd
Ancient Egypt
Summary
Explore the captivating history of ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating and sophisticated civilizations in the known history. The ancient Egyptians are remembered by their gods, pyramids, pharaohs, mummification, hieroglyphs, agriculture, and much more. This audiobook reveals the secrets of the captivating world of ancient Egypt and the intriguing stories of its celebrities, such as the Akhenaten, Ramses the Great, Queen Cleopatra, and the boy-king Tut. You’ll learn about mighty gods and the magical link between the sun and the people of Egypt, and explore the horrendous burial rituals that warranted a safe path to the afterlife. Find out the secrets of one of the most magnificent societies that ever existed and discover why it still manages to seize the attention of the world. Some of the topics covered in this audiobook include: Who Were Ancient Egyptians - Their Origins, History, and Geography Who Held the Power: The Social Structure of Ancient Egypt Kings and Their Military Power The Magnificent Pharaohs of the New Kingdom and Their Empire The Decay and End of the Egyptian Civilization A Romance, Politics, and Tragedy: The Story of Cleopatra VII The Religion, Mythology, and Rituals of Ancient Egyptians Funerary Beliefs and Rituals: Mummification and Afterlife The Architecture of Ancient Egypt: Temples and Pyramids And much more! Get this audiobook now to learn more about ancient Egypt!
©2018 Captivating History (P)2018 Captivating History
The Nile
Summary
A hypnotic journey in the company of one of the world's most acclaimed Egyptologists over the fabled river telling how the Nile continually brought life to an ancient civilization now dead and how it sustained its successors, now in tumult. Renowned Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson leads us through space as much as time: From the river's mystical sources (the Blue Nile which rises in Ethiopia, and the White Nile coursing from majestic Lake Victoria); to Thebes, with its Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, and Luxor Temple; the fertile Delta; Giza, home of the Great Pyramid, the sole surviving Wonder of the Ancient World; and finally, to the pulsating capital city of Cairo, where the Arab Spring erupted on the bridges over the Nile. Along the way, he introduces us to mysterious and fabled characters - the gods, godlike pharaohs, emperors and empresses, who joined their fate to the Nile and gained immortality; the adventurers, archaeologists, and historians who have all fallen under its spell. With matchless erudition and storytelling skill, through a lens equal to both panoramas and close-ups, Wilkinson brings millennia of history into view.
©2014 Toby Wilkinson (P)2014 Audible Inc.