While many things ground to a halt for much of 2020, the publishing industry – thankfully – was not one of them! This year saw a number of brilliant new books published focusing on the Middle East, which was exactly what many of us needed to stay entertained and connected to the outside world during lockdowns and travel bans.
On this list you’ll find 10 new Middle East-focused books including cookbooks, memoirs of life, adventure and migration, political analyses and philosophical gems. If you’re interested in the Middle East or looking to gain a deeper understanding of the complex politics and rich cultures of the region, this list is an excellent guide. If you haven’t already devoured them, you’ll definitely want to add all of these books to your reading list for 2021!
Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East – Kim Ghattas, January 2020
Themes: History, Politics, Saudi Arabia, Iran
Black Wave has been heralded by journalists and Middle East watchers since its timely release in January, shortly after the assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani by the USA in Baghdad. It tells the history of the Middle East since the pivotal Iranian revolution in 1979, deconstructing the often misunderstood regional rivalry between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Ghattas expertly traces the history of conflict, intolerance and violent extremism in the region, exploring how the Saudi-Iranian competition for regional hegemony has fed these dangerous and often deadly dynamics across the Middle East.
Fraternal Enemies: Israel and the Gulf Monarchies – Clive Jones & Yoel Guzansky, January 2020
Themes: Geopolitics, Israel, GCC
This book couldn’t have come at a better time as the landscape of international relations in the Middle East continues to change – outwardly at least. Jones and Guzansky offer a timely account of relations between Israel and the Gulf Monarchies since the Oslo Accords, detailing the cooperation that has existed behind the scenes for many years despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations. An essential read for those trying to understand the significance of normalisation and the Abraham Accords.
Correspondents – Tim Murphy, January 2020
Themes: Iraq, politics, migration
Correspondents is a gripping novel following the story of Lebanese-American Rita Khoury, who learns Arabic and goes to work as a foreign correspondent in Iraq after the US invasion in 2003. Tracing continents and generations, Correspondents challenges how we understand the world, highlighting issues such as immigration, war, violence and identity.
Falastin: A Cookbook – Sami Tamimi & Tara Wigley, March 2020
Themes: Food, Palestine
An ode to his homeland, Falastin is a glorious cookbook of Palestinian cuisine co-authored by Sami Tamimi, who grew up in East Jerusalem and co-authored the acclaimed Ottolenghi cookbook with Yotam Ottolenghi. Tamimi and Wigley describe Falastin as ‘a love letter home’, featuring recipes and stories of the Palestinian table.
Tamimi and Wigley worked with a number of Palestinian chefs to develop the book, which they hope tells the stories of these individuals and the Palestinian people through their food.
The Land Beyond: A Thousand Miles on Foot Through the Heart of the Middle East (Paperback Version) – Leon McCarron, August 2020
Themes: Politics, culture, empathy
The Land Beyond is Leon McCarron’s memoir of his journey on foot across the Middle East, listening to the stories of people living in some of the most highly contested regions of the world and bearing witness to the changing geopolitics of the region. McCarron’s empathetic account, released in paperback during 2020, is less about politics than about people, emphasising our common humanity and telling the human stories of the people behind the headlines. It’s exactly what we need right now during this strange era of division and isolation to give hope and remind us of what is important.
The Prophet – Khalil Gibran (new illustrated Penguin Classics hardcover edition), August 2020
Themes: Philosophy
First published in the 1920’s, The Prophet is perhaps the most famous work of religious fiction of the twentieth century, and has sold millions of copies in more than twenty languages. Gibran’s The Prophet speaks of many things central to daily life: love, marriage, death, beauty, passion, eating, work and play. The spiritual message he imparts, of finding divinity through love, blends eastern mysticism, religious faith and philosophy with simple advice.
In 2020, Penguin Classics released a new hardback edition with a foreword by Rupi Kaur – if you haven’t read it before, don’t miss out on this beautiful new edition.
How to Say Sane in an Age of Division – Elif Shafak, August 2020
Themes: Philosophy, Politics
2020 has been a year of intense struggle, anxiety and division around the world. Turkish novelist and activist Elif Shafak’s recent book is the perfect antidote. In this powerful, uplifting plea for conscious optimism, Booker Prize-nominated Shafak draws on her own memories and delves into the power of stories to bring us together. In the process, she reveals how listening to each other can nurture democracy, empathy and our faith in a kinder and wiser future.
On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist – Clarissa Ward, September 2020
Themes: Politics, journalism
From Russia to China to Syria, Clarissa Ward’s career as an award-winning war reporter has taken her all over the world. In her memoir, On All Fronts, Ward weaves the individual tales of the people she has met into the broader story of the changing world she has witnessed on the frontlines. Her deep empathy and nuance make the book both deeply fascinating and immensely readable.
Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power – Bradley Hope & Justin Sheck, September 2020
Themes: Politics, Economy, Saudi Arabia
This recent release provides an account of the rise to power of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), following his journey from being a relatively unknown prince in a Royal Family of thousands and to one of the world’s most powerful and controversial figures.
In Blood and Oil, Hope and Sheck – both reporters for the Wall Street Journal – follow the money. They chase the trails of petrodollars and patronage networks that help tell the remarkable and sometimes chilling story of how MBS is transforming Saudi Arabia and leaving his mark on the world.
You Exist Too Much – Zeina Arafat, November 2020
Themes: Palestine, identity, love
Zeina Arafat’s provocative novel follows the journey of a Palestinian-American girl as she discovers her identity, creativity and sexuality. The words of her mother – “You exist too much.” – spoken when she admitted she was queer, echo throughout as the protagonist pushes up against the boundaries established by her cultural, religious and gender identity and forges her own path.
Have we missed anything? If you have any reading recommendations from the last year that we might have missed off this list, leave a comment below and let us know!