The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East is, undoubtedly, one of the most intimate and moving portrayals of a region which has, over the past decade, become an unrivalled focus of global attention. Unsurprisingly, Fisk is in a unique position to offer such an account. Writing as a journalist who has made a career from reporting in the Middle East, from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 right up to the current war in Iraq, and as a resident of Beirut, he turns what might have been a dry and detached analysis into a gripping and insightful journey that switches effortlessly and eloquently between historical account and autobiography.

At over a thousand pages, this is a lengthy book, and it took me over a month to read at a reasonably fast pace. But Fisk's style, mixing important historical analysis, most notably on the Armenian Genocide, with distressing accounts of torture and war, particularly in Algeria, Iraq, and Iran, and insightful personal experiences, including interviews with Osama Bin Laden himself, rescues the reader from fatigue and ensures a gripping and eventful read.

How readable is it?

As aforementioned, The Great War for Civilisation is an extremely lengthy book, and there are parts that perhaps should not have been included and add little to the overall experience, particularly Fisk's account of his journey to France in order to learn more about his Father's background in the army. Things such as this were, although important perhaps for Fisk, unnecessary for such a long read and can become frustrating. Luckily, they are few and far between, and Fisk's eloquent style is enough to sustain the reader even at the worst of times.

Perhaps one of the most difficult, but also one of the most essential aspects of this book is its account of torture, particularly in Saddam's prisons and in Algeria. Stories of excruciating pain, unthinkable horror, and summary execution can make for a very painful and distressing read, and some might find this a little too much. For me, however, it ensured that the book left a lasting impression and reinforced the importance of its arguments. The worst accounts often left me feeling particularly uneasy, but it was also something of an enlightening experience.

The book is at its best and most readable during the personal accounts, ranging from Fisk's interviews with a certain Osama Bin Laden in a cave in Afghanistan, in which he is asked rather menacingly to convert to Islam, to a near-death encounter with an angry Arab mob. By drawing on such personal experiences, Fisk adds real depth to the book and ensures a gripping read, and the extent of his travels also adds an astonishing breadth.

Why is this worth reading?

At a time when it is becoming increasingly important for Westerners to properly understand the nature of the Middle East, its many inhabitants, and their predominant religion, with regards to the growing opposition not only to the West itself, but also to Western ideals that is developing there, this book is essential reading.

Fisk seeks not only to address key historical issues but also to explain, in the eyes of a journalist who has lived and breathed the Middle East for decades, what has gone wrong there and what can be done to avert a clash of civilisations. A passionate polemic, Fisk's book traces the roots of our current crisis back to Western influence in the Middle East over the last fifty years, discussing the Shah of Iran, Israel, the arms trade, and neo-conservatism. It is important to point out here that The Great War for Civilisation has an undercurrent of a deeply liberal bias, and Fisk's worldview clearly influences his conclusions. However, while he does not invite the reader to disagree with him, his basic portrayal of events allows room for drawing one's own conclusions, and the book is not, therefore, oppressively dogmatic.

By addressing these issues and trying to discover their roots, Fisk's book is of tremendous importance to Western eyes in the twenty-first century. The Great War for Civilisation contributes to a debate that must be had if we are to address the threat at hand and avoid sleepwalking into another 9/11. Even without the fascinating historical and personal insight that Fisk offers into a deeply interesting region, the book is worth reading for this reason alone.

Compared to the rivals?

Fisk's epic compares favourably to the rivals. With its unique mixture of historical analysis and personal experience, the book certainly provides a more entertaining and memorable read than the various purely historical titles available, including Albert Hourani's famous 'A History of the Arab Peoples' and Mansfield's 'A History of the Middle East'. While such contributions are important for a deeper academic understanding of the region, The Great War for Civilisation, now fairly inexpensive, is unique in its approach and therefore useful both to the casual reader and the more dedicated enthusiast alike, avoiding the dryness that seems to persist in similar books.

However, it is important to note that alternative titles cover a far greater range of history, often stretching from the birth of Islam in the 7th century, which is discussed nowhere, in great detail, in Fisk's analysis, to the present day, and also tend to examine themes and ideas that are either completely ignored or only superficially explored in Fisk's contribution, such as the historical divides within Islam between Sunni and Shia. As noted, more academic approaches, such as Hourani's, are on the whole more detached and less emotional than The Great War for Civilisation, but this is not necessarily a disadvantage since it provides for a less overtly biased picture of the Middle East, which may well be more useful to the reader.

Overall

At the core, this is a deeply political life's work, and Fisk's passion runs through every page. Providing new and unique insights into a region that has been his home for decades, Fisk draws upon personal experience to deliver a gripping account of the Middle East's most fascinating events and most volatile countries. An enjoyable contrast to the rather dry, albeit useful collection of history books on this subject, The Great War for Civilisation is a personal and emotional journey providing a detailed contribution that is sorely needed in the current climate.

Key Facts:

Price: £5.94 (Paperback, Amazon, January 07)

1392 pages (medium-sized text)

Published by HarperPerennial

ISBN-10: 1841150088

ISBN-13: 978-1841150086

Dimensions: 5.1 x 7.8 inches