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Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East Audiobook
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(4.01) - 209 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Robin Wright first landed in the Middle East on October 6, 1973, the day the fourth Middle East war erupted. She has covered every country and most major crises in the region since then, through to the rise of al Qaeda and the U.S. invasion of Iraq. For all the drama of the past, however, the region's most decisive traumas are unfolding today as the Middle East struggles to deal with trends that have already reshaped the rest of the world. And for all the darkness, there is also hope. Some of the emerging trends give cause for greater optimism about the future of the Middle East than at any time since the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948.
Dreams and Shadows is an extraordinary tour de horizon of the new Middle East, with on-the-ground reportage of the ideas and movements driving change across the region—and the obstacles they confront. Through the powerful storytelling for which the author is famous, Dreams and Shadows ties together the players and events in Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, the Gulf states, and the Palestinian territories into a coherent vision of what lies ahead.
A marvelous field report from the center of the storm, the book is animated by the characters whose stories give the region's transformation its human immediacy and urgency. It is also rich with the history that brought us to this point. It is a masterpiece of the reporter's art and a work of profound and enduring insight.
At the end, Wright offers perspective on the United States' most ambitious and costly foreign policy initiative since the rebuilding of Europe after World War II. The stakes are far greater than winning the war on terrorism, stabilizing Iraq, or achieving a lasting Arab-Israeli peace. Transforming the greater Middle East is the last great political challenge of the modern era. Yet the early burst of activity in a region long stagnant is already becoming one of the first grand surprises of the twenty-first century.
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"Best book on the recent Middle East -- both hopeful and depressing. Hopeful -- the great number of democracy movements in the middle east. Depressing -- the negative effect which the American involvement in Iraq has had on those same movements.Merged review: "
— Merry (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Fluent and intelligent…Wright has long been one of the best-informed American journalists covering the Middle East, and her reputation is borne out here.”
— New York Times -
“A thought-provoking and eminently readable look at the current and future generation of leaders in that important, politically troubled region.”
— Boston Globe -
Fluent and intelligent.... Wright has long been one of the best-informed American journalists covering the Middle East, and her reputation is borne out here.
— The New York Times -
“A vital, compelling, and surprisingly uplifting piece of reporting.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Dreams and Shadows Listener Reviews
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" Pretty nice survey of recent history in the middle east. Country by country. "
— Greg, 2/4/2014 -
" Not that I will ever understand the complex situation ... at lease I can keep the names and countries more or less straight. Good insights. "
— Kariss, 1/31/2014 -
" Robin Wright is the one to read if you are interested in the Middle East struggle. "
— Candace, 1/5/2014 -
" This is not an easy read, but very interesting. If you want to learn what is going on in this pivitol part of our world this is an import source of information. "
— Don, 8/24/2013 -
" Great overview of the history, problems and what people in everyday life are doing to change their lives. "
— Janus, 7/1/2013 -
" interesting assessment of ME by a longtime reporter and observer. "
— Ann, 5/24/2013 -
" I love the way Robin Wright writes. She is very organized and follows all the gramatical rules. My husband and I went to see her when she was a guest speaker at Western Washington University. "
— Gretchen, 2/19/2013 -
" It was very interesting though, and I would probably have given it more stars, but I fear (through my own fault) I didn't follow it super well. Perhaps not the best book to listen to while chasing a little one around the house. Still, I felt like I did learn a fair amount about the Middle East. "
— Emily, 10/13/2012 -
" Very well written by an author that has spent lots of time on the ground talking to the people that live in the countries she discussed. She had access to high level officials as well as ordinary people. The book is well organized and each chapter deals with a different country. "
— SB, 8/27/2012 -
" Outstanding! I wanted to read this so I can get a better understanding of what is going on in the Middle East today. Even though it was published in 2008, Wright does a great job of explaining what could be considered the "lead up" to recent events. "
— Jessica, 7/15/2012 -
" I am loving this book! It is not a history or explanation of the conflict in the Middle East (boring). It is written by journalist, and she writes about men and women in ME countries who are leading small movements from within to lead their countries toward a better future. "
— Martha, 6/22/2012 -
" vital, optimistic and important- you will learn a lot. "
— Kathy, 6/5/2012 -
" Robin Wright's book is an excellent read. It was very informative and provides a very good description of recent events in the middle east. I thoroughly enjoyed it! "
— Peter, 11/24/2011 -
" i learned we could be good nieghbors in war torn country if we really sat down and talked "
— Laurene, 11/13/2011 -
" I found the book to be a very good overview of the Middle East situation leading into the Arab Spring. I wish I had read it a few years ago, but never to late to gain insight into events that are happening today. I recommend this. "
— John, 6/17/2011 -
" Based just upon the chapter dealing with Morocco, not much to sink your teeth into in this one if you already have a background in the history of the region. I wasn't inspired to read the rest of it after this section. "
— BJM, 5/11/2011 -
" Pretty good overview of contemporary MENA region issues. "
— Jacob, 5/4/2011 -
" An insightful and readable analysis of the Middle East, recent and future. "
— Ryan, 4/29/2011 -
" Robin Wright blends a journalist perspective with political analysis in a way that made this book hard for me to put down. "
— Ellen, 4/15/2011 -
" Very clear and not completely depressing! "
— Joyceil, 3/21/2011 -
" Robin Wright's book is an excellent read. It was very informative and provides a very good description of recent events in the middle east. I thoroughly enjoyed it! "
— Peter, 3/19/2011 -
" Outstanding! I wanted to read this so I can get a better understanding of what is going on in the Middle East today. Even though it was published in 2008, Wright does a great job of explaining what could be considered the "lead up" to recent events. "
— Jessica, 3/18/2011 -
" i learned we could be good nieghbors in war torn country if we really sat down and talked "
— Laurene, 8/25/2010 -
" This is not an easy read, but very interesting. If you want to learn what is going on in this pivitol part of our world this is an import source of information. "
— Don, 5/20/2010 -
" Just started this amid the Harry Potter's... liking it so far. "
— Andrea, 7/17/2009 -
" Not that I will ever understand the complex situation ... at lease I can keep the names and countries more or less straight. Good insights. "
— Kariss, 6/11/2009 -
" Robin Wright blends a journalist perspective with political analysis in a way that made this book hard for me to put down. "
— Ellen, 5/11/2009 -
" Pretty nice survey of recent history in the middle east. Country by country. "
— Greg, 1/11/2009
About Robin Wright
Robin Wright, a global affairs correspondent for more than three decades, has reported from more than 130 countries on six continents, working for the Los Angeles Times, the Sunday Times of London, CBS News, the Washington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor, among others. She also has been a commentator for news programs on the major US television networks and been published widely in American magazines like the New Yorker, the Atlantic Monthly, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy. In 2003, she became a regular panelist on the NBC program Meet the Press. Her reporting has earned many awards, including the United Nations Gold Medal for international reporting in 2003 and the 2001 Wintal Prize for most distinguished diplomatic reporting. Her books include The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran; Sacred Rage: The Wrath of Militant Islam; In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade; and Flashpoints: Promise and Peril in a New World, coauthored with Doyle McManus.
About Laural Merlington
Laural Merlington is an audiobook narrator with over two hundred titles to her credit and a winner of multiple Earphones Awards. An Audie Award nominee, she has also directed over one hundred audiobooks. She has performed and directed for thirty years in theaters throughout the country. In addition to her extensive theater and voice-over work, she teaches college in her home state of Michigan.