Middle East Patterns

Middle East Patterns purposes both to inform the reader about essential spatial relations of the Middle East and to contribute to an understanding of the complex interactions of regional dynamics. It is crafted as both a stimulating volume for the general reader and a scholarly textbook for university courses in Middle East studies. In approach, it makes a comprehensive systematic (or topical) analysis of the major spatial patterns of the Middle East area as a whole and then examines those patterns regionally in detail in each of the sixteen countries. It has been widely commended for its careful balance in analyzing the several geopolitical problems of the area, notably the disputes regarding Israel and Palestine. Middle East Patterns is richly illustrated with 65 clear maps, virtually all hand drawn exclusively for this book; 126 photographs, nearly all selected from the authors 22,000 color slides of the area; 14 tables, all integrated with textual discussion; and several meaningful graphs. It continues to be the only regional study of the Middle East by an American geographer since 1960.
Middle East Patterns continues to be the only comprehensive regional study of the area written by a US geographer since 1960. This revised and updated third edition retains the basic framework of its predecessors, examining the Middle East from a topical and then a regional, country-by-country perspective. A thoughtful consideration of the physical environment lays the groundwork for emphasis on cultural-political and geopolitical patterns, which are the essence of the study. The book includes up-to-date thematic and regional maps, tables, and photographs.