A popular history of the Middle East traces the rise and spread of Islam throughout this volatile region, the impact of Western ideas and technology, and Islamic fundamentalism and its struggle to control the spread of Western thought

"For many people, Islam remains a mystery. Here Bernard Lewis and Buntzie Ellis Churchill examine Islam: what its adherents believe and how their religion has shaped them, their rich and diverse cultures, and their politics over more than 14 centuries. Considered one of the West's leading experts on Islam, Lewis, with Churchill, has written an illuminating introduction for those who want to understand the faith and the global challenges it confronts...