A very interesting book, clearly the product of an immense amount of research and written in a generally dispassionate way that is unusual given the emotional resonance of the subject - the path to the 'Balfour declaration' of support for a Jewish home in Palestine, and the seeds of the conflict that still mars the middle east today. This is one of those episodes in history where everyone's motives are understandable. Arabs and (some) Jews wanting land and liberty; the western powers desperate to find any way of reaching a breakthrough in the impasse that was decimating their populations in the first world war. Hindsight is a marvellous thing, but one that the author resists very well in favour of describing the key players and articulating their actions and motivations within the context where they took place

This the best volume I have read on the Middle East in the First World War. The author does a fine job of explaining the relationships and motives between the stakeholders in this critical theater of the war. He covers the actions of Great Britain, Russia, France, Turkey, the various factions of the Jews and Arabs, and Germany, even the U.S. Due the number of individuals introduced in this complex adventure, the author includes a 10 page Glossary of Names so the reader can keep track of who is who as the story unforlds.

Even though the story is complex, the author takes you through the events step by step; keeping the narrative readable throughout the 376 pages of text. It is a newer book published in 2010.

Highly recommend this book. Next I will be reading "Shadow of the Sultan's Realm" by Daniel A. Butler. This also a new book on the same subject.....will be interesting to compare them. ( )

Unbiased, comprehensive, and relevant. Author does a great job of setting the scene(s). ( )