Pratibasi Prabase by Ashok Chandra Sen [Hardcover]

The Middle East is the cradle of several of the world's oldest civilizations. It is the birthplace of three major religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The Middle East is identified as a region stretching from Yemen, Oman, and Iraq in West Asia to Morocco in the far west of North Africa, and includes Iran in the east. In Ashokchandra Sen's book "Pratibasi Prabase: Middle East-er Dinlipi" ("In a Neighboring Land: Diary of the Middle East"), alongside the memoirs of expatriate life, the author presents an introduction to and the history of the Middle Eastern countries.

The book brilliantly discusses the spread of the Arabic language and Islam from the Arabian Peninsula, the creation of Israel and the Palestine issue, the rise and fall of the Sumerian era in Iraq, the Pharaoh era in Egypt, and the Achaemenid dynasty in Iran. The topics of the new state of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East and the discovery of liquid gold—petroleum—are particularly significant. Readers will be enriched by discussions on Arab society, the relationship between the Middle East and the Western world, and the connection between the Middle East and India. The author's deep knowledge of history and direct experiences make this book on the Middle East an invaluable resource.