Review (PDF)

Beirut

Widely praised as the definitive history of Beirut, this is the story of a city that has stood at the crossroads of Mediterranean civilization for more than four thousand years. The last major work completed by Samir Kassir before his tragic death in 2005, Beirut is a tour de force that takes the reader from the ancient to the modern world, offering a dazzling panorama of the city's Seleucid, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and French incarnations. Kassir vividly describes Beirut's spectacular growth in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, concentrating on its emergence after the Second World War as a cosmopolitan capital until its near destruction during the devastating Lebanese civil war of 1975-1990. Generously illustrated and eloquently written, Beirut illuminates contemporary issues of modernity and democracy while at the same time memorably recreating the atmosphere of one of the world's most picturesque, dynamic, and resilient cities.

Hardcover: 656 pages

Publisher: University of California Press; Text is Free of Markings edition (November 15, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0520256689

ISBN-13: 978-0520256682

Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.8 x 9 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #759,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #60 in Books > History > Middle East > Lebanon

The best work done on Beirut, a vastly researched work on the details of the city, its growth, lifestyle, economy and so much more. What makes this book stand out is the passion with which it was written with, the attention to detail for the small stories that made the story of this city so unique.

This work is an excellent review of the history of Beirut throughout the ages. Kassir's work is well researched and referenced. Through his review of this ancient city's history, the author presents the reader with a comprehensive study of Levantine and Mediterranean events that influenced Beirut's history and its people.

Valuable reading. Another MUST HAVE!!!

I really enjoyed this book

Nice and easy book to read

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