A Line in the Sand
Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East
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A Line in the Sand
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Narrated by:
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Peter Noble
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By:
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James Barr
About this listen
‘One of the unexpected responses to reading this masterful study is amazement at the efforts the British and French each put into undermining the other’ Spectator
A fascinating insight into the untold story of how British-French rivalry drew the battle-lines of the modern Middle East.
In 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. They drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier, and together remade the map of the Middle East, with Britain’s 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria.
Over the next thirty years a sordid tale of violence and clandestine political manoeuvring unfolded, told here through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Using declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr vividly depicts the covert, deadly war of intrigue and espionage between Britain and France to rule the Middle East, and reveals the shocking way in which the French finally got their revenge.©2011 James Barr (P)2018 Simon & Schuster, UK
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What listeners say about A Line in the Sand
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mike
- 22-10-19
Great introduction to a complex issue
Well researched, well structured history book written so masterfully, it will leave you wanting more. As a complete layman in terms of geopolitics, I found myself researching more and more figures and topics related to the subject. The reading was pleasant, engaging and well produced. Wholehartedly recommend!
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- K Oliver
- 31-12-20
Impressive research - lacks local perspective
This is a very informative, densely written, account of the machinations of the British and French regarding the Middle East during the first half of the 20th Century. It conveys the difficulty of the situation that both countries found themselves in, while pulling no punches regarding the often abhorrent decisions they made. To this non-expert, it comes across as an excellent piece of research.
--- A weakness is that it is almost entirely focused on Britain and France, or more accurately a series of powerful British and French people. The motivations of some Middle Eastern leaders are briefly discussed. The perspective of the ordinary person living in Iraq, Syria or Palestine, is ignored.
--- The narration is appropriate for the book: clear, precise, hard and dry.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 18-01-20
Fantastic book
Great audiobook. As an amateur historian I highly recommend this audiobook, the narrator has done a fantastic job and the writing is of the best quality. A great adventure and story of colonial ambition that still resonates today.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- John M. Howitt
- 16-11-20
well worth a listen
i knew some of this story but not the details. i had the highlights of Lawrence of Arabia & Allenby’s entry into Jerusalem and the bombing of the King David Hotel etc. All the high (or low) points taught from the British centric point of view. However digging into the detail of just time between the late 1890’s and 1948 leaving aside the Ottoman Empire and The Crusades i don’t think any country or persons come out of this with much glory. (except Gertrude Bell but she does not figure large in this history)
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- H. jones
- 02-07-21
wow
great for learning about middle east politics during early to mid 20century and how is effecting now in palistein
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Drewdle
- 01-09-21
A Line in the Sand
Very interesting insight into the troubles of this part of the world and our part in it. Along with the French we seem to have made a mess of the whole area while not trusting each other and actively planning to trip each other up along the way. It really is a very interesting listen but you do need to pay attention because it packs a lot of details.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- K. J. Bute
- 14-12-23
I learnt a lot I did not know!
The title in misleading it was a line in the sand drawn by those who did not keep their word but no finality. The consequences have been brutal. Very well written and quite shocking in places how politics can be so self serving and so damaging to those they are meant to honour or protect. and how those who are honourable are conveniently sidelined.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Spiky Potplant
- 06-09-19
Academic but interesting
Relatively easy listen given that this is a fairly serious history book - would have been awesome if it had been condensed to 3-4 hours. Not a period in history I know much about and it's not an easy tale to tell - yet another depressing episode in British history.
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3 people found this helpful
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- jeremy hurley
- 01-11-19
fantastic
Anyone with an interest in the foundations of modern middle east conflict, must read this book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Mark Lancaster
- 17-10-19
Shocking behaviour by the old European powers.
This book brings the convuluted mess that was the last century's troubled history of the middle-east in to sharp relief. A riveting good read and history lesson all in one.
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