Peoples of Western Asia

Marshall Cavendish Corporation

ISBN 10: 0761476776 ISBN 13: 9780761476771

Publisher: Cavendish Square

Synopsis

An introduction to the the peoples of Western Asia details each country's ancient and modern history, languages, religions, peoples, foods, industries, arts and crafts, sports, and holidays.

About this title

From Booklist:

Covering countries as far west as Turkey and Israel and as far east as Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, this set provides detailed information on a vast region for upper-elementary- and middle-school students. The first 10 volumes cover all 28 of the region's countries, from Afghanistan to Yemen. The first volume begins with an overview on general aspects of Western Asia as a whole, including climate, geography, history, religion, the arts, languages, economics, and a welcome paragraph on clothing.

All of the entries are clearly written and include a relief map, an introduction to the country's history, a time line of human history, and detailed descriptions of the people. These articles are enhanced by sidebars that feature statistics and fast facts on climate, country facts and figures, and explanations of details of the country's history or dietary customs. The hundreds of photographs from a variety of sources are of high quality and invaluable as illustrations for the text. The article on Pakistan not only includes facts and history but it also has a recipe for the popular dish boti kebab. The section on Afghanistan has sidebars on the burka and hans, the camel drivers who immigrated to Australia in the nineteenth century. Articles finish with a list of further readings and helpful Web sites.

Volume 11, the separate index, is particularly impressive. Six subject indexes cover topics such as foods, festivals, and sports. There are also geographical and biographical indexes. The "Further Reading" section of the volume includes fictional sources and Web sites, among other materials. A list of resources on the music of the region, a section on national days and holidays, and an extensive pronunciation guide add further value.

Many of the countries in Peoples of Western Asia are currently in the news; unfortunately, many people are not familiar with their contributions to world history and culture. This appealing, easy-to-use, fascinating subject encyclopedia would be a welcome purchase for school and public libraries. Lisa Johnston
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From School Library Journal:

At once entertaining and fact-packed, this enticing set presents a wealth of information on a critically important region. It covers Turkey, Pakistan, and the states of the Russian Federation and the Arabian Peninsula. Oddly, the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory, both in southern Asia, are also included. After a general introduction and reader's guide orient users, alphabetically arranged articles address the history, economy, language, religion, lifestyle, food and drink, health, education, arts, politics, and culture of the region's countries. Other topics are included as appropriate, such as "Rugs and Carpets" in "Azerbaijan." Article lengths vary: Iran and Iraq share an entire volume, whereas the Maldives are covered in four pages. Forthright statements, for example, on former U.S. support of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, reflect scholarly objectivity. Abundant, recent color photos; time lines; boxes with data or interesting sidelights; pronunciation help; color relief maps; and a large, clear typeface are engaging features. Each book includes the same glossary; biographical, geographical, and comprehensive indexes; pronunciations; National Days lists, by country and date; and multiple indexes by country. This accessible, accurate, and attractive set could inspire future ethnographers, diplomats, and world citizens.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cavendish Square
• ISBN 10: 0761476776
• ISBN 13: 9780761476771
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1