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  • A Line in the Sand

  • Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East
  • By: James Barr
  • Narrated by: Peter Noble
  • Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (14 ratings)

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A Line in the Sand

By: James Barr
Narrated by: Peter Noble
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Publisher's Summary

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. The deal they struck, which was designed to relieve tensions that threatened to engulf the Entente Cordiale, drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier. Territory north of that stark line would go to France; land south of it, to Britain. Against the odds their pact survived the war to form the basis for the postwar division of the region into five new countries Britain and France would rule. The creation of Britain's 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria, made the two powers uneasy neighbours for the following 30 years.

Through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle, A Line in the Sand vividly tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East. It explains exactly how the old antagonism between these two powers inflamed the more familiar modern rivalry between the Arabs and the Jews and ultimately led to war between the British and the French in 1941 and between the Arabs and the Jews in 1948.

In 1946, after many years of intrigue and espionage, Britain finally succeeded in ousting France from Lebanon and Syria and hoped that, having done so, it would be able to cling on to Palestine. Using newly declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr brings this overlooked clandestine struggle back to life and reveals, for the first time, the stunning way in which the French finally got their revenge.

©2011 James Barr (P)2018 Simon & Schuster, UK
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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A great read through of a deeply interesting era

Absolutely fascinating. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. A detailed account of troubles that remain to this day.

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outstanding piece of work well researched

really enjoyed this... nothing to detract from this fine piece of work. the narration was very good and overall certainly worth the time

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A book worth reading

An excellent recap of a very important period in the history of this region. The sequence of events and content narrated was clear and to the point. The audio narration was top quality. One observation though; it was somehow too critical of the French role although it gave me personally a new insight of how the interests/actions being played among the powerful nations.

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Good history lesson, bad narration

Great lesson in middle east history. I did not enjoy the narrator as it sounded like he was rushing and as if every sentence ended in an exclamation mark ie ! that style is not conducive to getting a mindful relaxing listening. I persevered as I wanted to hear the book. Might need to buy the hard copy.
I wonder if authors get to choose who they want to read their work - also who directs the narrators?

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