Middle East Strategy at Harvard

From Michael Mandelbaum

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy has launched a book prize for the three best books on the Middle East published in the previous year. I had the honor and pleasure of serving as one of the three jurors for the inaugural awards, along with Jim Hoagland and Bernard Lewis. The first prize, worth $30,000, went to Yaroslav Trofimov’s The Siege of Mecca; the second to Foxbats Over Dimona by Isabella Ginor and Gideon Remez; the third to Anthony Pagden’s Worlds at War. While we did not plan it this way (in fact, none of the three judges knew the identity of the other two until the decisions had been made), I am pleased that we chose three worthy but very different books: a gripping piece of investigative journalism, a provocative and controversial revisionist account of a major episode in 20th-century history, and a graceful, sweeping synthesis of two and one half millennia of history. Each of the books draws on the past—from the very recent to the very distant past—to provide insight into issues confronting the people and governments of the Middle East, and those outside the region who must deal with them—today.

Below is a clip of my announcement of the winners. (If you don’t see it, click here.) The jury’s commendations may be read here.