Reviews:
-This masterful compilation of biographical essays on prominent Middle East and North African political leaders fills a void in the current reference literature. The essays, of substantial length and written by experts, cover 70 persons who have made an impact on world events since World War II. Designed to be used as a basis for further research, the subjects are cross-referenced and indexed by country and topic. A detailed chronology of events is included, and each entry is followed by a list of works by and about the person. . . . This valuable work is highly recommended for large general collections as well as scholarly libraries.
—Library Journal
-This volume profiles 70 men and women who have had a significant impact on the political development of the Arabic-speaking countries of the Middle East and North Africa, Iran, Israel, and Turkey, since WW II. The entries are in alphabetical order and include biographical details, analyses of the individuals' personal development and impact on the political evolution of their countries, and short bibliographies of works by and about the entrants (the latter category largely in English). The personalities included were chosen by surveying major works about the region and by querying specialists about potential subjects. Essays, by 52 scholars and other specialists range in length from 4 to 12 pages. The volume also includes a chronology of events from 1869 to 1989, a short bibliography of general works on the political elite of the region, notes on each contributor, an index by country of the personalities included, and a general index listing each person profiled as well as events, other persons mentioned in the entries, organizations, and places. This title is strongly recommended for libraries of all types, as it not only provides succinct analyses of leaders well known in the West, but also synthesizes information that may otherwise be difficult to locate and in languages other than English on political figures whose names are not immediately recognized by the general reader.
—Choice