POWER, FAITH, AND FANTASY America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present

The remarkable panorama of U.S. involvement in the Middle East is effectively delivered. Beginning with the singular figure of explorer John Ledyard, the author describes a popular fascination with the Orient, as the Middle East was then called, a fascination most often shattered when encountering the real thing. From missionaries to educators to physicians to presidents, Oren details the personalities of those who ventured East and the social environments each encountered in the various eras described. Norman Dietz plows through the reading with a slow cadence, only occasionally fumbling over a phrase in Hebrew or another of the various languages. In truth, he often sounds tired, like a weary grandfather, but his voice maintains a kindly and pleasant expression. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]