Asmahan's Secrets : Woman, War, and Song (Middle East Monograph Series, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin)

Asmahan's Secrets : Woman, War, and Song (Middle East Monograph Series, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin)
Sherifa Zuhur (Author)
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Syria

The great Arab singer Asmahan was the toast of Cairo song and cinema in the late 1930s and early 1940s, as World War II approached. She remained a figure of glamour and intrigue throughout her life and lives on today in legend as one of the shaping forces in the development of Egyptian popular culture. In this biography, author Sherifa Zuhur does a thorough study of the music and film of Asmahan and her historical setting.

A Druze princess actually named Amal al-Atrash, Asmahan came from an important clan in the mountains of Syria but broke free from her traditional family background, left her husband, and became a public performer, a role frowned upon for women of the time.

This unique biography of the controversial Asmahan focuses on her public as well as her private life. She was a much sought-after guest in the homes of Egypt's rich and famous, but she was also rumored to be an agent for the Allied forces during World War II.

Through the story of Asmahan, the reader glimpses not only aspects of the cultural and political history of Egypt and Syria between the two world wars, but also the change in attitude in the Arab world toward women as public performers on stage. Life in wartime Cairo comes alive in this illustrated account of one of the great singers of the Arab world, a woman who played an important role in history.

• Rank: #544724 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 8.27" h x 5.24" w x .71" l, .85 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

The History of Syria: 1900-2012

The History of Syria: 1900-us.html12
Charles River Editors (Author)
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Syria

As one of the hottest political topics in the world today, nearly everyone is aware of the ongoing violence in Syria, between forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad and opposition looking to overthrow the regime. Within that narrative are a number of sensitive issues, including sectarian strife between the majority Sunni population and the Alawites, not to mention Christians.

People may know what’s going on in Syria today, but how did Syria get to where it is today, at the forefront of the Arab Spring? The history of Syria in the last century is one of turbulence, violence, and political intrigue, with local religious sects battling for control of the land while foreign powers vied to maintain influence over the region. What resulted was a toxic and twisted mess that has precipitously affected the entire region, from Israel and Lebanon to Iran and Iraq.

The History of Syria: 1900-us.html12 comprehensively and descriptively unweaves the web, progressing through the history of Syria from the days of the Ottoman Empire to now, by examining all of the different religious, political, foreign, and military issues that affect Syria and are affected by Syria today. Along with maps showing how the modern state of Syria came to be formed, The History of Syria: 1900-us.html12 will bring readers up to speed on one of the world’s most volatile and violent hotspots today.

• Rank: #75467 in eBooks
• Published on: 2012-03-24
• Released on: 2012-03-24
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Description #1 by Barnes & Noble:

Categories: Turkey->History, Israel * History, Middle East * History. Contributors: M. Clement Hall - Author. Format: NOOK Book