Emphasizing the modern period (i.e., post 1774), author Glenn E. Perry carefully balances coverage of Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, and Iran, and uses a world-historical approach that enables readers to understand the area in the context of world history.

The Third Edition is organized around historical periods with each country dealt with during the particular period. It begins in pre-Islamic times and takes the story up to 1996, including yesterday's headlines such as the Oslo accord, Israeli raids on Lebanon, destruction of Kurdish villages in Turkey, and the accelerated growth of Islamist movements. In addition, ten detailed maps feature virtually all the places named in the text.