© Columbia University Press
A History of Libya
Paper, 288 pages,
ISBN: 978-0-231-70167-9
$20.00
December, 2010
Cloth, 288 pages,
ISBN: 978-0-231-70166-2
$37.50
"“We have every reason to be grateful for the republication of A History of Libya, particularly at a time when Libya is hoping again to be a member of international communities after so many years of isolation. John Wright has been the standard-bearer for Libyan historical studies for more than half a century. His book is an excellent contribution and will be invaluable for anyone interested in Libyan affairs.”" — Mohamed Ben-Madani, editor, The Maghreb Review
"“A timely and updated reissue of a standard work on Libya. Required reading for all those who wish to understand this desert enigma.”" — Saul Kelly, King's College, London, author of The Hunt for Zerzura: The Lost Oasis and the Desert War
"“John Wright’s original study of Libya was a unique and masterly survey of the country’s history. This updated edition possesses all the virtues of the original, together with an acute and perceptive analysis of both the Libyan Jamahariyah of Colonel Gadafi and its humiliating end in 2011. It provides us with the most complete study of Libya’s complex history to date and is an essential companion for any scholar, journalist, or interested reader anxious to understand this unusual and important Mediterranean state.”" — George Joffe, University of Cambridge
"“This book is in many important ways the culmination of John Wright’s long involvement with Libya. Meticulously researched, with a breadth and insights only a long-term observer can muster, the different chapters provide wonderfully concise, analytic summaries of each distinc¬tive historical period. What has always made Wright’s writing attractive, and particu¬larly in this volume, is his direct and engaging prose, providing clear and accessible writing rather than much of the jargon that has bedeviled other treatments. The result is a wonderfully succinct yet highly insightful recall of the country’s past and present that does not in any way sacrifice clarity for detail. This book is not only a ‘good read’ for non-specialists but will be much appreciated by Libya observers as well, since there is no current up-to-date comprehensive history of the country available. The crowning achievement of a highly respected Libya observer.”" — Dirk Vandewalle, Dartmouth College, author of A History of Modern Libya