The Middle East has the greatest oil reservoirs in the world But having created immense wealth oil has not brought universal happiness to the region The history of oil is about not only the great discoveries but the transformation of people & societies the empires built on oil & the anarchies it has engendered From the first explorers trudging through the desert wastes to the excesses of the Peacock Throne & the high stakes of OPEC the burnt-out remains of Saddam Hussein's armies & the human tragedy of the Arab Spring Empires & Anarchies describes the history of oil in all its aspects how it enriched & fractured the Middle East eroding traditional ways of life & facilitating the rise of Islamic radicalism Michael Quentin Morton's account presents a fascinating insight into the historical background of the region through the people & politics of oil It is essential reading for anyone intrigued by the promise & the curse of oil as well as for those interested in how oil has played a crucial part in shaping the modern Middle East