--- product_id: 48772649 title: "A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East" price: "148.63 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/48772649-a-line-in-the-sand-britain-france-and-the-struggle store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # Unveils century-shaping geopolitical rivalry Perfect binding for durability 464 pages of deep-dive history A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East **Price:** 148.63 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🌍 Draw your own line in history with this definitive Middle East saga! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East - **How much does it cost?** 148.63 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/48772649-a-line-in-the-sand-britain-france-and-the-struggle) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Unrivaled Historical Depth:** 464 meticulously researched pages revealing untold diplomatic battles. - • **Iconic Cast of Power Players:** From Churchill to T.E. Lawrence, meet the architects of modern Middle East. - • **Perfectly Bound for Your Collection:** Durable, elegant binding that stands out on any bookshelf. - • **Masterclass in Geopolitical Intrigue:** Explore the secret Sykes-Picot pact that redrew the Middle East map. - • **Essential Read for Global Affairs Enthusiasts:** Understand the roots of today’s Middle East conflicts with expert analysis. ## Overview ‘A Line in the Sand’ is a 464-page, perfectly bound historical account by James Barr that reveals the secret British-French rivalry during WWI which shaped the modern Middle East. Using declassified archives, it details the Sykes-Picot agreement and the ensuing political intrigue, espionage, and conflict involving key figures like Churchill and T.E. Lawrence. This authoritative work is essential for anyone seeking to understand the complex origins of today’s Middle Eastern geopolitics. ## Description ‘The very grubby coalface of foreign policy … I found the entire book most horribly addictive’ Independent ‘One of the unexpected responses to reading this masterful study is amazement at the efforts the British and French each put into undermining the other’ Spectator A fascinating insight into the untold story of how British-French rivalry drew the battle-lines of the modern Middle East. In 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. They drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier, and together remade the map of the Middle East, with Britain’s 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria. Over the next thirty years a sordid tale of violence and clandestine political manoeuvring unfolded , told here through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle . Using declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr vividly depicts the covert, deadly war of intrigue and espionage between Britain and France to rule the Middle East, and reveals the shocking way in which the French finally got their revenge. Review: A valuable history - James Barr's book is a tale the activities of the British and French in the Middle East, from the Picot-Sykes agreement in 1915 to the British withdrawal from Palestine in 1949. But it is not merely a narrative, it contains a measure of analysis as well. Like many people, I knew a few of the highlights, if that's what they can be called, but this book enabled me to put the disparate pieces together. Although the activities of both the Jewish and Arab peoples are covered, the book is really about the imperial rivalry between Britain and France. The two World Wars of the 20th century have perhaps hidden to many the fact that rivalry and war between the two goes back at least 700 years, and that much of second half of 19th Century was occupied by skirmishes between the empires of the two. Given this situation, it was hardly surprising that the question of who should dominate the Middle East after the demise of the Ottoman Empire had potential for disrupting the Anglo-French alliance in the middle of the First World War. Even after an agreement between the two imperialist nations had been agreed - a line on the map from the 'e' in Acre, to the 'k' in Kirkup - each sought to undermine the other's position, and each proceeded to treat the people living in the the area they controlled in a way guaranteed to eventually cause rebellion. Reading this book is a bit like watching a slow motion train wreck. We all know what the outcome was, everyone has their own idea of what should have been done, but Britain and France continued with the same policies that had already dug both of them into a deep hole. At times one almost fears to turn the page to see what the next blunder is. I recommend this book to any one who wants to understand the history of the problems that currently beset the Middle East. To my mind it's pretty even handed in its approach to the main protagonists. Some of the uttering and beliefs of the leading characters will sound pretty appalling to the modern ear, but you have to remember that imperialism was a respectable and dominant ideology for both sides during the two wars and in the inter-war period. Recommended. Review: Enjoyable, but not an easy read - "A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle That Shaped the Middle East" by James Barr tells the story of French-British rivalry in the Middle East to replace the Ottoman Empire as the new local powers. It starts in 1916 with the Sykes-Picot agreement and ends in 1948 with the withdrawal of British (military) rule from Palestine. It is a Europe centric account of the making of the modern Middle East in the first half of the twentieth century with diplomats, secret services, intelligence officers, terrorists and politicians taking centre stage. It is a sad story, with no good guys or happy endings. Instead it is a prime example of how years of political manipulation, arrogance, hypocrisy, opportunism, cynicism, back-stabbing and underhand dealings added further complications to an already volatile and complex region. Its outcomes still reverberate today and are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Barr's writing style is engaging and the topic well researched. However, this is a very detailed account of 30 years rivalry between the main protagonists (France, Britain, USA, Zionists & Arabs) and its representatives. The fluid loyalties of many parties involved, the domestic politics and individual rivalries on all sides against the backdrop of a shifting international power balance require concentrated reading. Despite the likes of Churchill, de Gaulle, T.E. Lawrence, Lloyd George, Woodrow Wilson and Menachim Begin playing important parts, there are numerous less famous characters making short appearances further adding to the complexity of the story. Overall "A Line in the Sand" is a good introduction to the making of the modern Middle East, but not an easy read. ## Features - Pages Count - 464. Binding type - Perfect. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 4,705 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 22 in Animals Habitats 61 in World History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,297 Reviews | ## Images ![A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/713I93t248L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A valuable history *by A***N on 12 December 2012* James Barr's book is a tale the activities of the British and French in the Middle East, from the Picot-Sykes agreement in 1915 to the British withdrawal from Palestine in 1949. But it is not merely a narrative, it contains a measure of analysis as well. Like many people, I knew a few of the highlights, if that's what they can be called, but this book enabled me to put the disparate pieces together. Although the activities of both the Jewish and Arab peoples are covered, the book is really about the imperial rivalry between Britain and France. The two World Wars of the 20th century have perhaps hidden to many the fact that rivalry and war between the two goes back at least 700 years, and that much of second half of 19th Century was occupied by skirmishes between the empires of the two. Given this situation, it was hardly surprising that the question of who should dominate the Middle East after the demise of the Ottoman Empire had potential for disrupting the Anglo-French alliance in the middle of the First World War. Even after an agreement between the two imperialist nations had been agreed - a line on the map from the 'e' in Acre, to the 'k' in Kirkup - each sought to undermine the other's position, and each proceeded to treat the people living in the the area they controlled in a way guaranteed to eventually cause rebellion. Reading this book is a bit like watching a slow motion train wreck. We all know what the outcome was, everyone has their own idea of what should have been done, but Britain and France continued with the same policies that had already dug both of them into a deep hole. At times one almost fears to turn the page to see what the next blunder is. I recommend this book to any one who wants to understand the history of the problems that currently beset the Middle East. To my mind it's pretty even handed in its approach to the main protagonists. Some of the uttering and beliefs of the leading characters will sound pretty appalling to the modern ear, but you have to remember that imperialism was a respectable and dominant ideology for both sides during the two wars and in the inter-war period. Recommended. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoyable, but not an easy read *by K***S on 2 May 2014* "A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle That Shaped the Middle East" by James Barr tells the story of French-British rivalry in the Middle East to replace the Ottoman Empire as the new local powers. It starts in 1916 with the Sykes-Picot agreement and ends in 1948 with the withdrawal of British (military) rule from Palestine. It is a Europe centric account of the making of the modern Middle East in the first half of the twentieth century with diplomats, secret services, intelligence officers, terrorists and politicians taking centre stage. It is a sad story, with no good guys or happy endings. Instead it is a prime example of how years of political manipulation, arrogance, hypocrisy, opportunism, cynicism, back-stabbing and underhand dealings added further complications to an already volatile and complex region. Its outcomes still reverberate today and are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Barr's writing style is engaging and the topic well researched. However, this is a very detailed account of 30 years rivalry between the main protagonists (France, Britain, USA, Zionists & Arabs) and its representatives. The fluid loyalties of many parties involved, the domestic politics and individual rivalries on all sides against the backdrop of a shifting international power balance require concentrated reading. Despite the likes of Churchill, de Gaulle, T.E. Lawrence, Lloyd George, Woodrow Wilson and Menachim Begin playing important parts, there are numerous less famous characters making short appearances further adding to the complexity of the story. Overall "A Line in the Sand" is a good introduction to the making of the modern Middle East, but not an easy read. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Line in the Sand *by D***E on 2 August 2026* An excellent account of the emergence from the First WW through to 1948 of many of the Middle Eastern states including Israel and how European nations including Britain and France shaped so fundamentally their collective and individual destinies. Best history book read so far this year. ## Frequently Bought Together - A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East - Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/48772649-a-line-in-the-sand-britain-france-and-the-struggle](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/48772649-a-line-in-the-sand-britain-france-and-the-struggle) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-09-16*