Annual Lecture: Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Sebag Montefiore is an internationally bestselling author whose prize-winning books have been published in forty-eight languages. Prizes include the British Book Awards’ History Book of the Year for Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar, the Lupicaia del Terriccio Prize for The Romanovs, the LA Times Book Prize for Young Stalin and the National Library of China’s Wen Jin Prize for Jerusalem. The World: A Family History, a NY Times and Sunday Times bestseller, was named The Times History Book of the Year. He is also the author of the acclaimed Moscow Trilogy of novels.

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Calendar of Events Annual Lecture: Simon Sebag Montefiore
Calendar of Events
 
  • Simon-Sebag-Montefiore
  • The Cauldron

Annual Lecture: Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Sebag Montefiore is an internationally bestselling author whose prize-winning books have been published in forty-eight languages. Prizes include the British Book Awards’ History Book of the Year for Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar, the Lupicaia del Terriccio Prize for The Romanovs, the LA Times Book Prize for Young Stalin and the National Library of China’s Wen Jin Prize for Jerusalem. The World: A Family History, a NY Times and Sunday Times bestseller, was named The Times History Book of the Year. He is also the author of the acclaimed Moscow Trilogy of novels.

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Price
£25 for ROSL Members, £30 for ROSL Guests
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When
Start Date: Mon. 26 October - 18:30
End Date: Mon. 26 October - 19:30
Where
Royal Over-Seas League

About This Event

THE CAULDRON: THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST

  • How did one extraordinary prince create Saudi Arabia?
  • Why were a million Armenians killed during WWI?
  • How did an elderly cleric overthrow the Shah and become ruler of Iran?
  • Why did the Arab Spring fail?

The essential guide to the making of today’s Middle East from the internationally bestselling, prizewinning historian and master storyteller, Simon Sebag Montefiore.

The Middle East has forever been the source of religions, prize of empires, spark-wheel of conflicts, well of radicalism and epicentre of our tumultuous world. No other region has such a hold on our imagination nor such a propensity to unleash mayhem. Yet few know its real history; fewer still understand its variety and cosmopolitanism, its complexity and interconnectedness.

In The Cauldron, Simon Sebag Montefiore delivers a fresh and unique history of the entire region in all its diversity, from 1900 up to the present day. Taking the reader on a spectacular journey from the Ottoman sultanate to the Trump presidency, from Morocco to Iran, this is a dazzling panorama of faith and fanaticism, creativity and tolerance, dictatorship and democracy brought to life by an extraordinary cast of kings, warriors, poets, terrorists and peacemakers.

Who was the last great Ottoman sultan? Why did Faisal become king of both Syria and Iraq? How did Britain and France carve up the Middle East? Why did the Kurds never get a state? How did Ataturk create Turkey? Was Nasser the greatest Arab hero?  Why was Algeria’s war of independence so violent? Who killed Sadat and Rabin? Could a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine ever work? How did Hezbollah dominate Lebanon? Is UAE the most successful Arab state? Why did Bin Laden attack the USA; why did the USA destroy Saddam? Who created a caliphate in the twenty-first century? What happened to the Christians of Iraq?  Will Israeli democracy survive?  Why is the Sudanese civil war so brutal? Is Erdogan keen to recreate an
Ottoman empire? The Cauldron answers these and more.

This is the essential story of how the Middle East of 1900 became the Middle East of today – and tomorrow.

Simon will be signing copies of his new book available to purchase on the evening at £25.

Each ticket includes a glass of wine after the event.

The talk is open to ROSL members and their named guests only.

This talk will not be live-streamed or recorded.

Map & Directions

By Tube

ROSL’s closest tube station is Green Park. Take exit marked Piccadilly, walk past the Ritz Hotel, and turn right onto Arlington Street. At the end of Arlington Street there are some steps, go down these steps and turn right where you will find the entrance courtyard to Over-Seas House.

By Bus

The following buses stop outside Green Park tube station on Piccadilly: numbers C2, 9, 14, 19, 22 and 38, running west to Hyde Park Corner, Victoria and Knightsbridge, and east to Piccadilly Circus and Holborn.

By Car

Travelling west on the A4 (Piccadilly), turn left onto St James’s Street and second right into Park Place cul-de-sac, Over-Seas House is at the end. If there is no space in the Over-Seas car park, alternative parking may be found in the NCP Car Park on Arlington Street off Piccadilly.

Dress Code

Members and their guests are requested to dress in a manner consistent with the character and standing of ROSL when visiting the clubhouse.

Club Rules & Dress Code

Have A Question

Our team are on hand to help. Get in touch through phone or email.

Call us on +44 (0)20 7408 0214

Accommodation
& Dining Options

Club members, why not enhance your visit to the Club by booking overnight accommodation, dinner or Afternoon Tea?