Once every few years Freedman convenes a conference on the Middle East and puts out a volume of papers by assorted experts. This one, covering the period 1985-88, is primarily a narrative of events, excellent for its wealth of information and useful for reference. No lifeless text, however, it is sprinkled with the opinions and interpretations of authors immersed in their specialties. They do not all agree with each other and some ride their own particular hobbyhorses, but that is to be expected in view of the complexities of the contemporary politics of the region.