A window on the people and culture of the Middle East, the Biographical Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East & North Africa illuminates the lives of the most influential and controversial figures in the region who came to prominence during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It includes more than 300 alphabetically arranged profiles of contemporary leaders who belong to various political, ethnic, and religious groups, as well as notable individuals associated with business, law, science, social issues, sports, entertainment, literature, and the fine and performing arts not well covered in other encyclopedias. Features include sidebars, a timeline, maps and portraits, along with subject, nationality and ethnicity indexes.