Concise History of the Middle East

I just read this primer on the history of the Middle East, spanning from shortly before the rise of Islam up to the present day (ISIS and everything).  It's pretty comprehensive.  There's some editorializing (see some reviews of the previous edition here), especially at the end of each chapter, where I assume that the authors are trying to encourage their readers (it's a college textbook) to think critically, and apply some of the ideas and lessons beyond the Middle East or the specific time period covered in that chapter.  But it's a pretty good book if you want a general overview of Middle Eastern history, or a solid refresher.