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198 pages, Paperback
135x215mm, Portrait

Published September 2011



ISBN-10: 1906768641
ISBN-13: 9781906768645
 
Voices of Oman
 
Voices of Oman is a collection of eyewitness accounts of the most significant event of modern Omani history, the Omani Renaissance of 1970, which transformed a nomadic desert culture into a modern urban state. The stories told in the 15 interviews contained in this work show the human dimension of a large historical change. Whatever cultural ground the reader may or may not share with these individuals, these stories show in poignant detail how we are all alike and how we are all different.

History is the glue that holds a culture together, and Oman's past is filled with periods of glorious achievement that contribute to the contemporary Omani's sense of continuity and cultural identity. In the twentieth century the definition of history expanded to include, not just the exploits of the famous and powerful but also the stories of 'everyday' people. This large group, the overwhelming majority of any culture, in the past had no voice in the historical narrative.

Voices of Oman draws from a diverse cross-section of society to tell the story of the Omani Renaissance in the words of those who lived the transition.

This book should be on the reading list of any serious student of Omani culture and history.
Dr. Byron Augustin, Professor of Geography, Texas State University.

For those who desire to learn more about this unique and peaceful land, reading Charles' compilation is a must.
Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III, U.S. Ambassador to Oman 2002-2006.
Dr. Charles Olson - Dr. Charles J. Olson currently teaches Humanities at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He has taught and lectured at the University of New Mexico, Damavand College (Tehran, Iran), and the University of Szeged (Szeged, Hungary).

For more than ten years he was an independent film and video producer. His interest in and use of oral history methodology dates to the 1970s. His current project with Oman stems from his interest in intercultural studies and electronic documentation.