Simon Sebag Montefiore — The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East - With James Kirchick

Simon Sebag Montefiore presents *The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East*, a sweeping history of the region from 1900 to the present. Drawing on political, cultural, and social history, Montefiore examines the ideological conflicts and geopolitical pressures that shaped the modern Middle East, tracing a route from the Ottoman sultanate to the Trump presidency and spanning countries from Morocco to Iran. The event explores the region’s diversity, cosmopolitanism, interconnectedness, and competing traditions of faith, tolerance, dictatorship, and democracy.

Montefiore will discuss the book in conversation with journalist and author James Kirchick. The program is held in person at Politics and Prose, with a livestream option also provided.

When: Monday, November 16, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008.

Format: In-person conversation with a livestream option.

Tickets: Free admission with first-come, first-served seating.

Featured speakers: Simon Sebag Montefiore and James Kirchick.

About Simon Sebag Montefiore: Montefiore is an award-winning historian whose books have appeared in 48 languages. His works include *Catherine the Great and Potemkin*, *Stalin*, *Young Stalin*, *Jerusalem*, *The Romanovs*, *The World*, *Written in History*, *Voices of History*, and the Moscow Trilogy novels. He holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and lives in London.

About James Kirchick: Kirchick is a journalist and the bestselling author of *Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington* and *The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age*. He is a writer at large for *Air Mail* and a columnist for *Commentary*, and has reported from more than 40 countries. His work has also appeared in *The New York Times*, *The Washington Post*, and *The Wall Street Journal*.

Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will try to accommodate requests made up to the event time.

Related book: *The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East* by Simon Sebag Montefiore is available in hardcover for $40.00.