From the post-colonial era, to the rise of religious fundamentalism, to the Arab Spring in 2011, the Middle East has undergone radical changes over the past five decades.
They've transformed not only geopolitics at large, but also individuals. Kamal al-Solaylee's 2012 book "Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes" intertwines his personal journey of coming out as a gay man with more than 50 years of history in the Middle East offering a microcosm of life in the region.