Cairo: A Cultural History (Cityscapes)

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In Beattie's hands, the kitsch of mass tourism wryly underlies his summary history of pharaonic Egypt and its ruins. Less sought out by sightseers are the vestiges of Cairo's Christian and Jewish communities, whose churches and synagogues Beattie describes in a lost-world tone sympathetic to their obscurity in an overwhelmingly Islamic city. He also notes that Cairo boasts some of the most impressive Islamic architecture anywhere, which he describes in fluid prose. Incorporating many writers' (e.g., Nobelist Naguib Mahfouz's) observations about Cairo, Beattie's tour is a pleasingly refined departure from the typical city guide. Gilbert Taylor
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The city of Cairo has long been recognized as the epicenter of Egyptian culture. Today, Cairo's influence goes well beyond Egypt, as evidenced by the city's role as a trailblazer in Arab sociopolitical and cultural developments. The author of several travel books (e.g., Syria), Beattie here offers a highly readable cultural history of Cairo. Although several travel books on Cairo are available for Western audiences, this engaging book is something else, ranking as one of the best and most intellectually stimulating studies of the city. Readers will feel that they are walking through Cairo's myriad neighborhoods and surveying its cultural landmarks. Likewise, Cairo's heterogeneity and its many religious faiths come alive in these pages. Complementing similar books, such as Andr Raymond's Cairo: City of History and Max Rodenbeck's Cairo: The City Victorious, this book is highly recommended for all public libraries.-Nader Entessar, Spring Hill Coll., Mobile, AL Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.


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