A sweeping and colorful account of Egypt's 5000-year history
This is a sweeping, colorful, and concise narrative history of Egypt
from the beginning of human settlement in the Nile River valley 5000
years ago to the present day. Accessible, authoritative, and richly
illustrated, this is an ideal introduction and guide to Egypt's long,
brilliant, and complex history for general readers, tourists, and anyone
else who wants a better understanding of this vibrant and fascinating
country, one that has played a central role in world history for
millennia--and that continues to do so today.
Respected historian Robert Tignor, who has lived in Egypt at different
times over the course of five decades, covers all the major eras of the
country's ancient, modern, and recent history. A cradle of civilization,
ancient Egypt developed a unique and influential culture that featured a
centralized monarchy, sophisticated art and technology, and monumental
architecture in the form of pyramids and temples. But the great age of
the pharaohs is just the beginning of the story and Egypt: A Short
History also gives a rich account of the tumultuous history that
followed--from Greek and Roman conquests, the rise of Christianity,
Arab-Muslim triumph, and Egypt's incorporation into powerful Islamic
empires to Napoleon's 1798 invasion, the country's absorption into the
British Empire, and modern, postcolonial Egypt under Nasser, Sadat, and
Mubarak.
This book provides an indispensable key to Egypt in all its
layers--ancient and modern, Greek and Roman, and Christian and Islamic.
In a new afterword the author analyzes the recent unrest in Egypt and
weighs in on what the country might look like after Mubarak.
