Napoleon In Egypt: Al-jabarti's Chronicle Of The French Occupation, 1798 [Paperback]

Shmuel Moreh (Translator), Robert L. Tignor (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2005 | ISBN-10: 1558763376 | ISBN-13: 978-1558763371 | Edition: Expanded

The book is an Arab view of a turning point in modern history. Napoleon's conquest of Egypt in 1798 was the first contact between a Western power with imperial goals and an ancien r‚gime of an African society. Sheik Al-Jabarti's chronicle is a unique combination of historical narration and reflection combined with daily observations about the atmosphere in Cairo and the mood among the local population. The French view of these events is described by Napoleon's secretary; Edward W. Said, Columbia University, provides a stinging critique of French preoccupation with Egypt and the resulting cultural 'Orientalism.'

Editorial Reviews

Review

"superlative translation . . . excellent commentaries . . . witty illustrations . . . exactly the right length for classroom use . . . inexpensive" -- World History Bulletin

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Arabic --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Markus Wiener Pub; Expanded edition (April 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558763376
• ISBN-13: 978-1558763371
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #322,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fateful meeting of East and West, December 30, 2001

By 

Alessandro Bruno (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Napoleon in Egypt: Al-Jabarti's Chronicle of the French Occupation, 1798 (Paperback)

The Chronicle of Al-Jabarti is an account of the first six months of Napoleon' s invasion and occupation of Egypt 1798. Sheikh 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Jabarti was an astronomer at Al-Azhar. As a member of the 'Ulama, Napoleon appointed him to the Diwan, or Grand Council, through which the French had hoped to govern Egypt. This allowed Al-Jabarti to compile a detailed chronicle of the French organization of administrative matters, the battles and the flight of the Mamluks to Upper Egypt and the Revolt of Cairo. Al-Jabarti left a valuable record of his impressions of the French in terms of their character and learning. With the possible exception of the very protracted Spanish Reconquista which ended with the fall of Granada in 1492, it had not been since the Crusades that a 'Western' power had attempted an invasion of a Muslim land on the scale and scope of Napoleon. The French General had also brought to Egypt an army of scholars from L' Academie whose purpose it was to study and record all possible aspects of interest, while also showing off European science and learning. Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne (Napoleon's private secretary) included in his Memoirs a brief account of the invasion of Egypt . A reading of both The Chronicle and the Memoirs provides an interesting insight as to how the Arabs and the French saw each other.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars it's a journal, not a book, December 6, 2007

By 

M. lentz (atlanta, ga usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Napoleon In Egypt: Al-jabarti's Chronicle Of The French Occupation, 1798 (Paperback)

there are so many other books that cover this topic in a more enjoyable and comprehensive way. not recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent chronicles from an Arab man's POV, January 4, 2012

By 

Cindy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Napoleon In Egypt: Al-jabarti's Chronicle Of The French Occupation, 1798 (Paperback)

If you are interested in an Arab man's account of the actions of Napoleon's army in Egypt especially in cultural and political domains, then this book is the right one for you. I bought this book for my college final paper, but it was actually fun to read as well. I think this book is very relevant today too, with all the discussions regarding the West vs. the Arab East...

Towards the end of the book, I got a sense that Al-jabarti did not completely despise the French after all, surprisingly...As I read this book, I felt as if I were back in time with all of them.

The book is short and sweet, and a good read, even for non-history majors. Also, what is funny is that I purchased this book through one of Amazon's sellers, but they LOST it in shipping, so I got a refund and managed to get a copy elsewhere...People should be wary of the independent booksellers on Amazon, because they don't seem that responsible when it comes to international shipping.