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A Portrait of Egypt: A Journey Through the World of Militant Islam
 
 
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A Portrait of Egypt: A Journey Through the World of Militant Islam [Paperback]

Mary Anne Weaver (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Book Description

0374527105 978-0374527105 August 7, 2000 First Edition
For centuries Egypt has been a citadel of Islamic learning and thought, and since the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty in 1979, it has been of immense strategic importance to American interests in the Middle East. But Egypt is also a country in crisis, torn between the old and the new, between unsettled religious revival and secular politics. President Hosni Mubarak favors a secular society. But Mubarak's government faces constant conflict with militant clerics such as Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. In A Portrait of Egypt, Mary Anne Weaver argues that an Islamist victory in Egypt is almost inevitable, and, unlike that of Shi'ite Iran, its impact on the Islamic world will be truly profound.

Based on exclusive interviews with militants and front men, generals and presidents, A Portrait of Egypt is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the far-reaching consequences of the growing impact of Islamist politics and policies on the West.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Weaver, a New Yorker correspondent, is a gifted writer and observer who has spent a great deal of time and effort trying to understand the complex culture of Egypt and its effects on the entire Islamic world. She conveys the huge gap between Egypt's rich and poor and explains the appeal of political Islam in its many forms (some more radical than others) to the disenfranchised masses. Weaver believes that if Egypt turns "Islamist" in the way that Iran did in 1979, the effects will be much more dramatic throughout the Islamic world. She explains how the new generation of violent Islamic militants active throughout the world is largely the creation of U.S. policy: when the CIA covertly supported the mujahideen who drove the Soviets out of Afghanistan, it armed, trained and funded those who would become the most implacable enemies of the U.S. Weaver excels at explaining how, even as Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak cracks down on domestic Islamic opposition, the mullahs are gaining control of Egypt's judiciary and educational system. Her interviews with Mubarak, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman (the spiritual mentor of the World Trade Center bombers and, earlier, of some people involved in the assassination of Anwar Sadat) and Naguib Mahfouz are riveting. Yet, as thorough and eye-opening as Weaver's raw reportage is, the book lacks structure. Organized neither chronologically nor thematically, it is essentially a series of accomplished pieces of journalism that will leave readers with discrete chunks of information and just the hint of a larger pattern that Weaver never quite brings into focus.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This look at Egyptian society and politics has a special focus on the rise of militant Islam in contemporary Egypt. Weaver, a foreign correspondent for The New Yorker, has relied on her interviews with a host of Islamic militants as well as high-level politicians to write an absorbing account of the world of militant Islam. She explains how the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan galvanized individuals and groups and resulted in the establishment of a network of radical Islamists in Egypt linking kindred spirits from Pakistan to New Jersey. Perhaps the most controversial argument here is Weaver's belief in the high likelihood of an Islamic victory in Egypt, with far-reaching consequences for the rest of the Arab world. This well-written and highly readable book is recommended for those interested in gaining insight into the world of militant Sunni Islam today.?Nader Entessar, Spring Hill Coll., Mobile, AL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition edition (August 7, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0374527105
  • ISBN-13: 978-0374527105
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #934,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe I live in another country?, July 22, 2001
By 
"woanders" (Cairo , Egypt) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Portrait of Egypt: A Journey Through the World of Militant Islam (Paperback)
After reading the first two thirds of Ms Weavers book I am confused: what's the point of chosing the title "A Portrait of Egypt" when writing a book about religious extremism?

Despite this (major) mislead, the book provides a) some good introduction into modern Egyptian history!; b) some good understanding of why certain things happened and still happen in Egypt; and c) some good information on the who is who in this mess of islamists & terrorists...

However, please... DO NOT read this book if you are looking for information about everyday Egypt;... DO NOT read this book if you are trying to understand more about Islam (not even militant Islam, despite the title).

I still haven't decided whether it's a good or a bad book, for sure it's an interesting read - but ONLY IF you have background/previous knowledge and can constantly double-check the information given in the book.

Footnote: In another comment Sharon argues that Mubarak is the third president of Egypt. To clear up the confusion, on this point Ms Wezver did her homework well - the first president, before Gamal Abdel Nasser was Mohamed Naguib, though only for limited time but still.

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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT OVERVIEW OF THE ISLAMIC EXTREMISM IN EGYPT, November 7, 2001
By 
Brooser Bear (City of New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Portrait of Egypt: A Journey Through the World of Militant Islam (Paperback)
This is excellent reading for those of you who know little of modern Egyptian politics or the rise of the revolutionary Islam in the Middle East. This book shows exactly how the US military aid went awry in Afghanistan, it delineates the major extremist islamic organizations as well as key players involved. Throughout the years the author must have had incredible access to political leaders and oficials at all levels, including Mubarak, the current President in Egypt and Sheikh Abdel-Rahman, the mastermind of the first attack on the world trade center and the man believed to be behind the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. This book is not about Egypt, but the expansion of extremist Islam and the resultant struggle for power in it. Not only does this work show a connection between the Afghan war and the rise of Islamic extremism, but it also shows how Edyptian terrorists can be tied to Bin Ladin and how the US is drawn into the conflict beyond its support of Israel. Considering that this work was written well before the events of September 11, it is uncanny how accurate this book turned out to be with regards to its message of the dangers posed to the US by Islamic extremism.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Political Portrait, January 8, 2004
By 
Sharon Fratepietro "sharoninsc" (Charleston, SC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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This review is from: A Portrait of Egypt: A Journey Through the World of Militant Islam (Paperback)
Don't expect a history of Egypt or a travel guide in this book--you won't find that kind of information--but you will find a very credible political analysis of Egypt today. I thought I was savvy about mid-East politics, but this book taught me a lot. Mary Ann Weaver makes a convincing case for the belief that Egypt is a ticking bomb of political discontent. I appreciate her thoughtful reporting, since the press is so preoccupied with Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, that Egypt is almost never in the news. Mary Ann Weaver is also an excellent writer.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
THE STREETS OF CAIRO ARE LIKE NO OTHER STREETS IN THE world. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
prayer caps, bin laden
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sheikh Omar, United States, Saudi Arabia, Abu Zeid, Upper Egypt, Anwar Sadat, New York, Middle East, Cairo University, World Trade Center, Miss Pennypecker, Hosni Mubarak, Hosm Mubarak, Mary Anne Weaver, Free Officers, Soviet Union, Naguib Mahfouz, University of Asyut, King Farouk, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, Prophet Muhammad, Ayatollah Khomeini, Nile Delta, October War
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