Description of Egypt: Notes and Views in Egypt and Nubia (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Edward William Lane (1801-76), a name known to almost anyone in Middle East studies, was the translator or author of a number of highly influential works: The Thousand and One Nights, Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians, and the Arabic-English Lexicon. Yet one of his greatest works, Description of Egypt, was never published, for financial reasons. Sold to the British Museum by Lanes widow in 1891, the manuscript has only now been salvaged for publication, nearly 170 years after its completion. Written in the form of a journey through Egypt from north to south, this important book includes descriptions of all the ancient monuments and contemporary life that Lane explored along the way.

About the Author

Jason Thompson is an associate professor in the department of history at the American University in Cairo.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 786 pages
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774245253
• ISBN-13: 978-9774245251
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #450,763 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EVERY EGYPT-INTERESTED ONE SHOULD OWN IT!, October 15, 2000

By	Robert (Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina) - See all my reviews

The re-edition of E.W. Lane's book is one of the most welcomed additions for the bookshelves of anyone interested in ancient and late last-century Egypt. This book, in reality, was originally published after the notes, drawings and photographs made by Lane during his journey to the Nile country between 1825-27, so that it is a mine of information about the pharaonic monuments in general and about Egypt during those years. A clear and finely written preface by the Editor, Dr. J. Thompson introduces the reader to the beautifully printed text and images; it should be noted that many of the latter were made with a camera lucida and count among the first taken with such a system. One should not be afraid by its bulky aspect: you will read from start to end without boring. The shcolarly-minded ones will regret the lack of indexes to such a huge volume: it implies that you must do the work by yourself... Simply fabulous both for the Egyptologists and the Egyptomaniacs.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed descriptions of all the ancient monuments, March 18, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Edited and with an informative introduction by Jason Thompson, Description Of Egypt: Notes And Views In Egypt And Nubia Made During The Years 1825-28 is the absorbing nineteenth century account by Edward William Lane (1801-1876) of his travels along the length and breadth of Egypt. It was offered for publication in 1831 but never saw print. The manuscript was sold to the British Library by Lane's widow in 1891 and only now has been published, some 170 years after its completion. With Lane's detailed descriptions of all the ancient monuments and contemporary life that he saw during his journey, Description Of Egypt will proof an invaluable reference for students of Egyptology, Egyptian history, and nineteenth century Egyptian culture.