Alexandria: The City That Changed The World

New condition blue boards, blue spine, and silver spine lettering contained in a fine condition non price-clipped color illustrated dust jacket. Includes Author Dedication; List of Illustrations; A Note on Style; Preface; Epilogue; Bibliography; Notes; Acknowledgments and Index. Illustrated with two sections of both black-and-white and color photographic plates and a section of black-and-white maps. "A fabulous book, in ever sense of that word. It is a history of the city, of its multitudinous people, of its heroes and villains, down through the ages to Issa's family and his life growing up there. Every page reveals a new delight. A work of brilliant and informed scholarship, as well as being a labour of love. It is as if Islam Issa was born to write this book." - Paul Strathern, author. "Islam Issa's Alexandria is the book on this amazing city that I've long been waiting for. It's a wonderfully easy to read, solidly researched, and engaging introduction to the Egyptian city founded by Alexander the Great that became the intellectual and literary center of the ancient world - and that still shapes so much of our world today." - Philip Freeman, professor of humanities, Pepperdine University and author. "Had things gone differently for Antony and Cleopatra, then today we would be luading the glories of Alexandria instead of Rome. But Islam Issa refuses to see Alexandria as an also-ran and guides us through Alexandria's long, colorful, rarely peaceful past. By evoking the splendours of its palaces, temples, libraries, churches, museums, synagogues, mosques, bazaars, dance halls, and cafes, the book provides a multifaceted history of an enthralling city." - Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, professor of ancient history, Cardiff University and author. "A comprehensive history of a city that has served as a 'representative illustration of some of history's most consequential empires.' Issa relates his native city's past principally through attention to its most famous figures and rulers. A well-researched, readable history of one of the world's oldest and most consequential cities." - Kirkus Reviews. "An original, authoritative, and lively cultural history of the first modern city. Inspired by the tales of Homer and his own ambitions of empire, Alexander the Great sketched the idea of a city onto the sparsely populated Egyptian coastline. He did not live to see Alexandria built, but his vision of a sparkling metropolis that celebrated learning and diversity was swiftly realized and still stands today. Situated on the cusp of Africa, Europe, and Asia, Alexandria became the crucible of cultural exchange between East and West for millennia and the undisputed global captial of knowledge. Together, Greeks and Egyptians, Romans and Jews created a global knowledge capital of enormous influence: the inventive collaboration of its citizens shaped modern philosophy, science, religion, and more. Empires would lay claim to the city, from the Arabs and Ottomans to the French and British, but Alexandria's independent spirit endures. In this sweeping biography of a fascinating place, Islam Issa takes us on a journey across millennia, rich in big ideas, brutal tragedies, and distinctive characters, from Cleopatra to Napoleon. From its humble origins to dizzying heights and present-day strife, Alexandria tells the grippping story of a city that has shaped our modern world." - from the inner front jacket flap.…