American U. in Cairo Press

Arab cinema; history and cultural identity, rev. ed.

In this update of the 1998 edition, a freelance film scholar (Popular Egyptian Cinema: Gender, Class, and Nation, 2007)/ filmmaker (the award-winning documentary short The Lemon Tree, 1993) traces the history and themes of Arab cinema. Recent trends that Shafik discusses include the rising: number of countries involved in full-length feature film production, use of digital video technology, dependence on Western funding, and melding of popular and auteur films to represent social and political realities. Movie stills span Layla the Bedouin (Bahiga Hafiz, 1937) to One Minute of Sun Less (Nabil Ayouch, 2002). Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Arab women and economic development; proceedings.

These proceedings of a conference held in Kuwait on the economic state of Arab women should be given serious attention. The authors are all representatives of international and Arab monetary organizations, such as the World Bank and the Arab Monetary Fund. They treat the questions of female entrepreneurs, women in the work force and the best ways to make economic advancement available to women. Handoussa is an economic advisor and a member of Egypt's coordinating committee for economic policy. In her introduction and conclusion, she summarizes the papers. All the participants agree that while some improvements have been made, especially in education and health, they don't seem to have had an economic effect. The subtext of all the papers is that social attitudes must be changed before any but the wealthiest women will be able to be part of the paid work force. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Christians in Egypt; Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant communities — past and present.

Apart from the ancient Coptic Christian church in Egypt there are also Greek and Armenian Orthodox congregations along with Catholic, Anglican and Evangelical. The late Otto Meinardus wrote extensively on Egyptian Christianity. This book is the final in a three-part history. It is a straightforward explanation of the history and current state of the several denominations. Meinardus gives the circumstances of the founding of the churches, any variations they have from the parent church and lists of monasteries and bishops to the present. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Egypt forever; a photobook.

Photographer Patrick Longueville has wandered the length of Egypt to take these photos of the cities of Alexandria, Cairo and Luxor. With minimal captions, he shows the dichotomy of a modern civilization living in the shadow of an ancient one. Modern buildings are simply one more layer in the strata of time. Some images are almost abstract. Others, like the smiling face of Col. Sanders on a billboard, are all too clear. The faces of the citizens stare at the viewer, most serious; only a child is smiling. This is a lovely collection of black and white images. The author notes that the entire proceeds from the book will go to an Egyptian charity. Oversize 9x12 inches. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo; a walk through the alleys of ancient Egypt, gift ed.

Published in an oversized format (13.25x13.25 inches) and distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM), this big volume is filled with full-page color plates of a selection of works from this outstanding collection. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Enchanted jewelry of Egypt; the traditional art and craft.

This well-researched and beautifully designed book presents a detailed history of traditional jewelry design and adornment in Egypt, with many full-page color plates of jewelry, both alone and being worn, including many historic photographs. The text is of interest for its treatment of ethnography, a result of the author's travels from Nubia to the Mediterranean researching local jewelry traditions in villages and towns. Fahmy's roots are in Upper Egypt and she is an accomplished jeweler with training in traditional Egyptian gold and silver metalwork. The volume is oversized (10x13.25 inches), presented in a sturdy slipcase, and distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The funerary art of ancient Egypt; a bridge to the realm of the hereafter.

Even if an intact tomb had never been found in Egypt, its contents could have been guessed at by the reliefs and paintings the Egyptians left illustrating the funerary rights. Egyptologist el-Shahawy guides the reader through a typical funerary procession. She explains the Egyptian beliefs about death and the afterlife and then the actual events of the funeral: the procession, paid mourners, refreshment stands, dancing and praying. The book is lavishly illustrated, bringing the text to life. The author notes that each rendition of a funeral precession is unique although all are similar. She suggests that a more detailed academic study would be worthwhile. Until then, this is a lovely introduction to an important facet of Egyptian culture. Oversize 10x11.5 inches. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM) (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The historical sites of Egypt; v.1: Ash-Sharqiyyah governorate. (CD-ROM included)

Published in a large-scale landscape format (16.75x12 inches), this technical volume presents maps, satellite images, photos, and tables on 126 ancient sites and monuments in the ash-Sharqiyyah governorate. The work is designed as a reference, to make site registration information available to archaeologists and anyone concerned with land use planning and site protection. The tables list the ID code, site name (in Arabic, transliterated, and simplified transliteration), legal status, site status document name and number, and system calculated area according to SCA maps. A glossary of terms is included in both English and Arabic versions. The CD-ROM contains cahiers for each site, multiple indexes, a chronological table of historical periods, list of abbreviations, and the glossary. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The illustrated guide to the Coptic museum and churches of Old Cairo.

Coptic art is often thought of as solely Christian. As this guide to the Coptic museum in Cairo explains, it is really that made by native Egyptians in the centuries after the pharaohs, pagan and Christian. Gabra, a former director of the museum and Eaton-Krauss, an expert in Egyptian art, state that this is intended as a guide for visitors to the museum. It is much more than that, a guided tour through post-pharonic Egypt. Hundreds of full-color images are explained in the context of the society that made them. Much of the work has a Christian theme that shows the influence of its Egyptian predecessor as well as Greek, Roman and Arab conquerors. Tourists will find the chapter on the churches of Cairo especially useful, but the armchair traveler will also find this guide a delight. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

KV 5; a preliminary report on the excavation of the tomb of the sons of Ramesses II in the Valley of the Kings, rev.ed.

KV 5 is known to contain 150 chambers and corridors on several levels, and is unique in size, plan, and in its function as a family mausoleum for many of the sons of Ramses II. This revised and updated edition from its 2000 Egyptian publication covers much of the work undertaken between 1988 and 2005; sections detail the archaeological and architectural descriptions, wall decoration, and inscribed objects. Appendices provide the mineralogical analysis, rock mechanics index tests, hydraulic response of the Valley of the Kings, slope deformations in the Valley of the Kings, geotechnical studies for KV 5, and KV 5 tomb stability and rehabilitation. This title contains no index. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Luxor Museum; the glory of ancient Thebes, 2d ed.

El Shahawy is an Egyptian Egyptologist and the author of several books. Focusing on ancient Thebes, she presents a selection of masterpieces from tombs and temples in Karnak and Luxor, and the Deir el Bahri mummy cache, housed in the Luxor Museum. An introductory essay providing an overview of the history of Thebes, is followed by color photographs of 41 pieces chosen for their historical importance or their artistic merit; accompanying descriptions identify the place and role played by each piece in the history of Thebes. Revisions from the first to second edition are not stated. Distributed in the U.S. by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Media on the front lines; Arab satellite TV in Iraq and other studies in satellite broadcasting in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

Transnational Broadcasting Studies (TBS), which reports on satellite broadcasting in the Arab and Islamic worlds, has assembled and published this collection of news stories and interviews on covering both global developments and regional conflicts under risky conditions. Articles range from the sudden popularity of reality TV in Iraq to the reception Al Jazeera International received when in hit the U.S. Airwaves. Students of journalism will find these differing perspectives quite informative. Distributed in the U.S. By International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Modern standard Arabic grammar; a concise guide.

Hassanein (Arabic, American U. in Cairo) is clear that she is offering students a reference, not a textbook. She sets out the important rules of Arabic grammar as used in the curriculum where she teaches, focusing specifically on the grammar aspects of al-Kitab al-Asasi, though not in the same order. There is no bibliography or index. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Nubian ceremonial life; studies in Islamic syncretism and cultural change.

The building of the Aswan dam in the 1960s flooded much of the land of Nubia. The inhabitants were relocated. Before this happened a team of American and Egyptian sociologists and anthropologists did what they could to preserve a record on Nubian traditions and ceremonies. Originally published in 1978, this volume has been updated by the original editor, John G. Kennedy, professor emeritus of anthropology and psychiatry at UCLA. The articles here reflect the history of Nubia as well as the way of life. In several places, the footnotes state that the ceremonies are no longer performed and that the researchers relied on the memories of the inhabitants. An interesting look at the dying society of a people who once ruled Egypt. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The Nubian Pharaohs; black kings on the Nile.

This beautifully illustrated, oversized volume (10x13.5 inches) describes the history of excavation, major sites, and main stylistic trends of Nubian culture. Central to the text is the story of the discovery in 2003 of a cache of seven superb statues at Gebel Barkal, their excavation, reconstruction, and larger context. The volume provides an excellent survey of Nubian culture and art for the general reader interested in ancient Egypt and Nubia. Not indexed, the volume is distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Popular Egyptian cinema; gender, class, and nation.

Filmmaker and film scholar Shafik discusses modern cinema in Egypt, focusing on the three main topics of the nation, gender, and class, with subtopics touching upon the Other; the allegorical nation; feminism and femininity; female stardom, myth-production, and morality; negotiating class through genre; and audiences and class. The author also discusses genres such as melodrama, realism, and action in relation to debates over highbrow and lowbrow culture in light of local and international film criticism. Name and film indexes are both included. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Quseir; an Ottoman and Napoleonic fortress on the Red Sea coast of Egypt.

Le Quesne, an archaeologist based in Britain, presents the second in a series of books reporting on a massive conservation initiative bankrolled by the US Agency for International Development. The archaeological research it describes is unusual because it examines evidence for events of the past 450 years, the modern era by Egyptian archaeological standards. It highlights the complementary use of textual and material sources of information. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The sculptors' models of the late and Ptolemaic periods; a study of the type and function of a group of ancient Egyptian artefacts.

Tomoum, in this edition of her 2003 dissertation, examines objects known as "practice pieces" found in Egyptian excavations. They are generally small works of sculpture, often with writing on the side or back, in hieratic, demotic, hieroglyphic or, rarely, Greek. Some scholars have suggested that these writing indicate that the models were actually made as votive offerings. Tomoum argues that the contents of the writing indicate that these were indeed sculptor's models and that the epigraphy was likely made by the artists for a variety of reasons, including practicing their writing, making lists and keeping accounts, but not often for religious purposes. Full color photos of the works are included. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). Oversize 8.5x11.5 inches (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The treasures of Coptic art; in the Coptic museum and churches of old Cairo.

Published to commemorate the re-opening of the Coptic Museum in Cairo in 2006, this book offers a survey of the sacred and secular arts and the church architecture of Coptic Christianity in Egypt. Published in an oversized format (10x13.5 inches), the volume is filled with full-page, 2-page and smaller color plates of the works and buildings described. Carved wooden altars, painted cramic jugs, examples of the Nag Hammadi Library, medieval painted manuscript pages, icons, and sculpture are among the works described. This is a substantial introduction to a lesser-known topic of art and architectural history. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)