American U. in Cairo Press

Baghdad arts deco; architectural brickwork, 1920-1950.

"From the 1920s to the 1950s, residential architecture in Baghdad became a model of excellence, inventiveness, and know-how," states Pieri in her introductory essay, particularly with regard to brickwork. In this elegantly produced oversize volume (10x12 inches) she offers a history of the city beginning in 1860, continuing through its entrance into the modern era, building during the 1930s, the "mutation of references" during the 1940s, and current urban and national planning. The narrative is illustrated throughout, but the second part of the book showcases the author's numerous photos and focuses on details of roofs, terraces, balconies, arches, columns, and other aspects of the architecture. Pieri earned her doctorate in history and civilizations from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris. Distributed in North America by Oxford University Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Egypt visual sourcebook; for artists, architects, and designers. (CD-ROM included)

Egypt has an impressive abundance of architectural and design examples spanning thousands of years. Cities like Cairo offer visitors and inhabitants alike a rich mixture of ancient and modern design concepts. Hewitt, set designer for feature films including Without a Trace and The Green Hornet, presents a sourcebook profiling architectural and design themes found in Egypt. The book is filled with nearly 1,000 photographs focusing on ancient and modern design themes and includes a companion CD. Distributed in North America by Oxford University Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Egypt; yesterday and today: Lithographs and diaries by David Roberts R.A. (reprint 1996)

David Roberts (1796-1894) a gifted and prolific British painter, well known during his time, used his talents to travel and paint what he saw with extraordinary clarity and detail. This volume, originally published in hardback in 1996, assembles his work and presents it full page along with text (by Fabio Bourbon), photographs (by Antonio Attini) of the sites depicted in the paintings, and selections from Roberts' journals. One hundred and twenty plates are presented in an arrangement corresponding to the artist's itinerary. The book is distributed in North America by Oxford U. Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The new atlas of the Arab world.

Covering all 22 countries of the League of Arab States, this convenient reference presents 37 detailed maps and some eye-popping satellite images showing the terrain. A profile for each country presents several pages of data and narrative regarding geography, population, demography, and culture, along with photos of people and places. This is a clearly organized, attractive, accessible, and timely reference suitable for a wide audience. It is distributed in North America by Oxford U. Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Twentieth-century Egyptian art; the private collection of Sherwet Shafei.

At the request of Sherwet Shafei herself, Abaza (visiting professor of Islamology, Lund U., Sweden) undertook the daunting task of preparing this presentation of an extraordinary collection. Shafei passionately collected approximately 250 works of art by some of the pioneers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries as well as the work of the next generation of painters in Egypt through the 1950s, 1960, and 1970s. Abaza provides an introductory essay describing the history of the collection and its main features. Works by 37 artists are generously showcased in full-page plates (mostly), with thorough collector's notes. Biographies of the artists are included. The volume is oversize: 9.5x11.5 inches. Distribution in North America is by Oxford University Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)