Just Finished Reading: Napoleon in Egypt by Paul Strathern (FP: 2007) [427pp] 

It was a dream he had held dear since youth – to be a modern Alexander. But to do so would demand daring, dash and that admirable quality – luck. In 1798 the still young Napoleon Bonaparte had his chance. The Directory, the cabal who ruled revolutionary France, had agreed to his idea to invade Egypt and thereby threaten England’s prized possession – India. Sailing with 335 ships and 40,000 men (the largest long-distance seaborne force the world had ever seen at that time) he managed to avoid contact with the Royal Navy – by luck as much as anything else – the French army landed near Alexandria largely unopposed. This did not last long and all too soon the casualties mounted.  

The invasion was, in many ways, a strange one. Although Egypt was of strategic importance for both the British and the French, it was nominally at least part of Ottoman territory. The complicating factor was that the Ottoman Empire was an ALLY of France! Napoleon hoped that a diplomatic shuffle could smooth the way and prevent any unfortunate repercussions. He was wrong. Although the Turks took their own time about things they did not fail to take umbrage at being attacked in such an unprovoked manner. So much so that they (at least temporarily) allied with both Britain and Russia – their long-term natural enemy – to assist them in evicting the French. This was helped a great deal by the arrival of the Royal Navy and the consequent Battle of the Nile where the French fleet was effectively destroyed in harbour by the brilliant Nelson making him a very rich man and eventually propelling him to the Lords. Now trapped and in danger of being overwhelmed by the combined forces ranged against him, Napoleon needed all of his tactical and strategic brilliance to keep Egypt under French control. This he managed but at huge cost. Seeing which way things were moving and worried about the changing strategic developments in Europe, Napoleon finally agreed to return to France to both save the Republic and secure his place in history. The rest, as they say, is History. 

I knew something of Napoleon’s adventurous foray into the Middle East from previous reading as well as some knowledge of the famous Battle of the Nile, but I had no real idea of the detail. That gap in my knowledge is certainly much narrower now! This was a quite excellent history of a Napoleonic campaign that is often overlooked and all too often forgotten about. Surprisingly, Bonaparte made a number of fundamental errors during this campaign (although he proved his military genius more than once in compensation) making unfounded assumptions – in particular regarding Turkey/Ottoman reaction to his invasion – and singularly failed to appreciate the culture of the Egyptians and how they would react to Western modern ideas crashing into and clashing with their own. It was definitely a learning experience for him as well as an insight into the man himself and the depth of his ambition (essentially boundless). Another highlight of the year and a must read for anyone interested in the Napoleonic Age. I’m already looking forward to reading his previous work on The Medici (which I already own!).  

[Highest page count of the year so far: 427pp][+16pp]

Just Finished Reading: Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age by Peter Green (FP: 2007) [184pp] 

It was, he knew, his destiny. His military campaigns would not only overshadow those of his father but would inscribe his name deep into history like no one before him or since. What Alexander cared less about was how, or indeed if, his empire continued without him. Creation was his task, to conquer lands that his ancestors or contemporaries had barely been aware of. This he did but did not live to see the greatest empire the world has ever seen fall into infighting almost before his body was cold. Indeed, one of his own generals stole his body enroute to Macedonia and had it interred with great ceremony in Alexandria on the Nile. In the decades that followed fighting broke out between the Alexander’s rival captains for control of parts of the empire he left behind. None was individually capable of holding anything but pieces and soon the parts became mini-empires in their own regard. The most stable of them over the coming centuries was the Ptolemy Dynesty in Egypt. Incredibly rich and, by extension, incredibly powerful Ptolemy and his decedents became one of the power centres of the whole Mediterranean world. The other players were Alexander’s home country of Macedonia (and greater Greece), Carthage and the upstart Roman Republic. Each vied for power and control and, at least at first, the Romans were largely ignored which allowed them to consolidate their position on the Italian peninsula and to eject all other threats to their domination there. With the Hellenes still very much in control of the eastern Mediterranean it was only a matter of time before they came into conflict with Roman ambition. Splintered into rival factions and susceptible of being played off against each other – with Roman assistance – the Romans managed to win several encounters and forge strong alliances with Greek communities.  

But it was with the Punic Wars that Rome became a powerhouse in the region. Once Carthage had been defeated it was time to turn east again and to subsume Greece into the Roman sphere of influence after it was discovered that the Greeks had sought to exploit Rome’s troubles in North Africa and Spain. Once Greece was largely absorbed (or at least no longer a credible threat) Rome set about a period of consolidation leaving the last remaining Hellene area – Egypt – to its own devices. The Egyptians, know which way the sand was blowing at this point, offered friendly relations and support. Naturally having a very powerful ‘associative power’ so close was both a danger and an opportunity. Unfortunately, it was an opportunity for those looking to take power in the Republic and it wasn’t long before such a person – Marc Antony – made his move against the Republic using Egypt and the Ptolemy Dynesty as his powerbase. In a war between Egypt and Rome only one could emerge victorious. We all know who that was and the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31BC ended the Hellenistic Age and ushered into existence the Roman Empire. 

Despite its short length this interesting book crammed a LOT of detail into the centuries long Hellenistic Age begun by Alexander and ended by Rome. Naturally the author could only really cover the grand sweep of ancient history with short bursts of more detailed explanation. If you are unfamiliar with the period or are looking for an overview and ideas for further reading this is definitely the book for you. I shall be looking to cover much more of this period in future reading. Recommended.  

Just Finished Reading: The Nile – Downriver through Egypt’s Past and Present by Toby Wilkinson (FP: 2014)

Travelling at the pace of the river itself from the great dam at Aswan to Cairo and the Nile delta the author has chosen an ideal introduction to the great river and the country it gave birth to, for without the life giving properties of the Nile the millennia long occupation of Egypt would simply not have been possible. Not only does the Nile provide for extensive irrigation on both of its shores allowing the growth of much needed crops but periodic floods inundate the fields to replenish nutrients taken out by them each season. Generally each years surge is enough for one more growing season but some years the surge is insufficient and hunger follows. If the following year is also bad their follows famine and political strife. If the surge is too strong the floods devastate rather than replenish and chaos ensues. It is no wonder that the river itself was worshiped and so much of the early Egyptian religion centred on it and the creatures that inhabited its waters.

This periodic uncertainty ended with the control of the Aswan dam built with Soviet assistance during the Cold War. Other monuments to greatness are far, far older as the author outlines during his journey stopping off at iconic locations such as Luxor, Thebes, Abydos and Cairo. Although Egypt never cornered the market in monumental architecture it certainly wasn’t for the lack of trying. Temples, tombs and obelisks not only wow recent visitors but have been humbling both tourists and conquerors for centuries – so much so that they often removed items that had been in situ since before the Christian era. The Roman Empire, Napoleon and later the British during its mandate were notorious for their ‘acquisitions’ of antiquities many of which still grace the streets of Rome, Paris and London. I actually saw an obelisk in Rome that had been stolen by the Romans around two thousand years ago and was erected on one side of a main gate into the city. When it was stolen all of those centuries ago is was already three thousand years old. Antiquity never felt so old! I’ve also seen similar obelisks in Paris and London that must have amazed their citizens and certainly impressed me with the engineering obstacles overcome to get them to their new homes.

Naturally Egypt is awash in history and there’s no way a 300 page book can do it any justice. But what the author manages to do – in spades – is to bring out the majesty, the antiquity and the importance of a country that has been so important in global culture. Egypt has always fascinated the world and the craze for its artefacts, art and architecture has swept across the globe more than once – I actually have multiple mini-statues in my house of Egyptian gods (I am a CAT person after all!) – and its culture has had a profound effect on western civilisation for centuries. This delightful book really brings that alive. Full of interesting characters – from the ancient world to 19th century Europe – this is the kind of work that spawns 100 research paths into people and places that could keep you metaphorically digging in the sand for years. I have hardly touched upon the details in this book which is packed with little stories and insights and betrays a real love for the country on the part of the author. After reading this I can see why he admires the river and the country it brought to prominence so much. Definitely recommended for anyone with any interest at all in the ancient world or just one of the world’s most fascinating places. Much more on Egypt to come. 

Just Finished Reading: The Arab Uprisings – The People Want the Fall of the Regime by Jeremy Bowen (FP: 2012/2013)

He didn’t think he’d make it. At least if experience was anything to go by. He fully expected that the demonstration would be over before the plane from London landed at Cairo airport. But at least he could report on the aftermath and interview those who hadn’t been arrested of hospitalised by the security services. That was the expectation. To his surprise not only had the demonstration lasted for the duration of the flight but it had grown in numbers and the strength of the Egyptian government’s response. The whiff of teargas was in the air as the author approached the central square and the chanting of the crowds mingled with the pop of gas canisters and the more ominous crack of gunfire. What started out as a simple demonstration was evolving into something more, something bigger and something far more dangerous to the ruling regime. The people had, at least for now, lost their fear.

It was something new in the region. Starting in Tunisia the so-called Arab Spring had come to Egypt and would in time remove its hard-line leader from office. Other Arab states looked on with the mixture of fear and bravado. Libya, just next door, poured scorn on Egypt’s response vowing to destroy any such rising inside its borders. Few would even think of opposing Colonel Gadhafi’s regime. But enough saw an opportunity to protest and did so. True to his word the Colonel hit back hard but, it turned out not hard enough to dissuade further revolt and further backlash against it. Further afield countries like Saudi Arabia instituted reforms with others announced. Whilst in Syria, holding itself aloof from the whole process publically announced that such a thing could not happen here – not in a country which such coherence and a love of its leader. The first demonstrations against the rule of President Assad were small and peaceful. They asked for little and were met by armed troops with orders to shoot if provoked. It wasn’t long before shooting began. Soon after the protestors, now categorised as terrorists and foreign agitators, started shooting back. Within months the protests and become an uprising and then, almost inexorably, into a grinding civil war.

On the ground for much of it was the author who has been the BBC Middle East Editor since 2005. With a deep knowledge of the region and access to the highest echelons of power this is a bottom up look at the Arab uprisings across the region since 2011. From the thick of things on the streets of Cairo – complete with streaming eyes and arrests by the security services – to interviews with both Colonel Gadhafi and President Assad as well as representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood and high-ranking defectors in Libyan brawl/civil war this was a brilliant account of not only what was happening in the region but a full geo-political analysis of why it was happening and why it was happening now. His numerous face-to-face encounters with street level people either caught in the crossfire or actually engaged in the protesting (and the fighting) put serious meat on the bone and brings the chaos and the hope of those involved to the fore. As gripping as any thriller this goes to the heart of the conflicts and tells it from a first-hand view and with real knowledge as well as passion and an obvious love of the region and its people. I learnt so much from this book and it really built on what I had gleaned from my previous delving into this region and its troubled present (see Fractured Lands – How the Arab World came Apart by Scott Anderson). This is definitely something anyone should read if they want to understand exactly what’s going on in the Middle East/North Africa right now and where things are likely to go. Quite brilliant and there will be more to come from this thoughtful and knowledgeable author. Highly recommended.

Just Finished Reading: Fractured Lands – How the Arab World came Apart by Scott Anderson. (FP: 2016)

The Arab world, across North Africa and deep into the Middle East, exploded into open revolt in 2011 seemingly coming out of nowhere and toppling authoritarian leader’s one after the other. It was no coincidence that amongst the first to fall where firm friends of the western powers so recently involved in the invasion of Iraq. The spark that ignited the still on-going conflagration was a real one when a simple trader set himself on fire in a desperate and final protest to his hopeless situation. When the protestors took to the streets in their thousands there was little the authorities could do. Intimidation no longer worked. The people had lost their fear and a tyrant fell. But if it could happen in Tunisia it could happen elsewhere too. Egypt was next but this time the government was more ready than its neighbour and riot police were on hand to intervene. But yet again the people had lost that very thing that oppressive governments and police states rely on to maintain control – fear, and it had, just like in Tunisia, gone. So if the leader of the great Egypt could be unseated what about the other great dictator of North Africa? Could Gadhafi go too? Yes, but with much hardship and many deaths. Was any country immune? Some thought so and said so publically. Ironically, with the gift of hindsight, Syria thought that it was above such things. Soon enough the Syrian authorities were disabused of the idea but had a response ready – just in case. The answer was firepower and the willingness to use it against their own population. Unsurprisingly violence produced violence in its turn and the spiral of destruction and death has been climbing ever since as the country descends into a grinding Civil War.

Told through the eyes of six people on the ground – an Egyptian dissident, a Libyan air force cadet, a Kurdish physician, a Syrian University student, an Iraqi woman’s rights activist, and an Iraqi ISIS member – this slim volume gripped like a vice as whole countries descended into chaos and violence and those caught in the middle of it attempted to cope, survive and fight back to protect what was theirs or bring forth the life they had always wanted. Taking you into the heart of things through the eyes and experiences of people easily identified with this really brought home the reality of the Arab uprising and what it all meant to the people right at the centre of things. After reading this not only do I appreciate the kinds of things these people have gone through – as much as that’s possible at third hand – but it really helps the reader to understand (or at least start to appreciate) the forces at work in the Middle East and why the people living there (or fleeing from their) are doing what they’re doing. Being only 210 pages long there isn’t the in-depth analysis that you’d get from other books [watch this space] but you do get a brilliant emotional connection to people not very different to the people we know in our daily life. Quite brilliant and highly recommended – although sensitive souls might find it rather stressful at times. (R)         

Just Finished Reading: Ancient Egypt – A Very Short Introduction by Ian Shaw


Yes, I know; another VSI book and another book on Ancient Egypt. But I can’t help the fact that I find the subject fascinating. Anyway, this excellent little study based itself around the examination of an object called the Narmer Palette uncovered in 1898 in Upper Egypt. Through examination of various aspects of it the author teases out the history of Egyptology, the changing ideas surrounding the idea of Egypt, the attempts to understand the history of the region and how difficult it is to construct such a thing from available evidence, the origin and understand of Egyptian writing including the deciphering of hieroglyphs, our ideas of Egyptian kingship, issues of ethnicity, race and gender, mummification and Egyptian religious practices, how our ideas of the Ancient Egyptians are recycled and reinvented by each successive generation and finishes off with a light hearted look at some of the more crazy theories surrounding the pyramids – he even mentions the movie Stargate (but not the spin-off series).

As you can imagine this is quite a lot to cover in 159 pages (this is actually the longest VSI book I’ve read to date). But at no time does the author overwhelm the reader with an avalanche of facts or theories. Quite steadily the reader is presented with layer upon layer of information, theory and a sprinkle of speculation (not everything being known for certain regarding much of that by-gone age) that builds into a fascinating picture of life during the millennia long Egyptian period. Obviously such a huge subject can only be touched upon in such a short volume – which is exactly what was delivered – but it was done in such a style that my interest was hooked and I was left wanting much more. In other words this book did exactly what it set out to do – fascinate its readership on the subject at hand. There will, inevitably, be follow ups to this book. Ancient Egypt is a very interesting subject that deserves more of my time (along with many other periods of history unfortunately). This was a good start and has given me a useful foundation on which to build. If you are new to the subject this is definitely a book for you. You’ll finish reading it to discover sand between your toes.

Just Finished Reading: Egyptian Myth – A Very Short Introduction by Geraldine Pinch

I’ve touched on the mythology of the Ancient Egyptians over the years and have always found the subject fascinating. It seems – amongst the myths that have influenced European culture the most – to be the strangest of the bunch by far. Central to this strangeness, for me anyway, is the number of deities who are partially or wholly animal in nature. I suppose that this is understandable given the proximity and importance of wildlife to both the Egyptian economy and environment but it still takes some getting used too. The many, many Gods and Goddesses mentioned throughout the millennia long history of Egypt – a surprising number which are familiar – stem from the names given to them dependent on who was giving the name, where they were located at the time and the particular aspect of the God being addressed. Sometimes it is enough to make your head spin. Being used to Gods with single names – no matter who was addressing them and no matter which of their aspects were being expressed - it is confusing at best for deities to have five, ten, even fifteen names. Sometimes though you simply have to accept the facts and learn them.

An interesting thing I learnt from this book is the common misunderstanding, which I shared, that the Ancient Egyptians where obsessed with death. They were in fact dedicated to life – as they believed that it was only their ritual actions that kept the world in existence. They believed that the natural order of things was Chaos – not Order – and that every day it was the responsibility of the great, the good and the commons to make sure that existence continued. The Gods themselves were an important part of this process and humanity was central to giving the Gods the power to ensure that Chaos did not triumph in the short term.

This was a well written and often fascinating little volume. Easy to read and informative I actually read it in a single day (without a great deal of effort). Obviously such a short volume can only really give you a taste of the subject – especially one so large as this – so don’t expect to become an expert on the subject on the back of it. However, this book does give you a grasp of the basics and does provide a useful bibliography to follow things up. You’ll soon pick up the details of the major players (especially if you’ve ever watched Stargate SG-1) and you’ll be surprised at how familiar some of the stories are. Recommended to anyone with an interest of our ancient past.

Just Finished Reading: The Keys of Egypt – The Race to Read the Hieroglyphs by Lesley and Roy Adkins

What little I previously knew of this subject interested me enough. After reading this book I am now officially fascinated. I knew, in a rather vague fashion, that the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt had something to do with the Egypt mania that swept through Europe prior to his defeat in 1815 and I knew that material recovered (or stolen) from Egypt helped fuel investigations into that Ancient civilisation’s great past but that’s as far as it went. I wasn’t aware, until now, of the great efforts made by the genius of Jean-Francois Champollion to decipher the mysterious hieroglyphs and the personal sacrifices he made to be able to do so. I had little idea of the hardships suffered by the savants of the day to travel into the Egyptian interior to recover artefacts and, more importantly, documents that would have been lost without what was, in effect, wholesale grave robbing. Without Champollion’s efforts it is arguable that today we would know almost nothing of ancient Egypt and so much else besides. For that alone he should be seen as a pivotal figure in understanding our collective past.

This well written and often gripping book often reads like a thriller as it follows the work and life of the man who unlocked the deepest secrets of our hidden past. Driven to understand the origins of the world itself Champollion instead uncovered one of the major streams that went into making Western civilisation. His work was certainly that important. Despite living through a time of war, rebellion and revolution Champollion and his brother managed to keep working over long years – indeed decades – on the quest to understand the apparently undecipherable writings on hundreds of tombs and thousands of documents. The effort most certainly hastened his death but the drive to know the truth of things was too strong to resist. His triumph was the ability to read the inscriptions on ancient monuments at a glance and to open up a whole new field of study. The courage of Champollion and his contemporary explorers is amazing. Reading about their exploits in the burning deserts of the Egyptian hinterland made me gasp with amazement and not a little thirst. These men were pioneers in their respective fields and incredibly brave into the bargain. With hindsight we can say that their techniques were questionable – if not actually illegal – but they did save much that would have been destroyed otherwise and this is not something that should be lightly overlooked. Champollion and his colleagues did the world a great favour by doing what they did. This book goes a long way to explaining the reasons behind such acts and the treasures that we all now have access to because of it. A fascinating read about a fascinating period of exploration.