Publisher Description

The Cambridge History of Egypt offers the first comprehensive English-language treatment of Egyptian history through thirteen centuries, from the Arab conquest to the present day. The two-volume survey considers the political, socio-economic and cultural history of the world's oldest state, summarizing the debates and providing insight into current controversies. As today's Egypt reclaims a leading role in the Islamic, Arab and Afro-Asian worlds, the project stands as testimony to its complex and vibrant past. Volume 1 addresses the period from the Arab invasion in 640 to the Ottoman conquest in 1517. It opens with a discussion of the preceding centuries to illustrate the legacy of ancient Egypt, and then progresses chronologically according to the major dynastic episodes. Authors have been encouraged to address their topics in the light of new research. The combination of political history and contemporary theory will ensure its value as a reference and research tool.

Table of Contents

1. Egypt under Roman rule: the legacy of Ancient Egypt Robert K. Ritner; 2. Egypt on the eve of the Muslim conquest Walter E. Kaegi; 3. Egypt as a province in the Islamic Caliphate, 641-868 Hugh Kennedy; 4. Autonomous Egypt from Ibn Tulun to Kafur, 868-969 Thierry Bianquis; 5. The Ismaili Da'wa and the Fatimid Caliphate Paul E. Walker; 6. The Fatimid state, 969-1171 Paula A. Sanders; 7. The non-Muslim communities: the Christian community Terry G. Wilfong; 8. The non-Muslim communities: the Jewish community Norman A. Stillman; 9. The Crusader era and the Ayubbid dynasty Michael Chamberlain; 10. The Bahri Mamluk Sultanate, 1250-1390 Linda S. Northrup; 11. The regime of the Circassian Mamluks Jean-Claude Garcin; 12. The monetary history of Egypt, 642-1517 Warren C. Schultz; 13. Art and architecture in the medieval period Irene A. Bierman; 14. Culture and society during the late Middle Ages Jonathan P. Berkey; 15. Historiography of the Ayyubid and Mamluk epochs Donald P. Little; 16. Egypt in the world system of the later Middle Ages R. Stephen Humphreys; 17. The military institution and innovation in the late Mamluk period Carl F. Petry; 18. The Ottoman occupation Michael Winter.

Review

From the hardback review: '... a fine addition to any personal or institutional library with interest in the Islamic world ... the authors and editors are to be congratulated.' Journal of the American Oriental Society From the hardback review: ' ... this excellent volume is a reliable summary of recent research in the field.' Amalia Levanoni, University of Haifa From the hardback review: '... a notable scholarly achievement ... the main contribution of the editor, Carl F. Petry, in making this book an important landmark in the modern historiography of Muslim Egypt, lies in his broad vision of the history of Egypt and its people.' Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam

Review Text

Get Ahead in FCE adds another title to the wide selection available for an EFL professional tasked with choosing a suitable coursebook for an FCE preparation course. A quick online search for ''FCE coursebooks'' produces over 500 results, so I was curious to see what Get Ahead in FCE has to offer to exam candidates and teachers, and where it positions itself among the competition. As the name suggests, the coursebook is intended for all students preparing for the Cambridge English: First exam, which before rebranding was the Cambridge ESOL First Certificate of English (commonly known as the FCE). The set consists of a Student''s Book, Teacher''s Book, Practice Book and audio CD, which could be seen as refreshingly uncluttered when compared to some currently available packages which offer CDROMs, companion websites, mini dictionaries and more. On the other hand it could be seen as rather behind the times and a missed learning opportunity for exam candidates who are likely to be digital natives. This depends on your point of view and ultimately the individual teaching context will be the deciding factor in whether this package contains suitable materials for your courses. The publisher scores a sufficient pass grade for presentation: a glossy professional package (as is the industry standard nowadays) of 220 pages including tapescripts. Within the covers, the balance of text and image to white space is just right and pages are clearly set out and uncluttered. I find this makes indicating specific exercises or images to a class of restless secondary school learners significantly less hard work. The photography included is of the expected high standard. The Student''s Book consists of ten units, each covering one topic with the ''usual suspects'' represented, reflecting the language which will occur in the exam: travel and holidays; career and life choices; education, etc. Each unit includes a number of ''past paper'' type exercises corresponding to the various parts of the five exam papers and the unit culminates in a mini Use of English test. These exercises are supplemented by a range of further exercises, including those similar to exam tasks (such as focusing discussions using images) which would further practise exam skills, extra comprehension tasks which indirectly practise exam technique, and sections devoted to vocabulary development containing boxes pointing out commonly confused language and key words. Similar grammar sections are also included containing revision of forms and functions relevant to the exam. An average unit of 20 pages provides 12 opportunities for authentic exam practice representing all five exam papers. In my opinion this balance between authentic style exercises and supporting language work is ideal for a course which aims to prepare students for the exam while also seeking to recycle language studied at previous levels and fine-tune existing skills. Importantly, the audio CD provides exposure to a range of accents in an exam context. Although Get Ahead in FCE contains B2 level language, it would be less suitable as a general English upper intermediate course due to the absence of functional or situational language outside the exam context. It is very clearly intended as an exam course. One weakness in this respect, though, is that it fails to refer to how the exam is graded and marks are awarded. This is often appreciated by students whose motivation is instrumental rather than integrative, and who are focused solely on gaining the qualification - the reality in my high school class in which I used Get Ahead in FCE. According to the learners, another missing feature which they would have appreciated, is the inclusion of example answers for the writing paper demonstrating high and low scoring answers, in order to clearly demonstrate what to do, and what not to do, in the exam. However, the students valued the useful vocabulary sections relevant to Paper Four, although a selection of fixed phrases for transactional writing exercises would also have been useful. I have used many textbooks over many years of teaching for Cambridge English (previously Cambridge ESOL, previously U.C.L.E.S.) in a number of contexts and continents and I would happily recommend this one as a capable, no-nonsense framework for an exam preparation course. It stands up well against similar titles on the market and, while it doesn''t offer anything groundbreakingly new, its strength lie in its no-frills functionality. Get Ahead in FCE might be less suitable for courses looking to incorporate multimedia or venture beyond preparing for the Cambridge English: First exam. It positions itself between those coursebooks which provide exam preparation combined with general English at B2 level suitable for classes containing a mixture of exam candidates and general students, and those textbooks containing past paper exam practice exercises only. I would particularly recommend it for intensive courses.

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Promotional "Headline"

A comprehensive English-language treatment of Egyptian history for student and scholarly reference.

Description for Bookstore

The Cambridge History of Egypt offers a comprehensive English-language treatment of Egyptian history from the Arab conquest to the present day. The two-volume survey summarizes the debates and controversies. Volume 1 addresses the period from the Arab invasion to the Ottoman conquest, combining political history and contemporary theoretical analysis.

Description for Library

The Cambridge History of Egypt offers a comprehensive English-language treatment of Egyptian history from the Arab conquest to the present day. The two-volume survey summarizes the debates and controversies. Volume 1 addresses the period from the Arab invasion to the Ottoman conquest, combining political history and contemporary theoretical analysis.

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