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lukescalone's review
3.0
This book teaches an important lesson that we can follow even in modern times: Learn at least a little bit about a region before you try implementing bullshit policies that will cause the native populations to hate you. Napoleon failed at this, the British failed at this, Bush failed at this. Hell, even the Ottomans frequently failed at this in places like Egypt and Palestine.
This lesson aside, the author is at his best when he writes about the cultural history of Franco-Egyptian interactions. At times, he got bogged down by military explanations or descriptions of conquest. While this is important to understanding French Egypt, this book would have been better written focusing exclusively of the cultural contacts involved. Reading about marriage, slavery, gender, and other topics were absolutely fascinating. While Cole did spend a fair amount of time on these subjects, it wasn't enough to earn this book a higher review.
In any case, I would recommend this book for anyone interested in early attempts of European "colonization" in the Middle East, as well as those interested in French Revolutionary history.
This lesson aside, the author is at his best when he writes about the cultural history of Franco-Egyptian interactions. At times, he got bogged down by military explanations or descriptions of conquest. While this is important to understanding French Egypt, this book would have been better written focusing exclusively of the cultural contacts involved. Reading about marriage, slavery, gender, and other topics were absolutely fascinating. While Cole did spend a fair amount of time on these subjects, it wasn't enough to earn this book a higher review.
In any case, I would recommend this book for anyone interested in early attempts of European "colonization" in the Middle East, as well as those interested in French Revolutionary history.
annieca's review
2.0
Very boring, overuse of the narrative, and the argument isn't clear until the epilogue and even then that's shaky.
ekul's review
3.0
This book teaches an important lesson that we can follow even in modern times: Learn at least a little bit about a region before you try implementing bullshit policies that will cause the native populations to hate you. Napoleon failed at this, the British failed at this, Bush failed at this. Hell, even the Ottomans frequently failed at this in places like Egypt and Palestine.
This lesson aside, the author is at his best when he writes about the cultural history of Franco-Egyptian interactions. At times, he got bogged down by military explanations or descriptions of conquest. While this is important to understanding French Egypt, this book would have been better written focusing exclusively of the cultural contacts involved. Reading about marriage, slavery, gender, and other topics were absolutely fascinating. While Cole did spend a fair amount of time on these subjects, it wasn't enough to earn this book a higher review.
In any case, I would recommend this book for anyone interested in early attempts of European "colonization" in the Middle East, as well as those interested in French Revolutionary history.
This lesson aside, the author is at his best when he writes about the cultural history of Franco-Egyptian interactions. At times, he got bogged down by military explanations or descriptions of conquest. While this is important to understanding French Egypt, this book would have been better written focusing exclusively of the cultural contacts involved. Reading about marriage, slavery, gender, and other topics were absolutely fascinating. While Cole did spend a fair amount of time on these subjects, it wasn't enough to earn this book a higher review.
In any case, I would recommend this book for anyone interested in early attempts of European "colonization" in the Middle East, as well as those interested in French Revolutionary history.
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