Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East

by Juan R.I. Cole

Book Overview

In this vivid and timely history, Juan Cole tells the story of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. Revealing the young general's reasons for leading the expedition against Egypt in 1798 and showcasing his fascinating views of the Orient, Cole delves into the psychology of the military titan and his entourage. He paints a multi-faceted portrait of the daily travails of the soldiers in Napoleon's army, including how they imagined Egypt, how their expectations...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0230606032
• ISBN13: 9780230606036
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Required Reading for Understanding the Middle East

Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East by Juan Cole should surely be considered "must reading" for anyone interested in today's foreign policy issues as they relate to this part of the world. It might appear a bit extreme to say it, but after reading this relatively short but deeply researched volume, one is likely to come to the conclusion that it is difficult to understand today's Middle East wihtout it. It is a piece of history often ignored and left unexplored, but is arguably one of the critical "keys" to understanding today's events in the region. Cole's book details Napoleon's invasion of the nation of Egypt in 1798, just a few years after the French Revolution transformed French society, and specifically covers the unfolding of the event from 1798 to 1801. This is, of course, before Napoleon coronated himself Emperor in 1804, and therefore, as one reads the text, it must be remembered that this is Napoleonic "pre-history;" at least, "pre-history" to what is more commonly known about Napoleon's career. The book describes in extensive detail virtually every major military and civilian event of the invasion, including battles, uprisings, police actions, civil ceremonies, attempts at integration, populace control, and political tactics. But the book covers substantially greater than these alone, bringing to life the feelings of local tribes and individuals who sought to come to grips with the invasion in any way they could. It is a dispassionate account, but the accuracy and insight offered by the narrative cannot but help to swell the emotions, and the text offers a view of the event in such a manner that we are forced to rethink what we thought we knew about this period in history. The similarities of this historical event with today's Iraq War are frighteningly similar. So similar, in fact, that some of the reviewers of the text have, like myself, tagged the work as a "must read" for anyone wishing to understand today's Middle East political realities. When we read towards the very end of the book the reasons why Napoleon himself decided that torture was ineffective and should be banned (Napoleon said that those under torture would say anything to be relieved, and most likely would say exactly what they knew the torturer wanted to hear most, regardless of its truthfulness), we cannot help but wonder why today's leaders can't come to the same conclusion. And the story has many more eerie parallels -- unilateral invasion, occupation tactics, propaganda techniques, religious appeals - that make it appear to be the "prequel" of the Iraq War. By reading this in a somewhat removed, historical setting, we are able to more clearly see the issues raised by such military events, and can develop conclusions that are not always as easy to see when the event is in progress. This alone makes the book a worthwhile read for any modern reader. Cole does a good job of communicating the details of the invasion, including generals, important local pe

Imperial Life Along the Nile

I recommend reading "Napoleon's Egypt" by Juan Cole and then "Imperial Life in the Emerald City" (which just came out in paperback) by Rajiv Chandrasekaran as a sort Middle East failed-occupations double-header. The resemblances are remarkable, although Cole seems to have gone into more detail about the sexual aspects of imperialism than Chandrasekaran, who drops only the odd hint that some of the "interpreters" may have been providing other services. The American press is always discrete about this stuff. "Napoleon's Egypt" also recalled "The Crusades Through Arab Eyes," in which many of the same recriminations among the Arabs turn up. The one constant I notice is the laments about disunity leading to weakness, which seems to have also characterized the Egyptian/Ottoman elites and middle classes reacting to Napoleon. (Think of Jonathan Winters in "The Russians are Coming" saying over and over again: "We've got to get organized.") As it turns out, the Muslims wound up defeating the Crusaders and the French (the latter with an assist from the Royal Navy), even with all their disunity and terrible losses. Although I suppose another lesson is that Acre has always been a tough nut to crack from the land side. When Cole reports on the putting down of the urban insurrections by the French he mentions cannon balls fired at the crowds, but grapeshot might have been more likely. I think it was Napoleon who said he would stem the rioting Parisians with a "whiff of the grape," but that may be apocryphal. Also, it sounds more like something Wellington would have said. Cole brings us a history with a weirdly contemporary feel, although I have to credit Napoleon over Bush. At least he brought along some savants who were actually interested in Egypt. The CPA seemed to have carefully screened out anyone who knew anything about Iraq or Arab culture or Arab history. Or human history, for that matter, given the indifference to the sacking of the great museums in Baghdad, which even a thug like Saddam had treated with some respect. This is an episode even more grotesque than the bombing of Monte Casino, since in that case the Americans were convinced it was being used as a German observation post. There was no excuse for not securing the museums and libraries of Baghdad. Napoleon's invasion also set off a crime wave. The French decided they had to have quick access to all sections of Cairo, so they tore down all the gates that separated the many districts. Those gates were kept locked at night and provided much of the security to the homes and shops in the districts. The decision to tear them down made it all but impossible for the neighborhoods to keep out the criminals who swarmed freely through the city in a crime wave that was again reminiscent of the disastrous occupation of Baghdad. "Napoleon's Egypt" is an entertaining read. I found myself laughing out loud on the subway at the bit about the French Proclamation in such stilted, archaic a

Outstanding middle east history. . .

Juan Cole is a true American treasure. Mr. Cole's outstanding analyses of American bungling during the Bush administration's farcical "War on Terror" should be required reading for the citizenry. This latest tome by Mr. Cole highlights the earlier (late 18th century) bungling by another megalomaniac--albeit a brilliant military tactician, Napoleon Bonaparte--when he tried to force Egypt to submit to his arrogant will. As in 21st century Iraq, the bravado of insurgency destroyed the imperial dream of France, and should have taught us a lesson for all time. But, alas, as Henry Ford once stated: "history is bunk". Unfortunately, Mr. Ford's words continue to haunt this nation whose present leader is determined to render history as obsolete and worthy of only a naif's attention, while he jousts with Gog and Magog (see Ezekiel in the O.T.). Thank you professor. Hopefully, more than a handful of Americans will study your valuable insight into Mideast folly, today and yesterday.

A lovely read, timely too

Napoleon had the most advanced, highly trained, effective and best armed army in his known universe. He was, in a way, the leader of an economic and military superpower. Then he invaded and occupied Egypt. In almost every battle, his superior forces won. In almost every deliberate move, his forces persevered and succeeded. Except for one pesky problem. He was stuck in the muddle east, where no invader is safe, no matter how much larger, richer and more superior their tactics and weapons were. Sounds familiar? It should About 10 pages into the book you get this sense that the same description, the same arguments, the same approach was used by Team Bush. Yet, clearly, such a comparison was not Prof. Cole's purpose or intent. I had little interest in reading about Napoleon's Little Egyptian invasion. In fact, what little I knew about it bored me. Then, I read this book. It is an eye opener. It is a serious, informative, and enjoyable read, while never lecturing or sounding like a college text. Cole has a nice touch, and treats every subject he writes on with respect and a scholar's vision. This book is no different. Whether you are interested in current affairs, and the IraqNam fiasco, or whether you love history, or even if you simply want a good read, I strongly recommend this book.

What a read!

I'm a recent graduate of UC Santa Cruz (History of the Islamic World '05), and I've completed additional course work in Arabic at the University of Jordan in Amman. As a somewhat informed reader, Juan Cole's new book appears to me to be a refreshing synthesis of modern historiographical trends, with a classic writing style. When I pre-ordered the book in July, I had only been familiar with Cole's writing in his blog Informed Comment (a staple in my morning reading). While I love his commentary and analysis in the blog format, I felt compelled to write and comment on how wonderfully surprised I was by his historical writing, as exemplified by this book. The research and the narrative style compliment each other quite nicely, and it's a pleasure to read. Perhaps it's time for me to purchase Sacred Space and Holy War?