The Writing of History in Nineteenth - Century Egypt: a Study in National Transformation

By Jack A. Crabbs and Jr. Crabbs, Jack A.

This is a detailed and well-documented study of the Westernization of Egypt (1798-1922)from the Napoleonic invasion to independence from Britain. It begins with a discussion of the nature of history itself, and of how Middle Eastern and Western forms of historical writing have differed across the centuries. Issues which are dealt with include traditional vs. modern historiography, Western vs. Islamic, biased vs. interpretive writing, and nationalistic fervor vs. objectivity in history. Having set the scene, the author moves on to the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. He draws heavily on native Egyptian source materials, immersing the reader in the thoughts and concerns of modern-day Egyptians and Arabs. The narrative moves swiftly, and one puts down the book with the distinct feeling that he has been eye-witness to a national saga of rapid change. The focus of the book is the Egyptian historians (all of them "amateurs") of the period and their writings. Taking each writer as a multifaceted personality rather than merely as a historian, the author breathes vitality into his work, which contains a wealth of fascinating detail on all aspects of Egyptian society. Each historian emerges as spokesman for a whole generation of Egyptian intellectuals. More than a study in historiography, the book ranges from politics to literature, from irrigation projects to furniture styles. It transports the reader into another time-frame and another cultural context. The author's fondness and sympathy for his subject become contagious. In sum, the author approaches historiography as a vehicle for getting at cultural and intellectual change.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814317618
• ISBN13: 9780814317617
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1984
• Length: 230 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.0" x 9.0"