Egypt

Book Reviews: Islam in Egypt

Al Ahram Weekly ()

Islam: Art and Architecture, Edited by Markus Hattstein and Peter Delius, Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2007. pp623, fully illustrated with colour photographs, plans, line drawings and maps
Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of the Architecture and Its Culture, Doris Behrens-Abouseif, Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2007. pp400, 270 Illus. incl. 200 in colour

Among the many books on Islam's cultural heritage that have appeared on the market in recent years, two books on the bookshelf catch the eye: Islam: Art and Architecture and Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of the Architecture and Its Culture.

Islam: Art and Architecture is a big book, but not cumbersome. Its cover is particularly striking, with the title and credits fitting comfortably into the spectacular façade of Sheikh Lutfallah's mosque in Isfahan. One cannot resist picking it up and opening it, and then what a feast!

The book is a comprehensive study, written by 20 scholars from around the world specialised in the Islamic art of different regions. The book is comprehensive, beautifully illustrated with sharp and well-placed photographs, simplified maps, and ground plans of the various structures. It is an important academic resource and also an eye-opener for the many people who have yet to appreciate the artistic range and cultural development of Islam.

See the above page for both reviews.

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