Cairo : 1001 of the City Victorious

ed: Abu Lughd, Janit. Princeton. N.J. Princeton University Press, 1971 284p. Bibliog.illus. Index. (Studies on the Near East) $25.00 LC 73 - 112992. ISBN 0-691-03085-5. DT 143. A26. DDC 916.2'1603

A first-rate history and description of the city and analysis of its growth, arrangement, problems, and prospects. Utilizing 156 excellent photos and drawings, plus many maps and tables, the author traces the physical and demographic growth of the city and discusses its quarters, economy, social life and government, as well as topics such as land use, urban problems, infrastructure, government plans, patterns of growth, etc. It is an urban studies approach that does not cover the city's role in Egypt's history, nor its cultural life. Over half the book deals with the twentieth century. The only major monograph on Cairo, it is one of very few such studies in any language on any city in the Near East- North Africa, area, based on over 15 years of study of all available sources and much field work. This oversized, double-columned book is probably too much for college collections unless they are supporting urban studies courses. A good popular work, which should be read by most readers before Abu-Lughd to get a feel for the city, is Aldridge (item 711)