Egypt: Gift of the Nile: An Aerial Portrait - Hardcover

Rodenbeck, Max

3.4

5 ratings by Goodreads

9780810932548: Egypt: Gift of the Nile: An Aerial Portrait

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810932547 ISBN 13: 9780810932548

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, 2000

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

Twenty-five centuries ago Herodotus proclaimed Egypt "the Gift of the Nile." Imagine, then, the famous Greek traveler's reaction had he enjoyed the perspective available to modern visitors, and to readers of this new book: the unparalleled view from the air.
Here is Egypt as it is rarely seen, in 178 remarkable color images by Guido Alberto Rossi, an Italian photographer well known for his aerial pictures. Accompanying the illustrations is a lively and informative text by Max Rodenbeck, an American writer who has lived in Egypt for more than 15 years. Together, they bring to light the heritage of a great ancient civilization - and the beauty of a modern land.
Here is the valley of the Nile, no more than a few miles wide and starkly bordered by ocher deserts that stretch to the sea. It holds the vast wealth of past inhabitants, a wealth extending back to the birth of civilization. Vivid photographs reveal the temples and tombs of the pharaohs, the desert monasteries of the early Christians, the mosques and palaces of caliphs, sultans, khedives, kings, and presidents. Seen from the air, their grandeur comes fully alive; the pyramids, after all, are the sole survivors of the seven wonders of the Greek world.
Beyond the valley and its man-made splendors lie unspoiled and inaccessible natural phenomena. Luminous colorplates uncover an extraordinary variety of landscapes in the endless sands, from sensuous dunes to ragged cliffs to gem-like oases. The soft light of early morning reveals the somber desert blossoming into color: the mountains of Sinai turn red, black, green, and yellow. Along the Red Sea the startling beauty of rich coral reefs stops abruptly at the barren shore.
Few places are as alive in the collective imagination as Egypt. But the cacophony of modern Cairo has all but drowned ancient rhythms, and roads, factories, and oil fields have befouled the pristine desert. From the ground, among throngs of tourists and teeming millions of Egyptians, it is easy to lose sight of the past. Only when seen from the air do Egypt's mystery and magic come completely to life.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly:

This attractive volume pleasantly evokes the stimulating mix of pagan, Arab and Christian cultures that makes modern Egypt perhaps even more interesting than the ancient land of the pharaohs whose monuments enrich the landscape. Although written in standard travel-magazine prose, the text by Rodenbeck, an American writer resident in Egypt for 15 years, concisely traces the 5000-year history of a nation that created one of the earliest human civilizations; served as an important Greek and Roman colony; flourished for five centuries as the center of a medieval Muslim empire; and today claims one of the world's largest, most cosmopolitan metropolises, Cairo. Italian photographer Rossi's 178 full-color works capture the grandeur of Egypt's ancient monuments, the stark beauty of its desert, the lushness of the Nile, the jostling coexistence of old and new in its cities--although the gimmick of including only pictures taken from above doesn't really add anything to the book. No new insights or incredibly unusual images, but a handsome ornament for the coffee table.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

Here is Egypt as it is rarely seen, presented in 178 remarkable color images by an Italian photographer well known for his aerial pictures. Accompanying the illustrations is an informative text by Rodenbeck, a correspondent for The Economist . Together, they unearth the heritage of a great ancient civilization and the beauty of a modern land. Vivid photographs reveal the temples and tombs of the Pharoahs, the desert monasteries of early Christians, and the mosques and palaces of sultans and kings. Photographs of ancient monuments, the metropolis, the Nile, and the sea all combine to create a magnificent book. This unparalleled view of Egypt from the air brings its mystery and magic to life. Suggested readings and a map round out the volume. Recommended.
- Jan Wiedemann, Vernon, Tex.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.