With a novelist's pen, Forster brings to life the fabled, romantic city of Alexander the Great, capital of Graeco-Roman Egypt, beacon of light and culture symbolised by the Pharos, where the doomed love affair of Antony and Cleopatra was played out and the greatest library the world has ever known was built. In the autumn of 1915, in a 'slightly heroic mood', E.M. Forster arrived in Alexandria, full of lofty ideals as a volunteer for the Red Cross. Yet most of his time was spent exploring 'the magic, antiquity and ...
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With a novelist's pen, Forster brings to life the fabled, romantic city of Alexander the Great, capital of Graeco-Roman Egypt, beacon of light and culture symbolised by the Pharos, where the doomed love affair of Antony and Cleopatra was played out and the greatest library the world has ever known was built. In the autumn of 1915, in a 'slightly heroic mood', E.M. Forster arrived in Alexandria, full of lofty ideals as a volunteer for the Red Cross. Yet most of his time was spent exploring 'the magic, antiquity and complexity' of the place in order to cope with living in what he saw as a 'funk-hole'. Threading 3,000 years of history with vibrant strands of literature and punctuating the narrative with his own experiences, Forster immortalised Alexandria in this book, painting an incomparable portrait of the great city and, inadvertently, himself.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
In his introduction to the 1961 edition of this guide, E. M. Forster says: "I have always respected guidebooks - particularly Baedekers and Murrays." In 'A Room with a View', his novel published in 1908, the heroine is lost in Florence without her Baedeker guidebook. So it is not surprising that this Alexandria guide is reminiscent of the classic Baedeker guides and, though dated, it is still relevant, particularly if one is planning a trip to Alexandria or lives there.
Several reprints have been published since Forster died in 1970. I picked up a copy of the last edition in Alexandria itself, when I was there a few years back, and found it very useful. Walking around the city seems to be the best way of discovering what Alexandria is about and Forster's guide does not disappoint, even after almost a century since the first edition was published. The names of many streets and squares have, of course, changed, the large foreign population has disappeared and Alexandria is no longer the cosmopolitan city it used to be, but the Greeks, Italians, French and British have left visible marks behind. The fascinating old churches are still there, many of them run-down, in need of repairs and not always open, but many of the old public gardens have, in fact, become more attractive, and the trams still run along the old routes, giving one a glimpse of many of the sights Forster describes. He also mentions the many cemeteries in Alexandria. I spent some time in the huge Jewish cemetery and was the only visitor there that morning. At one time, Alexandria used to have a thriving Jewish community as well.
For English-speaking people who once lived in Alexandria but have never seen this book, it should create waves of nostalgia; for those who have been there as tourists or travellers in the recent past, it may well refresh their memories of what they saw or remind them of what they missed seeing; and for those planning a trip to this once great city, whose past defines the present and the future, it would be worth carrying it around on their visit.
