This Is Egypt - This is... Author:Guy Marks, James Morris Situated at the meeting point of Africa and Asia, Egypt offers the traveller a wonderful range of sights and experiences. From the life-giving waters of the Nile, where boatmen ply their age-old trade beside stupendous pharaonic relics, to the barren wastes of its deserts, populated by semi-nomadic tribes, the country is alive with history ... more »and tradition - and with the indomitable spirit of its people, whose optimism and resourcefulness mirrors over 5,000 years of recorded civilization. This superbly illustrated book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the country, starting in the bustling, modern capital of Cairo, outside whose suburbs stand the ruins of the ancient capital, Memphis, and the world-renowned pyramids at Giza and Saqqarah. The journey continues to the northern shores of the Egypt, where the rich farmland of the Nile Delta meets the Mediterranean, then heads south along the Nile, first to Luxor, where the remains of pharaohs and their kingdoms provide a magnificent backdrop to colorful rural lifestyles, then on to Aswan, where the traditions of the ancient Nubian people are still much in evidence, and massive colossi look down on the world's largest reservoir. Moving west, where oases make splashes of life and fertility among the burning desert sands, and then east to the coastline of the Red Sea, with its astonishing variety of marine life, the journey ends in the majestic mountains of the Sinai Peninsula, the inspiring setting for great Biblical events. The introduction tells the story of this vibrant nation in all its different aspects: its turbulent history of empires and dynasties from the very beginnings of civilization; its myths and religions; its culture, arts and crafts; its unparalleled legacy of ancient temples, tombs and cities; and its struggle towards independence and its efforts to marry its traditions to the modern world. Throughout the book, stunning photographic images provide a glorious visual accompaniment to the informative and authoritative text, and bring the wonderful wealth of color, tradition and vitality of Egypt to life.« less