324 CultureShock! Egypt
Understanding Arabs: A Guide for Westerners. Margaret K
Nydell. Boston, MA: Intercultural Press Inc, 2002.
This book is especially helpful for total newcomers to
the cultures of the Middle East. Although most of the
examples are general and not specific to Egypt, much of
the content applies throughout the Arab speaking world.
It is particularly useful as a quick guide for understanding
many of the linguistic nuances in the region.Egypt: The Blue Guide. Veronica Seton-Williams and Peter
Stocks. New York, NY: W W Norton Co, 1993 (3rd edition).
This is probably the best, in-depth coverage of any of the
guidebooks related to Egyptian Antiquities, though it will
not have coverage on the more recent archaeological finds.
It focuses a lot on architecture and includes copious details
and maps, but is rather heavy to drag around with you.The Oxford Illustrated History of Ancient Egypt. Ian Shaw. New
York, NY: Oxford University Press, USA, 2002.
Written for someone who truly wants accurate history.
Very accurate based on the contemporary archaeological
record, but some may find it dull reading.Global Studies: The Middle East. William Spencer. New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin Publishing, 2008.
This reader is short, sweet, and to the point. It provides a
series of articles for understanding events in the Middle
East and a country report with pertinent data for each
country in the region. Not a hardcore academic’s choice,
but excellent information.The Egypt of Nasser and Sadat: The Political Economy of Two
Regimes. John Waterbury. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press, 1983.
This book addresses the socialist transformation of Egypt
during the regimes of Nasser and Sadat and discusses
many reasons for its failure. If you are interested in political
economy, also see Waterbury’s other works on the area.