{"product_id":"what-isa-ibn-hisham-told-us-9781479840915","title":"What Isa ibn Hisham Told Us","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrenchant and witty critiques of life in Cairo under British rule\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat ?Isa ibn Hisham Told Us \u003c\/i\u003eis a masterpiece of early twentieth-century Arabic prose. Penned by the Egyptian journalist Mu?ammad al-Muwayli?i, this highly original work was first introduced in serialized form in his family's pioneering newspaper \u003ci\u003eMi?ba? al-Sharq\u003c\/i\u003e (\u003ci\u003eLight of the East\u003c\/i\u003e) and later published in book form in 1907. Widely hailed for its erudition and mordant wit, \u003ci\u003eWhat ?Isa ibn Hisham Told Us\u003c\/i\u003e was embraced by Egypt's burgeoning reading public and soon became required reading for generations of school students.\u003cbr\u003eBridging classical genres and modern Arabic fiction,\u003ci\u003e What ?Isa ibn Hisham Told Us \u003c\/i\u003eis divided into two parts. Sarcastic in tone and critical in outlook, the first part of the book relates the excursions of its narrator, ?Isa ibn Hisham, and his companion, the Pasha, through a rapidly westernizing Cairo and provides vivid commentary on a society negot\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Has a compelling charm—humane, earnest, observant, and erudite.\" * Journal of the American Oriental Society *\u003cbr\u003e\"[Allen's] craftsmanship is on full display in these magisterial translations . . . of supreme literary complexity.\" * Journal of Arabic Literature *\u003cbr\u003e\"While illustrating his novel with local examples from that time, al-Muwaylihi's effective critique is as broad and relevant as much classical Western satire; surprisingly much of it feels very modern, the various arguments and examples easily imaginable in contemporary settings . . . A cohesive (and still very far-reaching) work that also offers a lot of entertainment value. It's an enjoyable read, with some great anecdotes and very funny scenes and a lot of interesting arguments.\" * The Complete Review *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New York University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49409074266455,"sku":"9781479840915","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781479840915.jpg?v=1730505343","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/what-isa-ibn-hisham-told-us-9781479840915","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}