Why read Ordinary Egyptians?

Book cover of Ordinary Egyptians: Creating the Modern Nation Through Popular Culture

Book description

The popular culture of pre-revolution Egypt did more than entertain-it created a nation. Songs, jokes, and satire, comedic sketches, plays, and poetry, all provided an opportunity for discussion and debate about national identity and an outlet for resistance to British and elite authority. This book examines how, from the 1870s…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Ordinary Egyptians as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Raphael Cormack

Author

Ziad Fahmy’s book on the importance of popular culture in the history of modern Egypt and the anti-British revolution of 1919 was a real landmark. Bringing together songs, jokes, vaudeville plays, and more, he manages to draw out a story of Egyptian anti-colonial, nationalism that is not confined to elite circles or confined by bourgeois morality. This is history from the streets. Although it is an academic book, it is written with an engaging style that captures some of the excitement of this period. Published in 2011, Fahmy’s book opened up space for research and writing on the history of…

From Raphael's list on The best books on popular culture along the Nile.