the illustrated guide to the pyramids Reviews

The guide described by The New York Times as “indispensable,” newly researched and completely rewritten for 2011, fills a vital niche for expatriates and Cairenes alike who need a helping hand to organize—and enjoy—the challenges of a sojourn in Cairo. The basics of daily life—finding a flat, transporting personal goods, investigating school options for children, navigating Egypt’s famous bureaucracy, and the intricacies of feeding and clothing oneself and one’s family from the local market—are all detailed here. Advice gathered from a wide range of Cairo insiders, both native and foreign, gives the reader a cornucopia of current facts on prices, neighborhoods, product availability, work and business opportunities, and the dizzying range of cultural and leisure pursuits that Cairo is famous for.  Cairo: The Practical Guide, now in its seventeenth edition, is the key to deciphering the complexities of living, working, and enjoying life in one of the world’s most exciting and dauntingly complex mega-cities.

A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt is the first comprehensive field guide to every mammal species recorded in contemporary Egypt, from gazelle to gerbil, from hyena to hyrax. Each mammal species is described in detail, with reference to identification features, status, habitat, and habits, and with comparisons to similar species. A map is also provided for each species, clearly showing its current, and in some cases historical, range. Every species is meticulously illustrated—the bats and sea mammals in detailed black-and-white illustrations, all other species in scientifically accurate color plates. Additional vignettes emphasize aspects of mammal behavior, cover the minutiae of such features as the nose-leafs and ear structure of the various bat species, and illustrate the tracks and trails of the more commonly encountered mammals. This is an indispensable reference work for anyone interested in the wildlife of Egypt, from professional biologists to desert travelers and interested amateurs. Furthermore, as it describes and illustrates every whale and dolphin species recorded in Egyptian waters, including the Red Sea, it will be of special significance to anyone diving in the region. The book is compact, easy to slip into a daypack, and well up to the rigors of desert travel.