The most recommended books about the Nile river

Who picked these books? Meet our 20 experts.

20 authors created a book list connected to the Nile river, and here are their favorite Nile river books.
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Book cover of Workers on the Nile: Nationalism, Communism, Islam and the Egyptian Working Class, 1882-1954

Johan Franzen Author Of Red Star Over Iraq: Iraqi Communism Before Saddam

From my list on Middle Eastern communism and leftist movements.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up during the Cold War, I became interested in Communism early. I read about how the Communist International worked to spread the world revolution. Despite its Eurocentrism, Communism appealed to people in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. However, it failed to make meaningful inroads in the Middle East. I wanted to know why. When I trained to become a historian, my curiosity turned towards the Arab world. I decided to combine my two interests and research the history of Arab Communist movements. I discovered a fascinating world of firebrand activists struggling against the tide of nationalism, fascism, and religious bigotry. I hope you find these books as gripping as I did.

Johan's book list on Middle Eastern communism and leftist movements

Johan Franzen Why did Johan love this book?

I first came across this book as an undergraduate student many years ago. I was drawn to the book because it covered a topic that was not very common at the time, namely the Egyptian working class. Beinin and Lockman’s study of how the working class navigated the three major intellectual currents of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—nationalism, religion, and Communism—opened my eyes to social history as no other book had done. Workers on the Nile analyses how Egypt brutally is drawn into the global capitalist system in the nineteenth century and how this process produced a native working class (alongside a large community of European ex-pat workers). Gradually the working class comes of age by organising its labour, and eventually, this gives rise to more radical politics in the shape of Communism, Islamic activism, and nationalist tendencies.

By Joel Beinin, Zachary Lockman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Workers on the Nile as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Description for this book, Workers on the Nile: Nationalism, Communism, Islam, and the Egyptian Working Class, 1882-1954, will be forthcoming.


Book cover of Workers on the Nile: Nationalism, Communism, Islam and the Egyptian Working Class, 1882-1954

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