In this vivid and timely history, Juan Cole tells the story of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. Revealing the young general's reasons for leading the expedition against Egypt in 1798 and showcasing his fascinating views of the Orient, Cole delves into the psychology of the military titan and his entourage. He paints a multi-faceted portrait of the daily travails of the soldiers in Napoleon's army, including how they imagined Egypt, how their expectations differed from what they found, and how they grappled with military challenges in a foreign land. Cole ultimately reveals how Napoleon's invasion, the first modern attempt to invade the Arab world, invented and crystallized the rhetoric of liberal imperialism.CONTENTS:Map of Egypt viiList of Illustrations viiiAcknowledgments ix1. The Genius of Liberty 12. A Sky Aflame 213. The Ferment of the Mind 454. Grand Cairo 655. The Flight of Ibrahim Bey 856. The Most Beautiful Nile that Has Ever Been 1077. Ali Bonaparte 1238. The Constant Triumph of Reason 1439. The Festival of the Republic 16110. The Object of His Desires 18111. The Egyptian Revolution 20312. The Fall of the Delta and the Arabian Jihad 22313. Epilogue 245Further Reading 249Notes 251Index 273