The architecture of Alexandria and Egypt, c. 300 BC to AD 700

One could not hope for a more thorough examination of the architecture of Alexandria and its influence on later traditions than this publication. A natural outgrowth of her work on the architecture of Petra, this encyclopedic tome by McKenzie (Univ. of Oxford) delves into the topic with lavish detail and abundant illustrations (more than 600, many in color), tracing a thousand years of architecture across a wide geographical area while maintaining a student-friendly, chronological arrangement. Especially delightful are the many translations of ancient texts embedded within the historical discussions; the incorporation of data from recent excavations; and the close attention paid to instances of innovation and cultural blending. Students and professors alike will appreciate the efforts made to compose each chapter as a distinct entity, and to supply drawings suitable for reproduction and projection. Also indispensable in this volume are the extensive notes, multiple bibliographies, glossary, and indexes provided at the rear of the volume, not to mention the plentiful maps and plans strategically located throughout the book. This dense yet accessible publication is a must have for academic libraries, and will undoubtedly remain the definitive work on the subject for years to come. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-level undergraduates and above. E. A. Waraksa UCLA Young Research Library

The idea for this book germinated while McKenzie (From Nineveh to New York) was working at Petra in the 1980s, where she saw that stylistic features of Ptolemaic Alexandria (306-30 B.C.E.) appeared in later Coptic architecture (200s-600s C.E.) and wondered about the continuity of classical architecture throughout Egypt. This complex topic covers 1000 years of architectural history, from the rule of Alexander the Great, to Caesar and Cleopatra, to Constantine and the Byzantine empire; from Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor, to northern and southern Egypt and Nubia, to Cyprus and the Near East, requiring the author to assemble and consult fragmentary, poorly documented, scattered-sometimes underwater-archaeological, funerary, papyrological, and epigraphic remains. The publication does justice to the author's thorough scholarship. Abundant black-and-white and color images, maps, plans, and line drawings complement the text. The chronological tables, list of abbreviations, endnotes, basic, thematically organized bibliography for college students and general readers, main bibliography for scholars, illustrated glossary, and index complete the scholarly apparatus. Recommended for larger public, academic, and specialized libraries.-Nancy J. Mactague, Aurora Univ. Lib., IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.