{"product_id":"a-physician-on-the-nile-abd-al-lad-9781479820078","title":"A Physician on the Nile: A Description of Egypt and Journal of the Famine Years","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFlora, fauna, and famine in thirteenth-century Egypt\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003eA Physician on the Nile \u003c\/i\u003ebegins as a description of everyday life in Egypt at the turn of the seventh\/thirteenth century, before becoming a harrowing account of famine and pestilence. Written by the polymath and physician ʿAbd al-Laṭīf al-Baghdādī, and intended for the Abbasid caliph al-Nāṣir, the first part of the book offers detailed descriptions of Egypt's geography, plants, animals, and local cuisine, including a recipe for a giant picnic pie made with three entire roast lambs and dozens of chickens. ʿAbd al-Laṭīf's text is also a pioneering work of ancient Egyptology, with detailed observations of Pharaonic monuments, sculptures, and mummies. An early and ardent champion of archaeological conservation, ʿAbd al-Laṭīf condemns the vandalism wrought by tomb-robbers and notes with distaste that Egyptian grocers price their goods with labels written on recycled mummy-wrappings. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The book's second half relates his horrific eyewitness account of the great famine that afflicted Egypt in the years 597-598\/1200-1202. ʿAbd al-Laṭīf was a keen observer of humanity, and he offers vivid first-hand depictions of starvation, cannibalism, and a society in moral free-fall. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Physician on the Nile\u003c\/i\u003e contains great diversity in a small compass, distinguished by the acute, humane, and ever-curious mind of its author. It is rare to be able to hear the voice of such a man responding so directly to novelty, beauty, and tragedy. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAn English-only edition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e ʿabd Al-La Al-Baghdādī\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1479820075\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781479820078\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e New York University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/01\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 288\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.20h x 5.40w x 0.80d","brand":"\u0026#703;abd Al-La\u0026# Al-Baghd\u0026#257;d\u0026#299;","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44065925234943,"sku":"9781479820078","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_598c2a53-b72f-49ad-9d46-38412293cf13.jpg?v=1685404312","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/a-physician-on-the-nile-abd-al-lad-9781479820078","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}