The Shortest History of Egypt

An exhilarating and original history of Egypt, from the pyramids to the precarious present.

In The Shortest History of Egypt, Maria Golia draws on extensive historical research, and her years of experience living and working in Egypt, to offer a fresh and insightful perspective on one of the world's oldest civilisations. Golia deftly traces Egypt's trajectory from Neolithic times to the Arab Spring and up to the present day, and in doing so illuminates the environmental, temporal and cultural forces that have shaped it.

Egypt looms large in the popular imagination, conjuring images of pyramids, pharaohs, tomb raiders and vast deserts. Yet its true allure might lie in its impressively long history and what it tells us about the human condition. Just like the ancients, we're preoccupied with life's brevity and how to prolong its pleasures and reduce its pains. In many ways, Egypt is a case study in how people endure.

Written with wit, clarity and a contemporary beat, this is a wild and intoxicating ride through Egypt's history.

'A sweeping history of Egypt, written with authority and literary flair. Golia effortlessly distils a broad range of recent scholarship to paint a portrait of the country and its people that is convincing and endearing, but also uncompromisingly honest. Each page sparkles with profound and poetic prose.' - Campbell Price, author of Golden Mummies of Egypt

'Sharp, elegant and insightful' - David Wengrow, author of What Makes Civilization?