Juan Cole does see history through the eyes of the present.
Is it necessary a sacrilege?
Time passes but Geography remains.
Whether your name is Cesar, Alexander, Saladdin, Bonaparte, Rommel, Montgomery or Nasser, policies are dictated by your position towards the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the desert of Sinai.
Trade routes are often layered over military ones. And this for centuries and in the case of Egypt, thousands of years.

This book is well paced and starts with a secret mission in which the sons of the French Revolution and their military leaders endeavor to counter the English trade routes to India by occupying Egypt and model it as a daughter Republic promoting Equality, Enlightment and credence in a Supreme Being.

Cole draws ingenious parallels which will irritate more than one reader. Bonaparte - historically in his pre-coup d'Etat years- he was still referred as such, creator of the first Islamic Republic? Cole compares him to Iran's Khomeiny and to the Iraq policies that led a Shiite cleric to be the head of the government in Iraq.

Well researched for the non-middle Eastern specialists are how the clerics of Al-Azhar in Cairo view the intrusion of a modern army and sciences. Cole reminds that traditional medicine in Egypt was not so distant from that practiced in Europe.
The attitude of Bonaparte towards Slavery is referred but his practical cynicism would deserve more parallels. Freeing Arab and Ottoman slaves detained by the Knights of Malta enables him to acquire 2000 spies for his conquest and get into the good graces of the Marseilles Bourgeoisie. ( )

It is better to read "Al Jabarti", the source of this book better than follow the author' stupide conclusions. "Al Jabarti" was an Egyptian who wrote from his point of view and they were clear no need for some Juan Cole's complete wrong analysis.

During the recent time of US political madness, Juan Cole has been one of the few sane US voices with actual Arabic language skills and the experience of having lived in many Islamic states. I looked forward to reading his Napoleon's Egypt, expecting a Napoleonic version of The Crusades through Arab eyes.

Unfortunately, Cole only partially delivers. The Arab voices take a surprising backseat to the French ones. Gossip and relationship drama account for a large part of the book from Napoleon and Josephine to the marriages and adventures of his soldiers with slave girls, prostitutes and local women. This human (melo-)drama is included in a traditional chronological account of the French expedition.

Given his critical charge of Western biases, Cole is prone to judge 18th century actions with a strong 21th century bias. 18th century Frenchmen are not spiritual brothers of 21st century Americans. Most of 18th century France was a traditional, agricultural society. The Napoleonic era is obviously not his area of expertise nor is military history. Cole is not familiar with the classic Napoleonic cast and errors about military terms and tactics reveal a disinterest in military matters. Overall, a bit disappointed. ( )