A SUNDAY TIMES AND TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Fascinating and important' Natalie Haynes author of
Stone Blind 'Monumental and vividly imagined' Daily Telegraph 'Wonderfully entertaining'
Sunday Times 'Lively and engrossing ' Literary Review On a sparsely populated Egyptian
coastline Alexander the Great sketched his vision of a metropolis into the sand. Situated on
the cusp of three continents it became the city where Greeks and Egyptians Romans and Jews
created a global knowledge capital that changed the face of philosophy religion and science
forever. In this sweeping biography of the great city Islam Issa takes us on a fascinating
journey across millennia. Rich in big ideas brutal tragedies and distinctive characters
Alexandria tells the gripping story of a city that has shaped our modern world. 'A
multifaceted history of an enthralling city' Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones author of Persians: The
Age of the Great Kings 'A cornucopia of fascinating details every page revealing a new
delight' Paul Strathern author of The Medici
