In the mirror

Perhaps the most accurate description of this book is that it truly reflects the spirit of its time. In it, Abdel Aziz al-Bishri critically analyzes a number of the most prominent figures of his era across various fields, including politics, medicine, art, poetry, and economics. These individuals contributed to shaping Egypt‘s history during that period and remain a primary source of research and inquiry to this day. The author presents us with a portrait of the most brilliant figures of the era for writers and thinkers. The discerning reader will readily understand the author‘s political leanings, which are clearly evident in his writing, as he praises the roles of both Saad Pasha Zaghloul and Mustafa Pasha al-Nahhas. The author employs a satirical style in his critical analysis of these figures, which is unsurprising given that al-Bishri was dubbed "the master of satire" and "the al-Jahiz of his time."