The book is an Arab view of a turning point in modern history. Napoleon's conquest of Egypt in 1798 was the first contact between a Western power with imperial goals and an ancient regime of an African society. Sheik Al-Jabarti's chronicle is a unique combination of historical narration and reflection combined with daily observations about the atmosphere in Cairo and the mood among the local population. The French view of these events is described by Napoleon's secretary, Edward W. Said, Columbia University, which provides a stinging critique of French preoccupation with Egypt and the resulting cultural 'Orientalism.'