{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20260408T232058Z","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1639368728?tag=bookfrontier-20","asin":"1639368728","authors":["Islam Issa"],"book_id":"9781529377590","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781529377590","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781529377590.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","description":"A city drawn in sand. Inspired by the tales of Homer and his own ambitions of empire, Alexander the Great sketched the idea of a city onto the sparsely populated Egyptian coastline. He did not live to see Alexandria built, but his vision of a sparkling metropolis that celebrated learning and diversity was swiftly realised and still stands today. Situated on the cusp of Africa, Europe and Asia, great civilisations met in Alexandria. Together, Greeks and Egyptians, Romans and Jews created a global knowledge capital of enormous influence: the inventive collaboration of its citizens shaped modern philosophy, science, religion and more. In pitched battles, later empires, from the Arabs and Ottomans to the French and British, laid claim to the city but its independent spirit endures. In this sweeping biography of the great city, Islam Issa takes us on a journey across millennia, rich in big ideas, brutal tragedies and distinctive characters, from Cleopatra to Napoleon. From its humble origins to dizzy heights and present-day strife, Alexandria tells the gripping story of a city that has shaped our modern world.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9781529377590","publication_date":"20240820","publisher":"Hodder","slug":"alexandria","subtitle":"The City That Changed the World","title":"Alexandria"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002030","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Ancient Egypt","score":0.7763,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"HIS001030","confidence_band":"medium","label":"North African History","score":0.7739,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"TRV015010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Travel in Egypt","score":0.7579,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002030","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Ancient Egypt","score":0.7763,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"HIS001030","confidence_band":"medium","label":"North African History","score":0.7739,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"TRV015010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Travel in Egypt","score":0.7579,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002010","confidence_band":"high","label":"Ancient Greece","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"HIS002030","confidence_band":"high","label":"Ancient Egypt","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"HIS039000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Civilizations","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Ancient Egypt","score":0.7763,"slug":"ancient-egypt"},{"label":"North African History","score":0.7739,"slug":"north-african-history"},{"label":"Travel in Egypt","score":0.7579,"slug":"travel-in-egypt"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers who enjoy Ancient Egypt","Good for fans of History","Good for readers who enjoy Ancient Egypt and North African History."],"related_lists":[],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Garry J. Shaw"],"book_id":"9780500252284","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780500252284.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":10.3658,"title":"Egyptian Mythology","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780500252284"},{"authors":["Isabella Morris","Culture Smart!"],"book_id":"9781787023451","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781787023451.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":10.03,"title":"Egypt - Culture Smart!","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781787023451"},{"authors":["Lorna Oakes","Lucia Gahlin"],"book_id":"9780754834458","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780754834458.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":10.0018,"title":"Ancient Egypt: an Illustrated History","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780754834458"},{"authors":["Toby Wilkinson","Michael Page","Tantor Audio"],"book_id":"9780553384901","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780553384901.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":9.9868,"title":"The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780553384901"},{"authors":["National Geographic","National Geographic Society"],"book_id":"9781426222634","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781426222634.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":9.9519,"title":"Treasures of Egypt","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781426222634"},{"authors":["Barbara Mertz"],"book_id":"9780061252747","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780061252747.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":9.9329,"title":"Red Land, Black Land","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780061252747"},{"authors":["DK Travel","D.K. Eyewitness Travel","Jane Dunford","Jess Lee"],"book_id":"9780241671924","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780241671924.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":9.9135,"title":"DK Egypt","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780241671924"},{"authors":["Aidan Dodson"],"book_id":"9781649031631","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781649031631.jpg?v=20260408T232058Z%3A2026-04-08T23%3A20%3A58Z","score":9.8922,"title":"The Nubian Pharaohs of Egypt","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781649031631"}],"topics":[],"what_you_get":["Reading lane: Ancient Egypt and North African History.","Publisher: Hodder."]},"llm_signals":null,"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":false,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":0,"goodreads_ratings_count":695,"goodreads_reviews_count":91,"quality_score":0.9016}}