埃及的革命考古學

by Peter Hessler, 馮奕達 (譯者)

　　非虛構寫作大師──何偉Peter Hessler
　　繼《甲骨文》、《尋路中國》最新力作！

　　從尋路中國到埃及考古，何偉跨越埃及獨有的兩種時間概念
　　——「循環」和「永恆」，
　　以中國的歷史和政治反襯，理解埃及的政治和歷史。

　　一邊書寫重現天日的考古巡禮，同時目擊嚮往民主而革命的新生埃及！
　　細膩描繪「阿拉伯之春」的開羅回憶，以及尋常人物在革命時期的心路轉折

　　＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

　　從二〇一一到二〇一六年，何偉以《紐約客》特派記者身分，舉家遷往開羅，報導自二〇一〇年末「阿拉伯之春」後，埃及所受的影響以及局勢變化。在這五年內，埃及經歷了兩次總統更換以及軍事政變，在他筆下，就像是在為最古老文明記錄一段劇烈動盪的片段現代史。
　
　　作者採用了三條線索交叉進行的敘述方式，一條線索是因「阿拉伯之春」而起的埃及革命。這是現代埃及經歷穆巴拉克下台、穆斯林兄弟上台再下台的故事。但這不能簡單理解為一個表面上民主的故事，在作者筆下，它似乎是理解古老埃及和現代埃及之間不斷革命和政治變化的循環。在這條線索中，何偉抓住了埃及議會法老廳裡一個擦鞋人的故事――他打從一九六四年開始就在法老廳擦鞋了。「納瑟的時候我就在這裡，沙達特的時候我也在這裡。」而這個擦鞋人也見證了穆巴拉克的失勢和穆斯林兄弟會的崛起。他身高約五呎，瘦得像根竹竿，雙手已經染成紅褐色。他的右眼已經永遠睜不開了。

　　第二條線索是上埃及的考古。搖擺於古文明與新世紀之間的埃及有兩種時間：「循環」，指的是尋常人世的歲月遞嬗、河水漲退；「永恆」，則代表不變不動、完美圓滿的諸神時間；在上述的革命背景之下，他的寫作手法以考古巡禮、革命記錄為交錯穿插。這兩種寫作內容都以時間的演進為記錄刻度，從中帶出埃及獨有的時間觀。

　　透過埃及獨有的兩種時間概念，藉此理解埃及古王國時代形成的價值體系如何影響今日埃及人的世界。這樣的切入點落實在作者對埃及人的觀察：「不知何故，埃及人就是能在自豪的同時感到羞愧，在樂觀的同時表現犬儒，在嚴肅的同時開起玩笑。即便他們正在抱怨強人領袖對這個國家所作的一切，他們還是熱愛強人領袖。等到其中一堂以古埃及歷史榮光為主題的阿語課結束後，我的筆記本上出現了新的一句話：『埃及已經被人搶了七千年，但她依舊富有。』」

　　第三條線索是生活在開羅的埃及人的故事。包括在富人區收垃圾的薩伊德和同性戀翻譯員馬努。薩伊德也總是在考古，他從垃圾中找到主人的隱私、秘聞和有價值的物品，從中了解其他國家的人和新世界；而馬努的故事折射了伊斯蘭社會對性、婚姻、生活的獨特看法。他最後逃離了令他窒息的伊斯蘭世界，以中東難民身分來到德國，展開了作為同志的新生活。

　　本書最讓中文讀者感到會心一笑的地方是，因為何偉曾駐中國多年，並寫下被奉為非虛構寫作經典的《甲骨文》等「中國三部曲」，故他的埃及觀察時時以中國為參照。埃及與中國的共同點不僅僅是在人名上的：人這麼多，名字這麼少。我的電話簿裡塞滿了一個個的穆罕默德和馬哈茂德，一個個的曉梅和秀英。有多少不同的穆罕默德．馬哈茂德曾經端茶給我？以前那些王偉都上哪去了？穆斯林兄弟會的指導局有十八名成員，其中八人的名字不是穆罕默德就是馬哈茂德。總統大選的那個月，我隨隨便便就遇到三個穆罕默德．穆爾西，其中兩人是開計程車的。有一次在阿拜多斯，我訪問了某個名叫穆罕默德．穆罕默德因的人，這名字意思是「兩個穆罕默德」。

　　也在歷史。何偉觀察到，「仰賴外人」的傳統難免讓外來觀點在埃及歷史上持續下去。所有古埃及的年表與歷史都反映出西方的思維：王族興衰，編了號的王朝來了又去，王國根據古、中、新的順序前進。但這種直線式的歷史卻隱含了「發展」、「改善」、「進步」等對古埃及人來說恐怕不甚重要的其他價值觀。這遮掩了古人真正的想像力──他們更可能想像一種不變不動的永恆國度，而非某種往上發展的軌跡。

　　何偉的書寫就像一枝挖掘埃及精神的筆。憑藉這些尋常人物在這段悲劇與心痛時刻的生活，憑藉當代埃及與古代埃及之間的關聯，揮灑出對斯土斯民的驚人描繪，讓埃及在「阿拉伯之春」時期不為人知的歷史活了過來，並將他對開羅歲月的回憶與埃及人私密的生活交織在一起。他細膩描繪出一個恐有垮台之虞的國家，最值得關注的內在價值。脆弱的或許只是表面上的政治異動，其內部的人民依舊以剛毅的精神、以宗教的信仰苦撐著；而這股堅強而充滿智慧的人性，便是埃及留存的內在價值，比永恆不變的考古遺跡更加雋永、比動盪激情的革命更顯珍貴。

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Egypt, Middle East, Travel, Politics, Memoir

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Peter Hessler is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where he served as Beijing correspondent from 2000-2007, and is also a contributing writer for National Geographic. He is the author of River Town, which won the Kiriyama Book Prize, and Oracle Bones, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. He won the 2008 National Magazine Award for excellence in reporting.

Reviews

[Book of the Month]

Why I love it
by Siobhan Jones

One dusty afternoon in Austin, Texas, in the back of a friend’s car, I had one of those reading experiences that was so vivid, I’ll remember it forever. In some tattered back issue of The New Yorker, a magazine I rarely peruse, I encountered a writer whose storytelling ability was so dazzling that I immediately tracked down one of his travel memoirs (a genre I rarely dip into) and devoured it in a few days. That writer was Peter Hessler, and from then on, I was a lifelong fan.

This month, Hessler is back with a new work of nonfiction about Egypt—from Ancient Egypt to the Arab Spring. Sounds weighty? Oh, and how. This is a biography of a nation, an introduction to archeology, a work of sociology, and a memoir all rolled into one. In pursuit of his keen interest in Egypt’s history and culture, Hessler and his family move to Egypt … just as the 2011 revolution is beginning. As a result, the book is a meandering tour of past and present, war, chaos, and peace, and a whole host of real-life characters you’ll root for and wonder about for weeks after reading.

This is not your typical beach read, but I think it’ll find an audience among those who love serious nonfiction. Illuminating, surprising, and even newsy, The Buried is a work of cultural reporting from a master at the height of his game.

Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/the-buried...

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Hessler is a marvelous story teller. The Buried is about Egyptian revolution, archeology, and politics, but it is even more about people and their stories.

All of Hessler’s previous books had been about China. He relished the idea of an adventure in another country, learning another language. In 2011 he and his wife moved to Cairo with twin daughters just over a year old. He had no book contract, and no assignment. He wanted to delve into the ancient culture. Like China, Egypt has a deep and colorful history, offering a complex experience. Little did he anticipate just how rich his venture would be.

Lest the title of this book be off-putting, be assured that there is a cast of characters whose lives will begin to matter to you. For example, there’s Rifaat, the Arabic language teacher who understood local politics better than most. Manu was a translator who was particularly useful early in Hessler’s sojourn, when he knew less Arabic; Manu, who confided that he was gay, had an active social life with both gay and straight friends, a marginally illicit life that became more difficult with the passage of time and a harsher regime. Sayyid, the trash collector, was lively and curious even though illiterate. In a nonfiction book, it is unusual to think of needing to avoid spoilers. In this instance, I have to stay away from telling the full vigorous stories of these people, because they offer suspense and surprise to the narrative.

Hessler’s five years in Egypt encompassed the Arab Spring demonstrations, the fall of Mubarak, the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Morsi, Morsi’s overthrow, and the military takeover with Sisi as leader. Hessler’s account focuses on his experiences, and the experiences of others, as reflections of a world in flux – yet not always in flux, as we come to appreciate the durable, and excruciatingly inflexible, nature of Egypt.

After I had read a while in The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution, some implications of the book’s subtitle begin to suggest themselves. Locals called the site of the ancient Abydos digs “The Buried.” Hessler often traveled to digs at Abydos and Amarna, and at the same time, he was doing his own digging, finding pieces of Egyptian life, politics, and personalities that he assembled like an archeologist – drawing insights from details and narratives. He was able to get close to local officials and politicians in Abydos as well as Cairo.

The book is a page turner, and I hadn’t even realized that I might be interested in Egypt.

The takeaway: there is much in these pages about the path of revolution and its failure in Egypt. And then there is a more enduring picture, through beautiful writing and reporting, of life amid the revolution.

I am grateful for an advance copy of this book from Penguin Press.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in the Middle East than this book is a must read. Five stars.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed Hessler's books on China, and this one on Egypt is even better. He has an easy-going, conversational, curious style, just talking to ordinary people like garbage collectors, shop owners, or local officials. Slowly he builds composite pictures that are more particular and more insightful than travel writing by V.S. Naipaul, probably because Hessler spends years in a place, learning the language and the cultural landscape.

Concerning who should replace the ousted Muslim Brotherhood president Morsi, a neighbor explains, "I don't care who he is, as long as he isn't nice. ... He needs to punish people. Morsi was too soft."

Furthermore, "Everybody welcomed the involvement of the army, because everybody assumed that the army would be on his side."

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Penguin Press for an advance copy of this book.

Hessler made his mark with several books about China, where he lived in the late 90s as an English teacher, and then from 2000-2007 as a correspondent. They're getting to be a bit dated now, but they're still some of the best books out there about modern China. He moved to Egypt shortly after the 2011 revolution there, and lived there for 5 years, with this book as the result.

The same qualities which made his China books excellent are present here. Hessler presents us with a handful of ordinary Egyptians- a garbage collector, an aging Arabic teacher, a young gay man who wants to get out of Egypt- whose personal lives and perspectives give us windows into many aspects of life in Egypt. Some of it is expected (the harassment experienced by the gay man, for instance); some of it is surprising and even outlandish, such as when residents of a poor district of Cairo band together to build their own illegal access ramp to the local highway; or when Hessler stumbles upon the existence of a network of Chinese lingerie dealers spread out across Egypt. ("All told, along a three-hundred mile stretch of the Nile in Upper Egypt, I found twenty-six Chinese lingerie dealers... It was like mapping the territory of large predator cats: in the Nile valley, clusters of Chinese lingerie dealers tended to appear at intervals of thirty to fifty miles, and the size of each cluster varied according to the local population. Cairo was large enough to support dozens."

Hessler mixes those stories in with a accounts of Egyptian current events, showing us how they affect the lives of ordinary people; and with archaeology (including some very recent discoveries), showing us some common threads linking ancient Egyptian culture with the present day.

It's a very information-dense book, and needs to be read slowly. But I came away from it feeling enriched with understanding, and wishing that there could be Hesslers giving us books along these lines about every country in the world.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The weakest Hessler book so far -- and it's still pretty good. Part of the book is recycled/reworked New Yorker articles, so if you've read Hessler's Egypt articles there, largely from when he was living in Cairo during the failed student (etc) uprising, you already have read a fair bit of the book. I got bored reading the parts about ex-President Morsi and the current President, whose name escapes me -- TMI for both of these. His travel chapters are great and I read/reread all of those. So. If you are a Hessler fan, you'll want to borrow this one and I recommend reading selectively: all the New Yorker stuff, all the travel stuff, all the personal stuff about living in Cairo. When you start bogging down in the political stuff (and you will), skip ahead to the the next chapter.

My library copy was recalled for too many renewals. I might try again for the rest, but I think I high-graded out the best stuff already. So, maybe try again later?? My rating is, well, confused. There's a fair number of 4-star chapters, some even pushing 5 (Morsi the Cat! Who came back with them to Colorado. A story in itself!). But also, all that political stuff.... I think I read maybe 3/4 of the book. Close enough to call it done?

If you have somehow missed Hessler altogether: go right back to "River Town," his first China book and start there. I reread that one in mid 2021 & it was almost as good as I remembered. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... A truly excellent book, and a remarkable debut. What a writer! 4.5 stars, rounded up. Not to be missed!

[Lakshmi ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me pour out a review for this book :)

"...𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 - 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹. 𝗜𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆. " - 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗿.

It's an absolute wonder for me to find such a beautifully crafted nonfiction book. Peter Hessler is an amazing storyteller. He's readily captured the massive history of Egypt and it's people throughout this book. Especially he has concentrated on the Egyptian Arab Spring and the continuous chaos in the Egyptian parliament throughout the years of 2011 to 2016 right after the resignation of Mubarak to having built a government of Sisi.

I think my review sounds full of politics. But actually this book was much more than that. He has beautifully woven together the stories of the uniqueness of egyptian individuals, their lifestyles and emotions together. And once again this book says, "History repeats itself". Damn, this one was really so good!

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

An insightful journalistic account of life and politics in Egypt in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, by a fabulous author. Basically, I want Hessler to go live everywhere on earth and write books about it so that I can read them! Unrealistic? Maybe, but I can dream.

In this case, the author moved to Cairo with his family in 2011, and lived there for 5 years, learning Egyptian Arabic, getting to know some local men (in a highly gender-segregated society, he interacts almost exclusively with men), following the political situation and even visiting archaeological sites and investigating the relationship between Egyptology and modern Egypt. (Hessler seems to have a longstanding interest in archaeology, which his publishers consistently market as a much larger part of his books than it is. This book contains about as much archaeology as Oracle Bones, where it was likewise a subplot despite the title.)

All these threads are woven together in a compelling way that brings the place to life, allows the reader into the lives of people we would never otherwise meet, and provides on-the-ground context for events from the news. I recognized the names Mubarak, Morsi and Sisi, but this book provides far more context for political events and their effects on people’s lives than the news media ever could. Hessler seems to have gotten a good amount of access at the higher levels—including to presidential trials—but an equally interesting political thread involves his following several parliamentary candidates in their local campaigns in Upper Egypt. These are very different from campaigns in an established democracy: all personal contact and no platforms.

Meanwhile, I did learn a bit about Egypt’s pharaonic past in the archaeology segments, and it’s also fascinating to see the contrasts with China, and the lives of Chinese merchants in Egypt, with whom Hessler can easily communicate. Quite by accident, many of these families wound up selling lingerie, finding themselves ideally suited for it: Chinese men apparently didn’t leer like Egyptians, and the Chinese custom of couples working together—not done in Egypt—allowed women to work in the stores and serve female customers. Interestingly though, the Egyptian customers seem to feel no embarrassment in their lingerie shopping: see the bride-to-be cheerfully purchasing her dowry in the company of her fiancé, mother and teen brother!

All that said, I didn’t love this book quite as much as Hessler’s China books. It may be that nowhere else in the world is as fascinating as China. Or maybe it’s that Hessler’s beat here involved more typical news events, allowing less time for observations of regular life and its weirdness—although there is still a fair amount of that: see for instance the slums where quite nice homes are built, in full confidence that the government will never get itself sufficiently organized to kick out squatters. One community even builds its own unauthorized on-ramp to the highway, complete with the assistance of architects and engineers!

Or maybe it’s that having a family allowed the author less time to hang out and get to know people he might not naturally come into contact with. It’s notable that the three men whose stories he primarily follows are his language teacher, his interpreter and his garbage collector—none of which required going far afield. That said, they’re still good stories! The language teacher is a secular Nasserite trying to find his way in modern Egypt; the interpreter is a gay man facing harassment and threats from police, neighbors and his own hook-ups; the garbage collector is a conservative Muslim who winds up in a legal battle with his wife (particularly challenging because he’s illiterate), and who meanwhile digs through everybody’s trash for valuables to sell or return to them. Egyptian garbage collectors are apparently the most efficient in the world at getting everything reused or recycled that can be, despite being a completely informal system—this guy buys his routes from other collectors and charges residents what they’re willing to pay, and somehow it all works out. “Somehow it all works out” is practically a theme of this book, the government being authoritarian but highly inconsistent.

At any rate, Hessler is an excellent storyteller, a strong writer, thoughtful, insightful, and with a talent for getting to interesting places, learning the language, and getting beyond the headlines. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in the modern Middle East, or just in excellent nonfiction.

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution by foreign correspondent Peter Hessler was a well-researched and interesting account of not only the Arab Spring in Egypt, but an extensive and fascinating history of Egypt, one of the world's oldest civilizations. This book was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Peter Hessler skillfully weaves together a breathtaking memoir of the five years that he and his family spent in Cairo, as the Egyptian Arab Spring was erupting in dramatic fashion on the world stage. Hessler blends their life and experiences with the lives of ordinary Cairenes as he explores a side of the Middle East we would not otherwise know. It is a hauntingly beautiful portrait of a place, a people, and a movement by a master storyteller.

"But as time passed, we realized that there was the Egypt inside, and then there was the Egypt outside--these things weren't necessarily the same. The sense of being Egyptian ran so deep that it had little to do with the structures, or the lack of structures, of the actual country. This was the one reason why the place felt so coherent, and held together so well, despite a remarkable lack of governance."

"Sometimes I thought about the Yeats line: 'Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.' Things hold together; the centre doesn't matter. In a country where systems and laws had always been weak, there were other forces that kept the place from collapsing."

[Joy D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a combination of archeology, history, journalism, and memoir. Peter Hessler is a journalist who initially decided to relocate to Cairo with his wife and twin daughters to learn Arabic and explore archaeological sites. He was not expecting to become involved in one of the most tumultuous times in Egyptian history – Arab Spring. He decided not to leave and lived in Cairo with his family from 2011 to 2016. He was in the unique position of being both outside observer and resident.

Unlike many accounts of Arab Spring, Hessler tells the stories of ordinary Egyptians who are individually reacting to the political upheaval. He relates a wealth of information about Egyptian culture from the perspective of a westerner trying to assimilate. While living there, the author took advantage of visiting ancient Egyptian burial sites and other historical landmarks. He connects the historical record to current struggles and identifies patterns that have been repeated for generations. This book will appeal to those interested in world history, archeology, and/or Middle Eastern politics and culture. I found it extremely informative.

[Text Publishing]

‘Adroitly combining the color and pacing of travel writing and investigative journalism with the tools and insight of anthropological fieldwork and political theory, this stakes a strong claim to being the definitive book to emerge from the Egyptian revolution.’
Publishers Weekly

‘This is writing at its best and highly recommended for anyone interested in Egypt, modern or ancient.’
Library Journal (starred review)

‘The Buried is wonderfully impressive, not a conventional travel book at all, but the chronicle of a family’s residence in Egypt, in a time of revolution—years of turmoil in this maddening place. It is in all senses archeology—tenacious, revelatory, and humane.’
Paul Theroux

‘The Buried is the kind of book that you don’t want to end and won’t forget. With the eye of a great storyteller Peter Hessler weaves together history, reporting, memoir, and above all the lives of ordinary people in a beautiful and haunting portrait of Egypt and its revolution.’
Ben Rhodes, author of The World as It Is

[Ying Ying · Rating 4 out of 5]

After sampling a few pages, I was more enticed by this BOTM choice than the other four available options. Peter writes in a way that is easy to read, the text flows smoothly through the pages, always inviting the reader to stay along, as typically happens with writers of The New Yorker. By sharing his personal experiences, Peter helped me understand what Egypt is in a day-to-day life and what the country was going through in Arab Spring.
The only downside of the book was that it was too long for someone who had never been as interested in Egypt. It took me significant amount of determination to finish it, though Peter's writing and stories helped me throughout the process; and along the way, I picked up some nuggets of wisdom. One of the lines that spoke to me is:
"The Americans think, ‘If everybody is like me, they’re less likely to attack me.’ The Chinese don’t think like that. They don’t try to make the world be like them. Their strategy is to make economic linkages, so if you break these economic linkages, it’s going to hurt you as much as it hurts them." - Pg. 339

[Hayley Stenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like a 3 for 1 deal and I mean that as a compliment. The book was a fascinating look into the history of Egypt, going between Ancient Egypt, the Arab Spring, and the personal lives of citizens who live currently in Egypt and are dealing with the changes on a personal level.

[Kuang Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

終於把書讀完了，何偉不愧是我最喜歡的作家之一，而且他的人生也太令人嚮往了吧~透過他的作品追蹤其人生閱歷是一件很有趣的事。我已經期待他的下一部作品了!

何偉是誰呢? 他是一位記者兼作家，這是他的第五本書。英文名叫Peter Hessler，何偉是他的中文名。他的履歷很精彩，大學在普林斯頓讀文學，研究所獲得很有名的羅德獎學金去牛津讀英語文學，畢業後1996年加入美國和平志工團到四川當了兩年的英語老師，因緣際會下他成了<紐約客>雜誌的中國特派員(2000~2007)，他把在中國的經歷和觀察寫成三本書，被稱為”中國三部曲”，這三本書獲得很高的評價，如果你去查best books about China，這三本基本上都會出現在推薦書單的前面。2010年他跟同樣派駐中國的張彤禾女士結婚，生了一對女兒雙胞胎。2011年對他意義重大吧，首先他獲得麥克阿瑟獎的肯定，這個獎每年被稱為天才獎，得獎者都是在其領域取得傑出成就的”天才”。何偉得獎的原因就是他的中國報導深刻地捕捉當代中國的社會脈動，甚至在一定程度上影響了西方對中國的看法。2011年，他們舉家搬到開羅，直到2016年才離開。2019年中他重回中國，住在成都。這本書就是紀錄他在埃及五年間的故事。

何偉前四本書我都有讀過，我也是透過他的書寫才得以更細緻的認識當代中國，進而開始從更多元的角度來探索中國。畢竟從台灣的媒體或著作出發，聚焦的主題偏向政治類，對於中國社會的探討就少了一點，若你想從比較微觀的角度看中國，何偉的三部曲就是很理想的切入點。而且身為一個老外，有時候的他的觀點反而能跳脫華人的框架，更澄澈的陳述事實。何偉最大的特色應該是聚焦在小人物身上吧，透過講述小人物的故事，反映整個大環境的變動。

據說在中國的老外經常說自己的夢想是當下一個何偉。有一本書叫，書中提及許多在中國的老外總夢想有朝一日能獲得像何偉一樣的關注，讓全世界閱讀他們的中國故事，只不過這群人都在酒吧虛度人生。這不是騙人的，如果你上豆瓣網查海外中國研究的標籤，何偉的書被點評的次數遠高於其他人。我後來稍微研究一下才知道，近幾年中國也開始流行”非虛構寫作”，中國人跟我們一樣，很好奇老外怎麼看自己，上海譯文出版社就推出了一系列”譯文紀實”作品，何偉的三部曲簡體版也屬於這書系。本書系似乎蠻受歡迎的，還不斷的推出新作，而且每一本都很有意思。書系中也有好幾本其他老外看中國的著作，不過這一兩年來受到壓力，中國主題的書變少了，有一本叫長樂路的書已經出版了，其實也沒太多敏感內容，後來還是被禁止再版…很可惜呀。

我陸陸續續也讀了一些中國相關主題的書籍，很多都是西方特派員的作品。何偉的名字幾乎會出現在每一本書最後的感謝名單裡XD，因為他們都是朋友，經常彼此給予寫作上的建議。我很喜歡讀這一群人的中國著作，打開一個全新的世界啊~

何偉的中國經驗賦予他獨特的視角報導埃及。這本書一樣以小人物為主要角色，生動捕捉了埃及的生活日常，以及最重要的文化精神。本書主要分成三條故事線: 埃及阿拉伯之春革命後的政治進程、何偉認識的市井小民、埃及的考古學。

何偉一家抵達開羅的那一年適逢革命之際，阿拉伯之春讓執政近三十年的穆巴拉克下台，舉國一片歡欣鼓舞，似乎光明的未來即將來臨，穆斯林兄弟會的穆爾西成為第一任民選的總統，不過一年後就被軍事政變趕下台，由軍人出身的塞西接任，並持續至今。何偉深入的分析埃及政治的歷史和演變，從獨立後開始談起，歷經納吉布、納塞爾、沙達特，接著便是穆巴拉克，每個埃及人心目中往往都會對某一位歷任的總統特別崇拜，並經常性將現任總統與過往的領導者互相比較。埃及的革命從一開始的滿腔熱血，漸漸的荒腔走板，整個體制的運作一盤散沙，很多人甚至開始懷念起穆巴拉克統治時的相對穩定。民主變成一場遊戲，埃及有太多系統性的因素，讓民主自由難以開花結果。

政治上的混沌並沒有影響市井小民的日常，因為說實話他們早已見怪不怪。生命自然會找到出路，公務體系的效率低下，私領域自然有生存之道。埃及社會的一切都圍著家庭這個單位，不過伊斯蘭信仰和男權思想幾乎主宰了一切。這衍生的社會議題五花八門，何偉生活裡認識的小人物就是最好的例子。何偉在市井小民這方面的故事聚焦在三個人身上: 收垃圾的拾荒者、外國記者在地的同性戀合作夥伴、何偉的阿拉伯文老師。他們的故事很像台灣的鄉土劇，如此的生動，同時又如此的荒謬。他們的故事深刻的反應埃及文化的多種面向，非常精彩! 另外我也覺得何偉的取材很棒，例如阿拉伯文化面對同性戀的態度；阿拉伯文的有趣知識…等等。 值得一提的是何偉也追蹤了一批中國的商人。這群人在埃及販賣女用內衣褲，何偉觀察到兩個文化之間的巧妙互動，非常有趣。

最後一組人馬就是考古學家了。埃及的歷史源遠流長，古埃及文化吸引了世界各地的遊客造訪埃及。何偉在中國時就很熱衷追溯歷史，他的第二本書就叫做甲骨文~到了埃及當然不能錯過古老的文明。他在書中造訪了一些考古遺跡，訪問了一些考古學家，分析了古埃及文明如何影響了當今的埃及。

讀完以後你會對埃及，還有阿拉伯文化有了更深的認識。非常好看的一本報導文學!

[Anna Baillie-Karas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that taught me much about modern Egypt through Hessler’s engaging mix of reporting & personal stories. Sayyid the garbage collector a favourite (the friendship, & the intricacies of his job). I love his curiosity & open-mindedness - it’s a pleasure to travel vicariously with him. Post- Arab Spring, the politics are interesting then bleak.

The people have great imagination, politeness and warmth. But the country is poorly governed with harmful traditions (for example, 40% of Egyptians are married to a cousin), inefficiency (6m public servants, bribery and corruption) and a lack of systems.

Most notable are the misogyny and poor education. Hessler finds the segregation of sexes not just disrespectful to women - and uncomfortable for a man who enjoys mixed company both socially and professionally - but hurts the economy: half of the workforce is missing. This is highlighted by the Chinese lingerie sellers who do business efficiently with husband and wife side by side.

The shambolic elections lead Hessler to a disturbing realisation: that an ordered authoritarianism (such as China) is better than a disordered one.

Really interesting, highly recommended.

[JamalT · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most brilliant books I've ever read. It's so rich, it's difficult to fully explain the scope and ambition on display.

Peter Hessler's account combines ancient Egypt, the history of excavation, the Arab Spring and multiple revolutions throughout the past 10 years in Egypt, Egyptian language, education, and culture, along with a host of personal stories about not just the people he met living in the country with his family, but also Chinese entrepreneurs and a Jewish family forced to leave the country in the 1950s. And everything is interwoven masterfully.

This book is incredible, and I want to read not only everything else this author has written, but I want to look up his wife's work as well. I'm excited about what to expect in the future from both of them. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Terzah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If all current events books were written like this one, with an ear for the voice of the ordinary citizen (in this case, of Egypt), I'd be much better informed about many things than I am. Peter Hessler draws parallels between ancient and modern times, modern and past injustices and prejudices, and human and natural history with an empathy few other authors exhibit. The only bad thing about Hessler's methodical, immersive approach to research and writing is that it doesn't allow him to craft as many books as I wish he could. A wonderful book.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved "River Town" and "Oracle Bones" and I occasionally loved this book too. But I also liked it and found it tedious at other times. Much like the books about China, "The Buried" is a mix of ancient history, current history and stories of average citizens fused together to provide a mirror on the past and present. Hessler is a talented writer with an analytical mind and a keen eye for funny details. I don't know why this book turned out to be so deeply disappointing to me. I read and preferred "And Then All Hell Broke Loose" by Richard Engel. My one complaint about Engel's book is that it wasn't long enough; to me Hessler's book may have simply been too long. I have no quarrel with anyone who loved "The Buried" I just wish I did too.

[Piotr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Długaśna książka przedstawiająca Egipt z różnych stron, ale nie skupiająca się wyłącznie na suchych faktach. Razem z autorem przechodzi się płynnie pomiędzy starożytnością, Egiptem nowożytnym i tym teraźniejszym, poznając mnogość losów ludzkich i to, jak w miarę niewiele zmieniło się w naturze ludzkiej.

[Skahllan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lubię reportaże, nawet bardzo lubię. Mam swoje ulubione, do niektórych zdarzało mi się nawet wracać. Bo są reportaże, mniej lub bardziej ciekawe, i REPORTAŻE, które są prawdziwymi dziełami, takimi, które pokazują, uczą, uświadamiają, zachwycają, wciągają, po których chce się dowiadywać i czytać więcej. Reportaż "Pogrzebana. Życie, śmierć i rewolucja w Egipcie" Petera Hesslera zdecydowanie plasuje się w drugiej grupie. To reportaż z prawdziwego zdarzenia, reportaż doskonały, taki, po którym zbiera się szczękę z podłogi, a ręka drży, gdy książkę odkłada się na półkę. To zdecydowanie reportaż, który każdy, interesujący się sytuacją w Egipcie czy na Bliskim Wschodzie, powinien przeczytać.
.
Peter Hessler, amerykański pisarz i dziennikarz, autor wielu publikacji w The New Yorker i National Geographic oraz czterech książek o Chinach, w 2011 roku porzucił Chiny i jako dziennikarz The New Yorker przeniósł się do Kairu. Rozpoczął tam, wraz z żoną i córkami, nową podróż - po egipskich ulicach, egipskiej kulturze, polityce, rewolucjach, obyczajowości, religii, języku i w końcu po egipskiej przeszłości. Peter Hessler wziął następnie te wszystkie doświadczenia i uplótł z nich historię tak niezwykłą, że zapiera ona dech w piersi, tak bujną, że nawet ci, których Egipt nigdy nie ruszał i nie fascynował, popadną w zachwyt, a ci, którzy historię i kulturę Egiptu kochają jak ja, odpłyną w zachwycie. Peter Hessler bowiem prowadzi czytelnika ścieżkami Amarny, Karnaku, przedstawia faraonów, by za chwilę wieść czytelnika przez uliczki Chan al-Chalili przy obezwładniających dźwiękach muzyki Umm Kulthum, zabrać go na plac Tahrir w czasie Rewolucji, i zakończyć dzień na Zamalku podczas rozmowy ze swym egipskim przyjacielem, Sajjidem, okolicznym zebelin. Hessler zarysowuje nam zarówno sytuację egipskich osób homoseksualnych, jak i członków Bractwa Muzułmańskiego. Dla niego nie ma tematów tabu ani miejsc, w które nie wejdzie, których nie opisze. Co ciekawe, autor wykorzystuje swoje "chińskie zaplecze" i porównuje często Egipt i Chiny, nie zapominając odwiedzić Chińczyków robiących w Egipcie interesy.
Mogłabym o tej książce pisać godzinami, ale to bez sensu. Powiem Wam jedno - jeżeli nie czytaliście, żałujcie. Albo po prostu naprawcie ten błąd jak najszybciej. Bo ta książka, to must read, i kropka.

[Zhelana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what this book was supposed to be and I'm not sure the author was sure, either. I mean, was it an archaeology of Egypt? Maybe. It did have some of that in there. Was it a history of the Egyptian revolution? It had a bit of that too. Was it a memoir of this guy's time in Egypt? It certainly had that. Was it a story about a gay man living in an Islamic society? Probably not but that was the most interesting subplot it had. Was it an anthropology textbook? Maybe, There were certainly chapters that seemed to be that. What it wasn't was a coherent or cohesive whole.

I did give up on it, but I gave it two stars because I liked the gay guy and the garbage collector and wanted to know what would happen to them. Unfortunately, it really wasn't meant to be either of their story, so I didn't think either would really have an ending. When I realized I probably still had more weeks to read through this book, I couldn't justify finishing it.

Peter Hessler kept throwing more random anecdotes at us the whole time through, and where I gave up was when apropos of nothing he started talking about how all the Chinese people in Egypt are lingerie salesmen. Like, what could this possibly have to do with the Egyptian Revolution? I just don't get it. It was like he wasn't sure if he wanted to tell a story about the revolution or just babble endlessly about quirks of Egyptian society. I don't know. I think this book would have been better if the author had decided on one point he wanted to get across, and then worked on getting that point across. What was the thesis sentence for this book? We learned in 9th grade English to always have a thesis sentence, didn't we? A journalist should certainly know about making one point per piece.

[Mrs. Danvers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I picked this up, I knew two things: First, that Hessler is a New Yorker staff writer and, second, that people describe him as a great storyteller. SOLD. The Buried is like a 450 page New Yorker article -- interesting, thoughtful, compassionate. As an article, it would be like spending a semester abroad in Cairo. As a book, it's like moving there for 5 years, which is, in fact, what Hessler and his wife (and daughters) did. Think about how much more you find out about a place by living there for a full semester instead of traveling as a tourist. Now multiply that by ten. Highly recommended.

[Eric Mayhew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the tying together of ancient history, political analysis related to modern events in Egypt, and travelogue to make trenchant points about Egypts past, present, and future.

[BookishStitcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I listened to the audiobook of this (read by the author) while reading along in my physical copy because the book had a lot of interesting visuals. I also loved listening to the author read his work. I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hessler is undeniably an adept storyteller, as other reviews (professional and other) have asserted. In “The Buried”, he brilliantly weaves together a colorful mosaic of characters, archaeology, and linguistics to cultivate one’s perception of what it must feel like to live in Egypt. Not just in present times, but throughout Egyptian history – where it seems much has stayed the same. The book is written in the same context as Egyptian lifestyle is maintained – laidback and relaxed, while simultaneously frenzied. That’s really what led to the five-star rating for me: it hasn’t been often I’ve read a book about the history of a country that has led me to profoundly feel as though I’m experiencing it firsthand.

Set against the backdrop of the Egyptian Arab Spring of 2011, Hessler, his wife and two twin daughters (both toddlers) move to an area in Greater Cairo to enrich their knowledge of the Arabic language as well as to report on the protests and daily events leading up to the country’s uprising. An uprising that, in only over the course of about a year, would result in Mubarak being ousted from power, to Morsi being elected to the presidency in the nation’s first ever democratic election, to Morsi being ousted as well, only to wind up with el-Sisi, a former military leader, taking over the country along with the military.

Why such a schizophrenic political landscape? It turns out that Egyptians aren't quite that concerned about high level politics. Their main troubles are related to what's happening on the local level. It is clear that until the population can solve problems at the family and local level – for example, an area containing 600,000 residents has no regulated waste disposal system – they aren’t going to be overly attentive to the national issues in which they feel so far removed from.

It truly is a beautiful story worth reading for the historical, archaeological and linguistic facts alone. But by sprinkling in personal stories and details of the characters he met and became close with over the time he spent there (about five years, I believe) - Sayyid, the garbageman, Manu, his translator-turned-friend (a closeted gay young adult who lived in fear for his life), and Rifaat, he and his wife's Arabic instructor - he gives the book a heartwarming feel that stays with readers until its end. There are many other characters as well, but I believe those three stories play the most dominant roles in the book. You feel so connected to these characters and their lives, that when one individual dies unexpectedly toward the book’s end, you are left (at least, I know I was) with a heavy heart.

I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who wants something sensationalized and violent, focusing exclusively on the constant “terrorism” that many Americans think dominates the lives of Middle Eastern citizens. The only negative reviews I saw were along these lines – “boring, too slow”, etc. I’m sorry, but what exactly did people expect when picking up a book titled “The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution?” It’s “an archaeology” of the Revolution, not “a violent portrait” of the Revolution.

As the book’s own jacket explains: “through the lives of these and other ordinary people at a time of tragedy and heartache, through connections between contemporary Egypt and its ancient past, Hessler creates an astonishing portrait of a country and its people. What emerges is a book of uncompromising intelligence and humanity – the story of a land in which a weak state has collapsed but its underlying society remains in many ways painfully the same.”

A perfect summary and very similar to the introductory paragraph I wrote at the start of this review. If you love reading about history, the Middle East, and/or people’s connection to their countries – then I highly recommend this literary masterpiece.

[Jonathan Mckay · Rating 3 out of 5]

41st book of 2021: Shallow Archeology

What do the the last gasps of a civilization look like? One could argue that it resembles something like the Arab winter, with coups, civil war, broken families and rampant hate.

Hessler came to Egypt from a long tour in China just as the Arab world seemed ready to change. Mubarak had stepped down, and free and fair elections were about to be held.

For a book with the title 'The Buried' I would have hoped for more understanding of Egypt's context. Like an oil driller willing only to scratch the surface or dig miles beneath, Hesser misses the most interesting geology sitting just beneath the surface. He all but ignores Islam, post-colonialism and pan-Arabism to spend time pondering ancient Egypt, a culture with as much relevance to modern Cairo as the Picts to modern London. He plays this up as a choice not to learn Fusha (standard Arabic) but in doing so renders himself effectively illiterate in a culture known for its high literature.

Instead he tells an oral history from people he meets like Manu, a gay translator or Said, a local garbage man. For one unacquainted with Egypt, the stories are compelling. Yet unlike China, Egypt's stories remain little changed from generation to generation. Thus Hessler's vignettes are better covered by Egyptian authors such as Alaa Al Aswany (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...) or anything by Naguib Mahfouz.

Once he finds Chinese traders, he finds a willing audience to look scornfully down upon Arab culture, from both the Chinese and American vantage points. Here in Egypt, home to more than 90 million people where western development aid and billions of dollars have pourn in for decades.... [why was the first plastics recycling plant] established by two Chinese migrants, one of them illiterate, and one of them with a 5th grade education? These are fair criticisms, but the flippancy with which they are cast as well as Hessler's exasperation with a more conservative religious culture left a sour taste.

From the western vantage, it's hard to find positives in the Arab world when compared with China's unprecedented rise. Even if we are watching the slow motion unraveling of Arab civilization, true insight remains buried even after finishing this book.

[Text Publishing]

‘[An] absorbing account of the fallout from the Egyptian revolutions of 2011. It is an eclectic, beautifully written narrative that weaves a portrait of contemporary life in Egypt together with the complex strands of its pharaonic past, finding parallels between seemingly disparate ancient and modern worlds…The Buried is an ambitious book, and it delivers on all fronts. It’s equal parts travelogue, history and memoir from a writer with a gift for conveying the humanity of his subjects.’
Washington Post

[Emma Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm normally not a nonfiction person but I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the Egyptian Revolution. It was a book full of commentary on Egyptian culture, stories about the people but also interesting thoughts and insights into the politics.

[Michelle | michelledevoursbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2011, the political and social climate in Egypt was ripe for a revolution. Known as the Egyptian Arab Spring, the movement was characterized by youth participation, social media, and emphasis on democratic systems, ultimately resulting in the upheaval of the ruling regime and an increasingly chaotic political situation. Peter Hessler recounts hi and his family's experiences living in Egypt during this time of change. With a "bottom-up" approach emphasizing people and not just politics, Hessler paints a vivid picture of what it means to be Egyptian and how the revolution affected the country and its people in THE BURIED.

In 2004, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Egypt with my family while we lived internationally. I have countless stories from that trip about the culture, society, and poverty of the country, but will just say that Hessler's stories and descriptions capture the environment and attitudes of Egypt (particularly Cairo) perfectly. Hessler tells his story through a human perspective, including details of interviews, friends, and interactions that promote his underlying narrative. THE BURIED is also not "history heavy." It does not read like a textbook because the histories are conveyed through the lens of people Hessler interacted with, providing more of an informal rather than academic air.

You can tell Hessler is primarily involved in writing for newspapers. The book is composed of short sections detailing specific instances or characters. It often felt scatter and disconnected to me, jumping from one location, person, or event to the next in a nonlinear manner. This made the overall narrative a bit difficult to pin down. It was a descent analogy to the lack of "system" in Egypt and may have been an intentional choice for the story. If you need structure in your reads, this one might be difficult.

Overall, I really enjoyed THE BURIED . Hessler's emphasis on the human element provided fantastic personality to the story of the revolution. I have a soft spot for anything Egyptian and this book definitely appealed to my own history and experiences. I would 100% recommend it.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing to say is by way of warning. If you think that you need to be a native of a place in order to tell its story, then it wouldn't make sense for you to read this book. Hessler, who spent over a decade in China, first as a Peace Corps volunteer and later as a journalist, is a traveler. He is naturally curious, and his entire writing career has been about telling stories that he sees and hears through his own eyes. This book is set within the Arab Spring, which is when he and his family arrive in Cairo, and the years that followed. He makes connections with several families while he is there, mostly the men, because in Egypt men mix with men and women mix with women, but not much beyond that. He sticks largely with what he sees and hears and reads rather than trying to get inside the people he writes about, which is wise. Then juxtaposed with all of this are his visits to an archeological site in Abydos, in the desert on the western side of the Nile north of Luxor. Here he blends in some of the stories of ancient Egypt that are lesser known, but amongst the oldest. It serves to remind us that Egypt is and always has been a very complex place. A very good read, especially if you are contemplating a visit there.