'Fascinating and important'Natalie Haynes, author of Stone Blind'Monumental and vividly imagined'DAILY TELEGRAPH'Wonderfully entertaining'SUNDAY TIMESA SUNDAY TIMES AND TLS BOOK OF THE YEAROn 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.'Fantastic ... it will be hard to tell [Alexandria's] story in a more informed and affectionate way than Issa has'AL JAZEERA'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