An historical "view from the inside into the economic realities of the region" (from the dustjacket). Five essays on land, four on crafts and trades, and four on money, most by Arab scholars. The editor has taught at American University in Cairo for many years. Pages (viii), 295 with index and notes on each article. A paragraph about each author and his/her credentials would have been nice. An as new copy with no prior owner marks. Scarce, only 2 on the internet as of this writing.