La Vie Arabe - Félix Mornand - Michel Lévy Frères, Paris 1858

La Vie Arabe is a historical work by the French writer and journalist Félix Mornand, published in Paris in 1858 by Michel Lévy Frères. This copy is the second edition of a book that provides a comprehensive portrait of life in Algeria and the Sahara in the mid-nineteenth century.

In twenty chapters, Mornand describes various aspects of daily life, including hospitality, agriculture, trade, music, marriage customs, and traveling through the desert. The Arab and Kabyle communities, local traditions, and historical events are also covered extensively.

A notable section is the concluding chapter on Abd el-Kader, the Algerian leader who resisted the French conquest of Algeria. In it, Mornand describes his personal meeting with Abd el-Kader during his stay in Amboise, France.

The work constitutes an interesting historical document from the early French colonial period. The descriptions offer insight into the history of North Africa, as well as nineteenth-century European perceptions and imagery.

The book is bound in a traditional half-linen binding with a dark blue spine, a red title label with gold lettering, and covers clad in purple and black marbled decorative paper.

The copy is in reasonably good antiquarian condition. The text block is firm and the text is clearly legible. The binding is slightly skewed and shows wear to the edges and corners. The paper has scattered age spots (foxing), and there may be an old reinforcement at the beginning of the book.

An interesting edition for collectors of antique travel and history books, with special focus on Algeria, North Africa, and nineteenth-century colonial history.

Specifications

• Title: La Vie Arabe
• Author: Félix Mornand
• Publisher: Michel Lévy Frères
• Edition: Second edition
• Year: 1858
• Place of publication: Paris, France
• Printer: Typographie de Vialat, Lagny
• Series: Collection Michel Lévy
• Language: French
• Pages: 319
• Subject: Algeria, Sahara, cultural history and colonial history
• Period: 19th century
• Classification: Antique
• Binding: Hardcover, half-linen binding
• Cover: Cardboard with purple and black marbled decorative paper
• Spine: Dark blue linen with red title label and gold lettering
• Page edges: Natural
• Illustrations: None
• Dimensions: approx. 18.5 × 12.5 × 2.5 cm
• Condition: Reasonably good antiquarian condition, with foxing, wear to edges and corners, and a slightly skewed binding
• Origin: France