The Alexandria Project is part of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the re-establishment of the famous library emphasizing the intercultural exchange of ideas. This first volume of the project discusses what happened to the first library. Myths about the destruction of the library abound. El-Abbadi (classical studies, University of Alexandria) and Fathallah, director of public services for the library and organizer of the conference where these papers were first delivered, arrange the book chronologically. The articles cover the history of the library and indicate that the building and its contents were destroyed more than once, the final blow coming in 391 c.e. when the Emperor Theodosius banned the teaching of pagan authors. However, that did not stop the intellectual activity of Alexandria. The essays are illuminating, dispelling several popular myths. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)