Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt [Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged] [MP3 CD]

Barbara Mertz (Author), Lorna Raver (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2007

In this updated version of the classic of popular Egyptology, Barbara Mertz combines a doctorate in Egyptology at the famed Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago with a life-long enthusiasm for ancient Egypt. Her love of the subject is contagious and makes her the perfect guide to ancient Egypt for the student, the layman, and those who plan to visit-or have visited-the Nile Valley.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This updated and revised version of Dr. Mertz's stunning collection of everything related to the civilization of ancient Egypt is brought to life through Lorna Raver's informative and entertaining narration. Presented as half textbook, half historical fiction, Raver finds a solid balance between the two genres. Her voice brims with mystery and the unknown as she, along with the listener, travels along the path that Mertz has meticulously paved from the earliest glimpses of the remarkable civilization to the very latest discoveries. Raver is solid and unwavering throughout, sounding as though she's enjoying the information she so clearly presents. She brings fun and excitement to a field that many consider to be overly analyzed and studied, offering a learning experience through an abundance of speculative fiction sure to capture the minds of even the youngest listeners.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

About the Author

Barbara Mertz studied at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, receiving an M.A. in 1950 and a Ph.D. in Egyptology in 1952. A former president of the American Crime Writers League, she presently serves on the editorial advisory board of KMT, A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt and the board of governors of the American Research Center in Egypt, as well as the editorial board of The Writer. She is also a member of the Egypt Exploration Society, the James Henry Breasted Circle of the Oriental Institute, and the National Organization for Women. Under her own name she is the author of Red Land, Black Land, Daily Life in Ancient Egypt. Under her pseudonym Barbara Michaels, she has written twenty-nine novels of suspense. As Elizabeth Peters, she has produced twenty-nine mystery-suspense novels, many of them set in Egypt and the Middle East. The Mystery Writers of America awarded Dr. Mertz the MWA Grandmaster in 1998. Lorna Raver has been named a Best Voice of the Year by AudioFile magazine and has been nominated for Audie Awards for her readings of Washington Square by Henry James, Nothing with Strings by Bailey White, and Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson. She has also received numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for her narrations. An accomplished stage actress, Lorna has also guest-starred in many top television series, and she stars in director Sam Raimi's film Drag Me to Hell.

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Product Details

• MP3 CD
• Publisher: Tantor Media; 2nd edition (December 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400155606
• ISBN-13: 978-1400155606
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #913,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dated, but still a classic, September 2, 2007

By 

Shoveling Ferret (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt (Hardcover)

As a graduate student in Egyptology/Egyptian archaeology, I have a slightly different perspective on this book than some people. As other reviewers have noted, the text is a bit dated, having been written a few decades ago. However, the basic facts are still solid and Mertz writes so well and brings so much of ancient Egyptian history to life that a few inaccuracies can be excused, especially as one hopes that so well-written a text will encourage people to go on to do more research.
Mertz also manages to capture and discuss, though not in detail, a bit of what it is like to study Egyptology professionally in a few humorous off-the-cuff remarks in the texts. If memory serves, she compares demotic to a series of frenetic commas. :)
In short, this is a book I re-read on occasion, even as a professional, not for any particular research needs, but more to remind myself what my own writing *could* be and, sometimes, to remind myself why I decided to do this for a living.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of Ancient Egypt, July 18, 1999

By 

Aussie Reader ""Rick"" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt (Paperback)

Firstly I must admit that I am not an expert on this subject. I learnt the basic stuff at High School and that's about it. My interest was sparked in Ancient Egypt after taking my daughter to watch 'The Mummy' and subsequently reading Bob Brier's book 'The Murder of Tutankhamen'.

As it has been previously noted by other reviewer's this book is somewhat dated (orginally published in 1964) but that does not detract from the wonderful narrative that the author weaves around the Pharaohs and their place in history.

The author does not get bogged down in technical details and you never lose interest in the story. She has a knack of writing about these far away times and people as if it was yesterday and draws you into her story. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to obtain a decent overview of Ancient Egypt.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the latest, but maybe the greatest., January 28, 2000

By 

Sarah Asher - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt (Paperback)

I picked this book up in an airport when I was a teenager, and it sparked an interest in Egyptology which has lasted 30 years. Mertz is a graceful writer, deftly mixing scholarship with humor and 'human interest'. The book is not intended for Egyptologists, (Hence 'A Popular History') and bypasses, wisely in my opinion, the wrangling between experts which makes the field so frustrating to the lay reader. Honesty prevails, however; when she is stating a personal opinion, she says so. The result is a fascinating, funny and intelligent look at the ancient culture of which we know so much and understand so little.