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Jo Marchant

The Shadow King: The Bizarre Afterlife of King Tut's Mummy Hardcover – June 4, 2013

by Jo Marchant (Author)

73 ratings

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More than 3,000 years ago, King Tutankhamun's desiccated body was lovingly wrapped and sent into the future as an immortal god. After resting undisturbed for more than three millennia, King Tut's mummy was suddenly awakened in 1922. Archaeologist Howard Carter had discovered the boy-king's tomb, and the soon-to-be famous mummy's story--even more dramatic than King Tut's life--began.

The mummy's "afterlife" is a modern story, not an ancient one. Award-winning science writer Jo Marchant traces the mummy's story from its first brutal autopsy in 1925 to the most recent arguments over its DNA. From the glamorous treasure hunts of the 1920s to today's high-tech scans in volatile modern Egypt, Marchant introduces us to the brilliant and sometimes flawed people who have devoted their lives to revealing the mummy's secrets, unravels the truth behind the hyped-up TV documentaries, and explains what science can and can't tell us about King Tutankhamun.

Print length

320 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Da Capo Press
Publication date

June 4, 2013
Dimensions

6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

0306821338
ISBN-13

978-0306821332
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Smithsonian Magazine, June 2013

“[A] thoughtful account of the post-unearthing life of the famous royal…an entertaining, lively book—she also interjects common sense, science and authentic history into her account…In the context of Marchant's book, the initial discovery fades: Real insight lies in the layers that time and new technologies reveal about the king and his nation.”

New Jersey syndicated “First Read” column, 5/26/13

“A fascinating tale”

Nature, 6/27/13

“[The] rip-roaring story unwraps the science layer by layer, in tandem with the momentous discoveries and the emergence of theories on the ruler's health and parentage”

Sacramento Bee, 6/30/13
“It's been a wild ride for King Tutankhamun's mummy…Marchant separates the facts from the fiction that has surrounded the controversial relic and explains ‘what science can and can't tell us' about King Tut.”

American Way Magazine, 7/1/13
“Compelling.”

New Scientist
"An unusual, gripping spin on the familiar."

The Book Bag
"A must-read for anyone who is fascinated in the history of Egypt."

About the Author

Jo Marchant is an award-winning journalist who specializes in writing about cutting-edge science. She has worked as a staff reporter and editor for Nature and New Scientist, where she is currently a consultant. She lives in London.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Press; Illustrated edition (June 4, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0306821338
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0306821332
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.16 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #522,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #254 in Egyptian History (Books)
- #500 in Ancient Egyptians History
- #534 in Historical Middle East Biographies

Customer Reviews:
73 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		61%
4 star		27%
3 star		9%
2 star		3%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Joe Kessler

An Excellent Overview

Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

While the title to this book does not hold true. The author herself explains. It is not just about King Tut, but also about all the people who have been involved in Tut's "afterlife" since his discovery. Filled with all kinds of things I was unaware of. A fun read.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

C Makoski

Quick read, good history, present day info was boring

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed the 1st half of the book. The 2nd half focused on political climate, flawed science and too many characters to keep my interest and I skimmed through to the end. Really enjoy Jo Marchant's book though and will continue to read her other ones.

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2015

Verified Purchase

The fascination in the life and mummy of King Tutankhamun never seems to go away. This very interesting book tells more about his death and burial than his life-which is just as well as his life still has a lot of mysteries connected with it. His mummy seems to have gone through enough trials for ten kings. With all his body has gone through you would think that somebody would have been cursed by the dead King's spirit by now.
This is a well written book and definitely worth the time for those of us who can't get enough on Ancient Egypt.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Jon

Best book on King Tut from a qualified investigative writer!

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

Jo Marchant is a very credible, investigative writer. This book is intriguing, provides a solid history of how mummies have been (and are) treated, the politics of Egyptology, and the best treatment of the King Tut situation I have ever read.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

vmiman

First rate

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent book. It goes into a lot of the detail that books on King Tut usually do not. I'll be skeptical of DNA evidence the next time that something is proven unless it is in a scientific peer-reviewed source.

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2013

Verified Purchase

Jo Marchant has written a welcomed history of the physical body of Tutankhamen since it first came to light in 1925 after being hidden in darkness for three thousand years. In many ways it is a woeful tale. It begins with Howard Carter leaving the boy king in the broiling Egyptian sun in the hope of unsticking him from his golden coffin. Giving up, Carter dismembered the king piece by piece and tucked the reassembled pieces in their outermost coffin back into the tomb where they supposedly remained undisturbed until Ronald Harrison was given permission to x-ray them in 1968. But alas someone had already disturbed the king again, stolen his beaded skullcap and the few pieces of jewelry which Carter had left him, inflicting irreparable damage to the king's eyes and ears.

The story goes on through many twists and turns, many analyses and personalities, many theories and speculations, until it winds up with the controversial DNA analysis of 2010 and the fall of Mubarak (and Hawass) in 2011.

For this reviewer, Marchant spent too many pages graphically describing the various processes of cadaverous decomposition, every lunatic theory of the so-called curse, and every wacko speculation by the egyptophile fringe. But her ferreting out of lost notes and documents, her even-handed interviews with the important characters, and her considerable skill in explaining DNA and genetics are to be thoroughly commended.

3 people found this helpful

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ez22908

So glad i bought this.

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2016

Verified Purchase

Loving this book. It has such amazing detail you even some things I haven't read before.

2 people found this helpful

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Daniel Scott

Very nicely done. A repeat of what I'd read in ...

Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2018

Verified Purchase

Very nicely done. A repeat of what I'd read in other books, tho.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

AReader

Interesting and sensible.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2019

Verified Purchase

I was thoroughly confused about the latest thinking on this, as I had seen various publications and documentaries, and responses to them, but was never clear about the outcome. Now I know that it was not my understanding that was at fault!

Plainly successive generations of Egyptologists had imposed convictions which they held for personal emotional, cultural, or even financial reasons on the physical and textual evidence. Shame on them as scientists!

G. C. Palmer

Brilliant Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2014

Verified Purchase

Excellent and informative book that put the whole story of the testing of Tut's Mummy in perspective and explained the - often unexpected, scientific truths behind all of the testing. There is a whole world of stories, anecdotes and very easily and clearly explained scientific truths. The picture that emerges is surprising and enthralling!

Kindle Customer

Clarity and Fact

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2013

Verified Purchase

I highly recommend this book. With all the 'myths' abounding and contradictory stories and 'facts', this book explains them all and gives an objective view point on the DNA controversies as well as 'how did he die?' scenarios.

The writing is crisp, clear and inn places very funny. I read it in less than two days it was so interesting.

Janice Flower

Once you open this book, you won't be able to put it down!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2013

Verified Purchase

It took me just one and a half days to read Jo Marchant's book "The Shadow King". Jo takes the reader on a journey through time from the early Egyptologists looking for treasures to fill the worlds museums. With the discovery of Tutankhamun, his first autopsy, which by todays standards was pretty crude to the latest in DNA testing. Jo covers most of the major events that have happened surrounding Tutankhamun, including the United Nations rescue of the Abu Simbel Temples and the mummy project, aimed at identifying the royal mummies. This book is very well written and would appeal to a wide audience.

Daniel Batchelor

Good Book to Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Very good book to read, a little disappointed it went of subject a few times, Wasn't fully bound when arrived

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The Shadow King: The Bizarre Afterlife of King Tut's Mummy Hardcover – June 4, 2013

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