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Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt Paperback – February 24, 2009
| Barbara Mertz (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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World-renowned Egyptologist Barbara Mertz explores the reality behind the bestselling fiction she writes (as Elizabeth Peters) and casts a dazzling light on a remarkable civilization.
Afascinating chronicle of an extraordinary people—from the first Stone Age settlements through the reign of Cleopatra and the Roman invasions—Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs brings ancient Egypt to life as never before. Lavishly illustrated with pictures, maps, and photographs, it offers tantalizing glimpses into Egyptian society; amazing stories of the pharaohs and the rise and fall of great dynasties; a sampling of culture, religion, and folklore; stories of explorers, scientists, and scoundrels who sought to unravel or exploit the ageless mysteries; and new insights into the architectural wonders that were raised along the banks of the Nile.
- Print length324 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherWilliam Morrow Paperbacks
- Publication dateFebruary 24, 2009
- Dimensions8.02 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
- ISBN-100061252778
- ISBN-13978-0061252778
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About the Author
Barbara Mertz is a New York Times bestselling author who writes the popular Amelia Peabody mystery series under the pen name Elizabeth Peters and romantic suspense novels as Barbara Michaels. She was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998, she lives in a historic farmhouse in western Maryland.
Product details
- Publisher : William Morrow Paperbacks; 2nd Revised, Updated ed. edition (February 24, 2009)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 324 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0061252778
- ISBN-13 : 978-0061252778
- Item Weight : 9.9 ounces
- Dimensions : 8.02 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #389,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #149 in Egyptian History (Books)
- #343 in Ancient Egyptians History
- #576 in Archaeology (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Like many other books this traces of the history of ancient Egypt from the pre-dynastic to the Ptolemies. But Mertz brings her sense of humor to lighten what can be a dry series of lists of kings. She brings to life highpoints in the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, as well as the chaotic periods in between. Moreover, she lifts the veil and lets the reader in on many of the scholarly disputes, like those over the woman pharaoh Hatshepsut and the role of Nefertiti in the succession to her heretical husband Akhenaton.
It's also nice to see someone reveal the egomaniac Ramses II for what he was, a poor leader who lost the second Battle of Kadesh, and who covered his weaknesses by pasting his image everywhere.
For anyone who has read the Peabody books, including the depiction there of Sir William Flinders Petrie (and his approach to feeding his staff), Mertz' homage here to the founder of modern Egyptology is interesting.
In her forward to this Second Edition, Mertz says she thought she wouldn't have to do much to revise the earlier work. But then, she adds, taking into account four decades of new discoveries proved to be a challenge. There are places in this book where she discusses post-1964 work, but the addition of the new material is seamless, with no sense of things just stuck in.
This is a delightful introduction to the fascinating history of ancient Egypt.
Top reviews from other countries
It's written in a similar easy-going style as the fiction, factual and fun.








