A History of Ancient Egypt Volume 2 - by John Romer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Another solid work of history from an author and historian who truly grasps the mysteries of ancient Egypt." - Kirkus Reviews

Drawing on a lifetime of research, John Romer chronicles the history of Ancient Egypt from the building of the Great Pyramid through the rise and fall of the Middle Kingdom: a peak of Pharaonic culture and the period when writing first flourished. Through extensive research over many decades of work, reveals how the grand narratives of 19th and 20th century Egyptologists have misled us by portraying a culture of cruel monarchs and chronic war. Instead, based in part on discoveries of the past two decades, this extraordinary account shows what we can really learn from the remaining architecture, objects, and writing: a history based on physical reality.

Review Quotes

Evocative and passionate ... [Romer] has a command of material and of language that makes this a fascinating tale ... Magisterial--Anthony Sattin, Spectator

Magisterial ... Romer can still communicate like no one else, his affinity with his subject fuelled by half a century living and working alongside the ancient Egyptians to give him a level of understanding which simply cannot be accessed from an academic ivory tower ... Romer and his writings remain an inspiration--Joann Fletcher, BBC History Magazine

John Romer's book is a courageous attempt to write Egyptian history in a new and inspiring way. It is particularly admirable to see the explicit acknowledgment of how inextricably intertwined modern histories of Egypt are with the history of Egyptology. The book is also very elegantly written and presented--Thomas Schneider, Professor of Egyptology and Near Eastern Studies, University of British Columbia

About the Author

John Romer has been working in Egypt since 1966 in key archaeological sites, including Karnak and Medinet Habu. He initiated conservation studies in the Valley of the Kings and led the Brooklyn Museum expedition to excavate the tomb of Ramesses XI. He has written and presented a number of television series, including Romer's Egypt, Ancient Lives, Testament and Byzantium. His major books include The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited and Valley of the Kings. He lives in Italy.