Luxor4u

So, what's your favourite book about Egypt ?
Be it, historical, pyramididiots, mathematical, biographical, theoretical, trash novels, ect ect.

Iv'e read most, I have for over 40 years been reading this and that although, I proclaim to know zilch about any dates,
and Who's Who ect.
I have friends who use their brains for that sort of stuff.

Some of mine are 1st editions many signed by the authors some are quite valuable.
Many are out-right weird, but it keeps the old grey cells ticking over.

I was once at an esoteric school and we did a fair bit on Egypt most over my head, but I always retained a feeling for it.

Anyhow this is a goody, 'Thoth Architect of the Universe by Ralph Ellis. google...

When he first published it Nick & myself were at the launch, where a huge debacle erupted over plagiarism by a nut called Nigel Appleby.
We were really quite enjoying the whole event being only slightly hammered & both of us on great form.
It was in The Freemasons Hall in Great Queen St attached to their No1 Lodge,
and we had just luncheoned at Aldo Zilli's Fish restaurant opposite.

I managed to get a free signed copy off of Ralph..

I pulled it off my shelf dusted it down and started to re read it.
Quite fascinating how much one forgets, with the passage of time....

Ps An old teacher always retorted to me "Yeh! But procrastination be the thief of time"

Call me a snob.....but I've no time for the pseudo-scientific stuff.

I tend to stick to the same authors...Aidan Dodson for detailed analysis, Barbara Mertz & Joyce Tyldesley for more colouful descriptions of life in ancient Egypt.

The best biography I read was T.G.H James's Howard Carter.

"Wonderful Things" - A history of Egyptology in 3 volumes is also fascinating.

Can't read anything by Hawass....but they're mainly collections of glossy photos anyway.

I've enjoyed some Egypt-based fiction. Christian Jacq, Wilbur Smith etc.

newcastle wrote:
I've enjoyed some Egypt-based fiction. Christian Jacq, Wilbur Smith etc.

I have not read any Wilbur Smith novels for a very, very long time and certainly not any related to Egypt as far as I recall. Please would you share some titles so that I can try to do a raid next time I'm in the library.

HEPZIBAH wrote:

newcastle wrote:
I've enjoyed some Egypt-based fiction. Christian Jacq, Wilbur Smith etc.

I have not read any Wilbur Smith novels for a very, very long time and certainly not any related to Egypt as far as I recall. Please would you share some titles so that I can try to do a raid next time I'm in the library.

Then you MUST read the series....brilliant!

http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/books/egyptian

My favourite author of Egyptian fiction is Pauline Gedge, although some of her books are a tad dated now in view of more recent research. My absolute favourite is "The Twelth Transforming" - pretty strong stuff, but a powerful read!!!

newcastle wrote:

HEPZIBAH wrote:

newcastle wrote:
I've enjoyed some Egypt-based fiction. Christian Jacq, Wilbur Smith etc.

I have not read any Wilbur Smith novels for a very, very long time and certainly not any related to Egypt as far as I recall. Please would you share some titles so that I can try to do a raid next time I'm in the library.

Then you MUST read the series....brilliant!

http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/books/egyptian

Thanks. I'll look out for them and add them to my never ending 'to read' list.

newcastle wrote:

HEPZIBAH wrote:

newcastle wrote:
I've enjoyed some Egypt-based fiction. Christian Jacq, Wilbur Smith etc.

I have not read any Wilbur Smith novels for a very, very long time and certainly not any related to Egypt as far as I recall. Please would you share some titles so that I can try to do a raid next time I'm in the library.

Then you MUST read the series....brilliant!

http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/books/egyptian

Thanks for that link Newcastle I am also an avid fan of Wilbur Smith, especially his earlier novels and the Egyptian ones you list are also a great read (I love old/young Tata ) but I had not realised that there was a last one in the series, must look it up.

@ Hepzi, start at the first novel in Newcastles list and I am sure you will enjoy them all.

I'm currently reading The Summer House: A Trilogy by Alice Thomas Ellis.
I knew nothing about this book when I bought it as it was my random choice to make up my 3 for a £1 books at the local library old stock shelf. It is narrated by 3 different women, living in England, but it appears Egypt has been the setting for a large part of their lives. I'm only about half way in of the first section, as told by a bored and sad young woman about to be married to an older man. She has mentioned Egypt a few times, and I now think she was sent there to brush up her French by staying with an old friend of her mother, but that is all it is - each time a vague mention of 'Egypt'! Hopefully, more will be revealed as I read on further and move on to the other two thirds of the trilogy.