The Perfect Companion to Escape Egypt
922263
This book is, in no uncertain terms, a revelation. It takes the teachings and stories of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, and others, and not only retells them in a way that's clear, to-the-point and memorable, but also mixes them in a wondrous chulent-like cauldron and reveals a depth of the original Torah message that's never been quite this devourable before. Some of his explanations are deceptively simple, like why we say "hamotzi" over matzah. Others, like the explanations of wandering through the Red Sea itself, are more mystical. On every level, "Exodus" is a necessary book for anyone who wants to understand the amazing events of the Exodus.
3538129
I am Egyptian and have the opportunity to go there several times a year.  I can truly say that these pictures are not only a work of art, but also professional-grade, reflecting true views of several aspects of daily life in Egypt... Not just the pyramids and touristic sites.  It must've taken the author a lot of effort, time, and considerable expenses to come-up with such breathtaking aerial pictures.  An absolute must-have for anyone who loves to see Egypt, or cherish memories of their visit.
4503199
This book grabs your attention right from the start.  It starts action-packed and suspenseful and does not stop.

The characters are very engaging, especially Gavin.  I adored his relatable day-dreams and felt sympathetic to his past and present emotions.  Especially one of his past stories, which made me cringe when I read it, as if I was experiencing it with Gavin.

The story is creative and detailed, so that you feel as if you are there with the characters through all their adventures.

I have always loved ancient Egypt, the author really brings it to life, both in the past and in the present.  The author knows his Egypt, from modern excavation sites, to the respected deities, and to the purpose of pharaohs and more.

I recommend this book if you are up for an adventure!
1199825
Upon first glance, I fell in love with this version of Max Brooks' opus, The Zombie Survival Guide. Ibraim Roberson's art fits perfectly with the landscape of each of the included recorded attacks. While in Central Africa, the pages quiver with the dust and grit of the desert, the slime of the small pool of water. And Mr. Roberson accomplishes no small feat when he takes on the story solely through his art; aside from the first pages, there is no dialogue, no description. Later, in Egypt, the claustrophobia of the tombs, the terror of one's final days are all perfectly encapsulated within two panels of frantic claw marks and sparse exposition. The interplay between drawing and writing is especially entertaining throughout this graphic novel; I imagine both artist and writer enjoyed making layout decisions. It seems that Mr. Roberson took Mr. Brooks' subject matter to heart and then had a ton of fun creating his own version of each terrifying attack. This is a great companion piece to those who already own The Zombie Survival Guide, as well as a wonderful introduction to the marvelous, morbid world of Max Brooks.
3789071
This fun little travel memoir is about Rose, who decides to attempt to row down the Egyptian Nile by herself. Although maybe short on the adventure side of things (in the end, she's on the Nile by herself for only a few days), I found the descriptions of the peoples of Egypt and the beauty of the Nile fascinating. A nice, entertaining read for those of us who have never been (and, in my case, probably never will be) on the Nile. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy travel memoirs.
2427284
The book follows a group of children traveling the Nile River, north from Abu Simbel up to Cairo, the route taken by most river cruises.  They stop at some of the best known sites in Egypt: the temples at Abu Simbel, Aswan, Kitchener's Island, the Valley of the Kings, Al-Faiyum Oasis, Cairo and the Cairo Museum, before ending their trip at the Giza plateau.

The main text of the book is simple enough to keep the attention of younger readers.  Like the other books by this author, there is a repeating refrain throughout, in this case "Climb aboard the river boat! We're sailing down the Nile.  We'll be in ______ in just a little while," that will encourage the participation of those who are familiar with the text.  For older readers (even adults) this book, like many published by Barefoot Books, has endnotes that further explain things.  In this book's endnotes, the first section is devoted to additional information about each of the sites visited.  There are also sections with information about the gods and goddesses shown on each page, the different periods of ancient Egyptian history, life in ancient Egypt, the role of the Nile in Egyptian life, mummies, tombs, and hieroglyphs.  While the information is more in depth than the main text of the book, do not be worried that it is too academic or dry.  The author presents the information in a way that simplifies complex concepts and makes the easy-to-read paragraphs approachable for children.

The artwork is colorful and attractive; it is a bit stylized though.  Most readers will be familiar with the appearance of the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, however other sites such as Abu Simbel and the temple on Kitchener's Island are not as well known.  Because of the style of illustrations, some readers might become frustrated with the lack of realism in the illustrations (although with the internet those who want to should be able to search for actual pictures of sites described in the book).

All in all, this is a good introduction to the geography and sites of Egypt.  Most kids (and adults to be honest) are fascinated with the culture of ancient Egypt and would like the opportunity to visit these famous sites.  While this book is not the same as an actual visit to Egypt, it will certainly help to feed the interest
4903074
Without a doubt, this is one of the best accounts of Egypt's pharoahs I have ever read (and I have been reading about Egyptian history since a child in the 1960s).  Easy-to-read and concise, "Chronicles"  provided me with new information about personal favorites (Akhenaton,  Hatshepsut,  Thutmose III) and reminded of the reigns of others I'd  forgotten (e.g.  Ahmose I, Amenhotep III).  I am not a historian and expect  this book might lack details that a historian would want.  However, as a  history lover, and one fascinated by Egyptian history in particular, this  is one of the books I would want with me if stranded on a desert island.  I  liked it so much that I also bought the "Chronicles Of The Roman  Emperors", with which I am equally as pleased.
308843
Egypt. Romance. Intrigue. Only the highlights of this trip down the Nile with characters you fall in live with, root for and genuinely cannot walk away from.
If mystery riddled and problematic romance is your cuppa tea, you will love this brilliantly written story. A sequel could be called for.
4861297
What a great travel book! I want to have the same fun these two have AND their level of daring. The writing is descriptive, clear and entertaining, the accompanying photos so well done and appropriate. The author's delightful sense of humour charmed me. The suggestions on how to start and resources available have me looking for my backpack.
2042502
This 3rd, and possibly best, book in the Out from Egypt series was engaging, moving, and inspiring. I found myself wanting to get back into my Bible and read portions of OT scripture I previously found boring...because now they were coming to life in this fictional account and I could much more easily imagine their significance. It's so fun to see characters from previous books make appearances in this one. Alanah is a believable heroine and Tobiah is a hunky enough Hebrew to make you sigh whenever he comes on the scene. A great read; hard to put down!
3058745
Elizabeth Peters does a wonderful job of showing off her knowledge of ancient Egypt while writing an amusing mystery novel. This book transcends the mystery genre, expanding into romance and historical fiction.  As a  student interested in ancient Egypt, I found this book merged fact and  fiction exquisitely. Peter's descriptions create wonderful images that help  transport the reader to Egypt and the world of the pharaohs. The plot is  excellent and I found myself reading this book every free moment I had. The  story builds and there is never a dull moment. Not only was it full of  historical facts, but also mystery and romance. Although the mystery and  romance was a bit predictable, it in no way ruined the story.  Every moment  was full of intrigue and remarkable dialog reminiscent of Jane Austen. The  characters are dynamic. Amelia Peabody is a charming heroine, full of  energy and snide wit. The villains are charming as well and you will love  to hate them. I highly recommend this novel especial for those interested  in learning about ancient Egypt. In short, it is an adventurous treat that  is fun and exciting. After reading this book you will want to take a trip  to Egypt.
3923250
I was looking for a good read that might take me back to my own life changing travels in Egypt and across the world and this book was channel for that reliving. This book takes the ordinary experiences and shows them diffused through a prism of a spiritual self expiriment on her own muslim belief system. She takes a good look at the hidden sides of the clash between old muslim culture and modern liberations. I wouldn't use this book as a travel guide for the middle east; but I wouldn't use Kerouac's - On The Road as a guide for the USA either. The writing is often metaphoric, sometimes overly, but the filter of a young woman on a mythical adventure of self discovery shines in the descriptions of the people she meets and the sense of alchemy in the coincidences of her journey.

It's a tale of innocence abroad as she get herslef into, and out of, one sticky situation after another. I enjoyed this book as a recount of introspection as is only possible though the magic of travel, but there's a few scenes of block buster action as well.
4203984
This exiting, action-filled, suspenseful fictional tale focuses on Egypts attempt in the 16th century BCE to rid its country of the Hyksos people who had conquered the northern part of Egypt and forced the original Egyptian to live in the south. It follows Smiths prior novel The Quest, but the book stands alone and readers do not need to know what occurred in The Quest. As in the prior novel, the book focuses on the eunuch Taita, a slave who rose to become the close advisor to Pharaoh Tamose. Both Taita and Tamose are fictional characters.
Taita is portrayed as a brilliant thinker, skilled in warfare, diplomacy, statecraft, medicine, with an unerring skill with bow and arrow, as well as other skills. Everyone recognizes his abilities and respects him. Some readers may be annoyed that he constantly reminds us of his skills. He tells us, for example, that he was the person who invented coins, he designed the first chariots for Egypts army, he wrote the military manual of warfare and the history of Egypt, he has complete control of his emotions and can stay calm and composed in the face of disaster and tragedy (except when Pharaohs sister was kidnapped and when both were threatened by an earthquake), and he tells us that he is Egypts most skilled singer, has night vision, hardly sleeps because he is always alert, has an unerring ability to read lips and no one could guess that such a strong man with such smooth ageless skin who can outrun skilled soldiers was alive when the Hyksos invaded Egypt ninety years ago. He said, Everybody in Egypt took my genius for granted. The head of Egypts army mocked his conceit: There is nothing humble about you, Taita. Even the smell of your farts is conceited and ostentatious. Why all of this is so only becomes clear late in the novel one night when Taita is in Babylon.
Taita convinces Pharaoh Tamose that he can repel the Hyksos if he can break the alliance between the Hyksos and the Cretans. In the first hundred pages of this exiting tale, he leads a group of fighters in a clever battle that not only accomplishes this goal, but also enriches the Pharaoh enormously. The second step is to form the alliance with Crete. Taita does this, by taking the Pharaohs two young sisters to Cretes ruler and offers them in marriage. This journey takes months and Taita and the princesses face attacks by Bedouins, betrayal, spies revealing his plans, kidnapping, pursuit of kidnappers, insufficient water, and battles. Further complicating the situation, the two princesses, promised to the ruler of Crete, fall in love with soldiers under Taitas command, commoners.
1939256
I have become addicted to the stories by Max Overton. I have been to Egypt touring most of the places he writes about and he "peoples" the locations and time periods in a very plausible way.
3878955
A must-have for anyone exploring ancient Egyptian culture - written by Dr Lise Manniche, a Danish Egyptologist who approaches the subject in a useful and down to earth manner.
819498
At over 600 pages long, this is a scholarly yet easily readable book (for a specialist audience) that discusses and describes in great detail the temples, rituals, festivals, and mysteries of the greatest cities of Ancient Egypt.  Written by the Czech Egyptologist Miroslav Verner, TEMPLE OF THE WORLD goes far beyond a mere discussion of Egyptian temple architecture.  After lengthy introductory material, Verner explores the totality of architectural institutions from most ancient Heliopolis (On) to Alexandria, the city founded by Alexander the Great.  Encyclopedic in nature, the book is overflowing with an abundance of information that is clearly organized and presented in depth. Key drawings and magnificent color photographs are to be found throughout the book and complement and supplement the rich text.

The book is arranged chronologically and extends from the Old Kingdom down through the Ptolemaic Dynasty.  The major gods and goddesses of each site are detailed along with their associated festivals.  There is even a "Final Excursus" which is basically an outline architectural history of the ancient Egyptian temple.  The general reader might even wish to read this section first.  It is lucid and up to date.  There is a 10 page Glossary and a 10 page Chronological Table at the end, followed by an enormous 20 page Bibliography.

The high price of the book may seem offputting. However, the quantitative and qualitative information contained therein along with the superb illustrative material actually make the book seem inexpensive compared to so many others.

This is not a book designed to be read in just a few sittings. It requires careful and repeated reading, and the photographs should be studied and savored.  I consider this book to be one of the best if not THE best of its type.  It's also a pleasure to read  so much about the religious architecture and ambience of Ancient Egypt without contending with the Pyramids and associated theories pertaining to their construction.  This book truly brings Ancient Egypt back to life.
107086
Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters, utilizes the framework of ancient Egyptian history to construct a charming mystery novel.  Fact and fiction intertwine in order to draw the reader into the ancient Egypt that  the characters are busy uncovering.  The zealous personality of Amelia  Peabody captivates the reader while they are simultaneously engulfed by  rich images of the breathtaking Egyptian landscape.  The reader is given  glimpses of the life of the heretic pharaoh, Khuenaten, and the mysteries  that have continuously surrounded his life and death.  It is an amusing  tale of an archeological dig gone awry as a mysterious and elusive mummy  haunts them as night falls.  The journal entries of the feminist  archeologist will keep the reader amused and wanting more.  From the  amazing image of the pyramids at Giza to the entertaining tales of the  ancient tombs, this novel places the reader in Egypt at the foot of ancient  pharaohnic history.  From the moment that Amelia and Evelyn step into  Egypt, the reader is whisked away into the ancient world of the pharaohs.  Amelia sets out to uncover ancient Egyptian history, but is deterred as she  has to guard her new friend from harm by a haunting and puzzling mummy  while concurrently handling the outspoken Emerson.  This book is not your  ordinary mystery, it is rare to find one in which its backbone is rooted in  ancient culture.  I would recommend this book to those who are interested  in ancient Egyptian history, with a twist of mystery and entertainment.