NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Magisterial . . . [A] rich portrait of ancient Egypt’s complex evolution over the course of three millenniums.”—Los Angeles Times NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Publishers Weekly In this landmark volume, one of the world’s most renowned Egyptologists tells the epic story of this great civilization, from its birth as the first … story of this great civilization, from its birth as the first nation-state to its absorption into the Roman Empire. Drawing upon forty years of archaeological research, award-winning scholar Toby Wilkinson takes us inside a tribal society with a pre-monetary economy and decadent, divine kings who ruled with all-too-recognizable human emotions. Here are the legendary leaders: Akhenaten, the “heretic king,” who with his wife Nefertiti brought about a revolution with a bold new religion; Tutankhamun, whose dazzling tomb would remain hidden for three millennia; and eleven pharaohs called Ramesses, the last of whom presided over the militarism, lawlessness, and corruption that caused a political and societal decline. Filled with new information and unique interpretations, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt is a riveting and revelatory work of wild drama, bold spectacle, unforgettable characters, and sweeping history.
“With a literary flair and a sense for a story well told, Mr. Wilkinson offers a highly readable, factually up-to-date account.”—The Wall Street Journal
“[Wilkinson] writes with considerable verve. . . . [He] is nimble at conveying the sumptuous pageantry and cultural sophistication of pharaonic Egypt.”—The New York Times
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This book is a large study of a three thousand year span of Egyptian history.
Plot. Rating 5
The book is a solid historical overview with some apt additions about archeology. These stories complement the main plot well.
The plot starts from prehistoric times, surveying Egyptian history in some detail for a book of this size. I liked the first two-thirds of the book the most, in which it shows how Egypt reached its greatness several times, then underwent rather long periods of devastation and chaos in order to rise again. The last millennium of Egypt was described in less detail, but still quite thoroughly. I think that this is natural, given the increased density of historical events, and due to the limited size of the book, this period was written with broader strokes.
Characters. Rating 5
A succession of Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, as well as their closest servants and assistants replace each other on the pages of the book. Nevertheless, in many places, an overview of the life of ordinary Egyptians was made. Some of the characters have distinctive features; their personal lives are shown well and their inclinations, which passed into the affairs of their reign, were clearly described. Basically, these are the most prominent pharaohs, of whom there were at least twenty people. Most of the characters were only mentioned in name and not described because of the incredible duration of the historical period presented.
Dialogues. Rating 4
The problem of finding dialogues in a non-fiction book is very difficult. However, a small number of dialogues are found in this book. First of all, this is in diplomatic correspondence, for example, the excellent answers of Amenhotep III to the claims of neighboring kings. Also, many archaeological inscriptions display good dialogues.
Writing style. Rating 4
Despite the huge amount of information, the book was easy to read. One research topic replaced another smoothly and in time.
Worldbuilding. Rating 5
All aspects of ancient Egyptian life are described in the book. Although it seemed to me that most of the attention was paid to architecture, due to Ancient Egypt’s unprecedented scale of construction, even in comparison with advanced medieval civilizations. The book explores the grandiose construction of the pharaohs perfectly.
In addition, the posthumous beliefs and religion of the Egyptians, along with their gradual evolution, are brilliantly displayed. Art and culture are just as well described, as are the internal politics of the pharaohs. An analysis is given of the geography of the country, which influenced many aspects of the life of the Egyptians.
The book tells about the wars of Ancient Egypt, for example, about two thousand years of confrontation with Nubia and the kingdom of Kush, or about Egypt’s resistance to various foreign invaders. The army of the New Kingdom is characterized and the pharaohs-conquerors are briefly described.
Conclusion. Overall rating 5
In my opinion, this is a great example of historical literature that analyzes a long period of Egyptian history.
Well written and enjoyable to read if you like history. Great first intro book on ancient Egypt.
I’m reading this as part of my research for an upcoming series, and I love how Toby Wilkinson tears off the rose-colored glasses we so often wear when studying ancient Egypt. Definitely recommend for my fellow Egyptophiles!
Excellent introduction to history of ancient Egypt
Had a hard time reading but was very interesting
This is a wonderful read.
Shared things about Egypt that I never knew.
I knew very little about the subject before reading the book. It was loaded with information, delivered in an interesting way. The author kept throwing in comparisons to modern attitudes and behaviors and made the whole age of Pharaohs very realistic. Not boring at all.
History when written well is better than fiction and this book is wonderful. The Egyptians were such a complex and interesting people. This book was informative and easy to read, firing the imagination so that the past becomes more vivid and real.
Excellent overview of the history of Egypt. Describes kingdoms and dynasties in chronological order.