Ancient Egypt in 101 Questions and Answers

Die 101 wichtigsten Fragen

by Thomas Schneider, David Lorton (Translation)

How well do we really know ancient Egypt? The world of the Egyptians seems strangely familiar to us: exhibitions of ancient art and archaeological discoveries in the desert sands continue to generate interest and amazement, while Egyptian motifs appear in architecture, literature, artworks, advertising, and film. Yet, so much of what we take for granted is based on wildly inaccurate information that has been spreading since the days of classical antiquity and the Renaissance. It is only in the past two hundred years that we have been able to read for ourselves the writings of the ancient Egyptians so it is hardly surprising that the myths that had been built up in the preceding two thousand years prove so difficult to dispel.

In this book, the internationally acclaimed Egyptologist Thomas Schneider asks, "What are the 101 most important questions about ancient Egypt?" The questions he has chosen and the answers he provides challenge almost everything we thought we knew about the ancient civilization in the Nile valley. They range from the surprising ( Why did upper-class Egyptians never wear a beard? ) to the profound ( Was ancient Egypt a culture of death? ) and the provocative ( What do we not know about ancient Egypt? ). Schneider's answers will surprise, inspire, and challenge a wide range of readers. Ancient Egypt in 101 Questions and Answers provides a completely fresh way of looking at all aspects of ancient Egypt from history, art, and everyday life to religion and ancient attitudes to death and the afterlife.

Genres: History, Egypt, Nonfiction, Egyptology

304 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2010

Reviews

[TheLorax]

DNF

[Char Freund · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
Easy to read format that provided background prior to our trip.

[Steffi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viele Sachen gelernt, die ich bis jetzt noch nicht wusste. Sehr detailliert geschrieben und interessante neue Blickwinkel auf das Thema Altes Ägypten.

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done Thomas Schneider!

This book covers a lot of random questions at first look, but they aren't really all that random if you bother to look closer. Each question in it's category links to the other related questions before and after, as well as other questions further apart with related themes or points of interest. It's not all dull either, with questions like 'Were there comics in Ancient Egypt' and 'What did Ancient Egyptians Dream About', I found a lot of interesting info in this Q&A style read. The answers aren't very long at all but there's enough info and interest to make them worth the read, and you can flip back and forth between questions your actually curious about if you only want a certain topic. It's a great book for those just with a curiosity about Ancient Egypt that doesn't run very deep, as well as those of us with a deep passion for the topic.

[Farrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great source of information about Ancient Egypt. The Q&A format made it easy to read. It brought new facts and findings about Ancient Egypt to light and explored everything about it from the life of daily life of an Egyptian to Ancient Egypt's legacy.
If you're looking to learn more about this ancient culture, this book is a great place to start.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found some of the questions to be a little esoteric for my taste, but there is no denying this is a fabulous way to organize a one-stop-shop of information on Ancient Egypt. An extremely useful historical resource, and one that is very easy to read and absorb.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author could have had a lot of fun with this book, and I expected something along those lines, considering the title. in the end, this book is very informative and interesting, just not very exciting.

[LaGina · Rating 4 out of 5]

a Good read for anyone who likes Egypt and wants to learn more. It will answer so many questions someone may have about Egypt.

[LaGina · Rating 4 out of 5]

a Good read for anyone who likes Egypt and wants to learn more. It will answer so many questions someone may have about Egypt.