Une année en Egypte ancienne

A Year in the Life of Ancient History #2

by Donald P. Ryan

Spend a year in the company of the ancient Egyptians, during the twenty-sixth and final year of the reign of Amenhotep II (c.1400 BC), which saw a royal transition bringing Thutmose IV to the throne of Upper and Lower Egypt. While builders from the secluded village of royal tomb workers rush to complete Amenhotep's tomb, and craftsmen labor to finish the numerous extravagant objects to accompany the god-king in his burial, most Egyptians go about their daily lives in ways unchanged for eons. Following the Egyptian calendar year, which was divided into three seasons (inundation, sowing and harvest), we will meet a farmer and his family, an embalmer, an artisan, a royal physician, a priest and even a royal wife as they live their lives in Thebes and Memphis during the eighteenth dynasty of the New Kingdom in this remarkable year in ancient Egyptian history. Perfect • Readers interested in history, particularly ancient Egypt • Readers of the 24 Hours series • Taking advantage of a potential uptick in interest in ancient Egypt with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Egypt, Audiobook, Egyptology, Egyptian Literature

304 pages

First published May 12, 2022

About the author

Donald P. Ryan is an Egyptologist and archaeologist who has spent more than twenty years excavating in the Valley of the Kings.

―The American University in Cairo Press

Reviews

[Gareth Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio version on walks - thoroughly enjoyable and so interesting.

[Swords & Spectres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like the authors 24 hours in , this book is packed with fun little scenes of the day to day, and this case month to month, life of a specific ancient people. 

This book is incredibly fun and, although a great start to anyone with an idea of dipping their toes into the ancient history pond, the reader needs to go in with the mindset that this is the scholar's interpretation rather than cast in stone what actually happened with the certain people he writes for.

I'd definitely recommend something like this as a very easy starting point, as it would certainly keep a mind interested and spark the desire to go searching for more content on said time period.

This was very easy reading, or listening if you chose the audio version like I did. I'd definitely go for more in this series if the author chose to expand upon the rest of his 24 hours works by making them a whole a year

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following several characters representative of the many labours an ancient Egyptian citizen could have, this book extraordinarily shows us the daily lives of, not only those who ruled Egypt such as Amenhotep II and his son Thutmose IV, but also of commoners who were forgotten. In a narrativised style, the author eloquently depicts life in Ancient Egypt during one typical year and provides so much knowledge about the most beautiful civilization the world has ever seen. From the farmers and fishermen, the scribe apprentices and physicians, this book gives us access to many aspects of ancient egyptians’ way of celebrating not only the Opet Festival but other events, their diet, work habits, ways of thinking, customs and even about courting the ladies. A light read, while simultaneously very informative.

[Liwei · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5. A relatively easy read that introduced ancient Egypt to newcomers like myself. It should be treated as a novel, with brief facts about ancient Egypt embedded when the fictitious text became relevant (it almost felt like the author attempted to wrap a novel around these facts). With this setup, the book sometimes confused me on what it tried to deliver, as neither the facts nor the fiction was particularly deep. The fiction centered around characters of all societal levels from the god-like king to the fisherman, and managed to bring them together, however, there was no congruent story, but pieces glued together by sections.

[CharlotteReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A year in the life of ancient Egypt is an interesting little read, with a well-researched glimpse into the New Kingdom era. Illustrations are black and white but can easily be found elsewhere in greater and colored detail. The epilogue contains information on modern resources, locations of specific collections and a brief overview of major finds since the Napoleonic French occupation. For further reading, there is a solid bibliography to help you find your next treasure of information about the Ancient Egyptians.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent journey through a very interesting year—-the death of a pharaoh, the Sed festival, and lots of the personal stories of the farmers, potters, architects, and priests that make up the tapestry of this period of Ancient Egyptian history. Of particular note is the vivid description of the defeated Canaanites entering the presence of the pharaoh, which was quite harrowing. I would have been absolutely terrified.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan takes the reader through a year of the New Kingdom period, during a year one paraph dies and another comes to power, showing us all the action of the seasons - crops, taxes, festivals, weddings, deaths, tomb building, fishing, etc., done in docu-drama style as we follow a handful of people, either from the historical record or amalgamations based on archeological study, making the time period come to life.

[Dany Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, everyday ancient Egyptian life might not be as exciting to hear about compared to Greek or Roman everyday life, so this might not be as entertaining to people who don’t devote a lot of time studying ancient Egyptian culture. I do, but I did get bored certain times too, but I did appreciate the extensive notes as a good way to introduce ancient Egypt to people who are just barely getting into it.

[Farhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5. Superb book. I love reading history, and what better history than Ancient Egypt? Ryan has done a wonderful job, especially for novices. He has told the story of an average Ancient Egyptian year from the perspective of multiple individuals. The book is history but reads like a novel. Enjoyed it a lot.

[Rik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. Plenty of information packed in but it's one of those that feels the need to dramatise it all with fictional scenarios and exchanges with characters. If that style is what you're into then you may like it but the scene setting descriptions and hammy dialogue ruins it for me. Pick a lane, fiction or non-fiction and stick to it!

[Oli Turner]

#ayearinthelifeofancientegypt by #donaldpryan a very brief guide to what a typical year might look like for people in ancient Egypt following the seasons of flooding and harvest etc. lots of historical detail coupled with some small fictional stories to illustrate what life may have been like. Really interesting. I wish it had been longer.

[Piotr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Year in the Life of Ancient Egypt [audiobook] by Donald P. Ryan

(3.5) It's an ok book. I have not learned much from it and I didn't personally enjoy the made up stories of different classes in ancient Egypt. I don't think there was enough variety of information to keep it that aspect interesting. Still a good effort.

[Linus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read on the day to day life in Ancient Egypt, specifically during the New Kingdom period, offering glimpses into the lives of everyone from rulers and ministers to merchants, soldiers and humble workers, bringing ancient Egypt to life. Recommended to anyone interested in ancient history!

[Ellen Van Laer · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3,5/5

Entertainend boek; leest vlot en makkelijk maar was daardoor soms ook iets te basic voor mij en niet uitdagend genoeg. De korte kaders met extra uitleg verstoorde voor mij persoonlijk het verhaal vaak. Kort: het was wel perfecte strandlectuur.

[Andy Gainor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and interesting little read about 1400BC Egypt in narrative form. Giving you an example of what life was like over a wide range of people…farmer, fisher, scribe, beekeeper, solider and even as pharaoh himself!

[Emma Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really nice mixture of fact and fiction bringing to life what it could have been like to live in ancient Egypt through the eyes of various people and roles in society during this period.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good blend of the historical and the imagined from a real Egyptologist who tells a charming story. Informative footnotes add to the true history of the narrative.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book while in Egypt sailing down the nile, was brilliant.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot more than Ryan's other book on the topic 24 Hours in Ancient Egypt: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There, I think mainly because the format of going through a whole year versus one day gave him the ability to showcase a lot more of the culture and lifestyle, from different holidays to seasonal variations in occupations and crop management. Both are worth the read if this is a topic you find interesting, but if you had to choose one, I'd definitely say go with this one!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of interesting characters

Full of interesting characters that tell you all about different aspects of Egyptian society. A great read for anyone interested in ancient Egypt.