The Civilization of Ancient Egypt

by Paul Johnson

A leading historian and bestselling author re-creates the growth, decline, and legacy of 3,000 Years of Egyptian civilization with an authoritative text splendidly illustrated with 150 illustrations in full color.

Ancient Egypt, with its legacy of pyramids, pharaohs and sphinxes, is a land of power and mystery to the modern world. In The Civilization of Ancient Egypt Paul Johnson explores the growth and decline of a culture that survived for 3,000 years and maintained a purity of style that rivals all others. Johnson's study looks in detail at the state, religion, culture and geographical setting and how they combined in this unusually enduring civilization. From the beginning of Egyptian culture to the rediscovery of the pharaohs, the book covers the totalitarian theocra-cy, the empire of the Nile, the structure of dynastic Egypt, the dynastic way of death, hieroglyphs, the anatomy of preperspective art and, finally, the decline and fall of the pharaohs, Johnson seeks, through an exciting combination of images and analysis, to discover the causes behind the collapse of this, great civilization while celebrating the extra-ordinary legacy it has left behind.

Paul Johnson on Ancient Egypt and the Egyptians

"Egypt was not only the first state, it was the first country.... The dura-bility of the state which thus evolved was ensured by the overwhelming simplicity and power of its central institution, the theocratic monarchy."

"The Egyptians did not share the Babylonian passion for astrology, but they used the stars as one of many guides to behavior. No Egyptian believed in a free exercise of will in important decisions: he always looked for an omen or a prophecy or an oracle."

"The development of hieroglyphics mirrors and epitomizes the history of Egyptian civilization. . . . No one outside Egypt understood it and even within Egypt it was the exclusive working tool of the ruling and priestly classes. The great mass of Egyptians were condemned to illiteracy by the complexities (and also the beauties) of the Egyptian written language."

"The affection the Egyptians were not. ashamed to display towards their children was related to the high status women enjoyed in Egyptian society."

"If we can understand Egyptian art we can go a long way towards grasping the very spirit and outlook on life, of this gifted people, so remote in time. The dynamic of their civilization seems to have been a passionate love of order (maat to them), by which they sought to give to human activities and creations the same regularity as their landscape, their great river, their sun-cycle and their immutable seasons."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Egypt, Egyptology

255 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Paul Johnson works as a historian, journalist and author. He was educated at Stonyhurst School in Clitheroe, Lancashire and Magdalen College, Oxford, and first came to prominence in the 1950s as a journalist writing for, and later editing, the New Statesman magazine. He has also written for leading newspapers and magazines in Britain, the US and Europe.

Paul Johnson has published over 40 books including A History of Christianity (1979), A History of the English People (1987), Intellectuals (1988), The Birth of the Modern: World Society, 1815—1830 (1991), Modern Times: A History of the World from the 1920s to the Year 2000 (1999), A History of the American People (2000), A History of the Jews (2001) and Art: A New History (2003) as well as biographies of Elizabeth I (1974), Napoleon (2002), George Washington (2005) and Pope John Paul II (1982).

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching The Prince of Egypt a few weeks ago, I went on a deep Wikipedia dive about Ancient Egypt. I wanted to know more about them as a people — how they came to power, and why they fell from grace.

This book seemed like a great entry point. I never understood Egypt in a “textbook” way. Johnson does a great job of giving the reader an overview of the 3,000 year history of Ancient Egypt from the fourth through first millennia BCE.

The storytelling of the unification through Old Kingdom, First Intermediary, Middle Kingdom, Second Intermediary, and New Kingdom is strong. It reads almost like a novel — I saw almost because the characterization of many of the key figures is understandably very light. I found the content was weaker as the New Kingdom fell to external forces and the revolving door of foreign kings reigning over Egypt left me confused.

I didn’t understand how the Greeks claimed Egypt. Of course, I understand the Greeks were a military might, but Johnson skips over any evidence of a war or an occupation.

He also very quickly skims past the Biblical and Judaic references to Egypt, most notably Exodus and the story of Moses. Very little (to none) is known about any historical figure of Moses, but I would have enjoyed more speculation or investigation into the topic.

All in all, the book is an informative, easy to read though dry intro to the history of Egypt. Recommended to any history buffs!

[Dwayne Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

General introduction to Egypt's rise, height, and fall. Has chapters dedicated to the religion, art, politics, etc. I don't know why you'd read this unless you have a general interest in Paul Johnson - there are so many other books on Egypt out there. For myself, I don't really care if it's outdated or if experts would disagree with details. This is essentially cozy history - a guided trip through one of the all-time world cultures, conducted by one of my most familiar and enjoyable historians.

[Danko Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it a very long ago and I felt it already outdated back then. Good to see some pictures of Egypt.

[Rafael De · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legal

[Zoltán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nyilván elfogult vagyok kissé a könyvvel, mivel a magyar megjelenés előtt a kiadó engem kért fel a szakmai lektorálásra. Ilyenkor az ember igyekszik kiszűrni minden zavaró hibát, hogy az olvasó kezébe lehetőleg nemcsak egy olvasmányos, de lehetőség szerint pontos és tényszerű mű kerüljön. Ha ez ebben az esetben sikerült, az igen nagy mértékben Paul Johnson érdeme, aki ismeretterjesztő zsurnalisztaként egy kifejezetten jó szerkesztettségű könyvet rakott le az asztalra. Szokatlanul kevés helyen volt szükség némi kiigazításra, nem nyűglődésként éltem meg a vele való foglalatoskodást. Legyen ennyi elég.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed and informative history of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation that's accessible and easy to read although the amount of detail does limit it's useful-ness for reference once it has been read the first time.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

A textbook history of ancient Egypt, the Pharoahs, dynasties, art, ec. Very dry, but educational.