I first came across Chris Naunton through his previous book Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt I say came across him, as I was vaguely aware of him through his television work, but my experience of others who wrote books was not very good. However this book got some good reviews and so I purchased it and I really enjoyed it which you will know that if you read my review of it. So when I read on twitter that Chris had a new book out I made a mental note that I must add that to my list of reading, that is I put it on the top of my list of books.
From the moment you lay your eyes on it Egyptologists’ Notebooks invites you in like a temptress to get you to see more and you may follow her to look at the illustrations inside, not too many and not too few, just enough to keep your soul satisfied. The print size is good and yes that does matter as it means your eyes don't get tired and you don't have to squint. On this point I personally loved the fact, that Chris avoided putting lots of footnotes on the pages which so many others do, the information is in a handy reference section at the end of the book.
So what is Egyptologists’ Notebooks about, well simply put it is about our love affair with Egypt and it's history, a love affair that goes back even to the ancient Egyptians themselves Khaemweset the 4th son of Rameses 2 has a good claim to being the first Egyptologist (but not mentioned in the book) what is mentioned is the Greeks and Romans and every body since then. Chris is quite clear that has not always been a happy affair . This is why this book is important, because it shows that evolution of robbing just for the objects to the understanding of their importance, it is very much a history of Egyptology and how much was lost, but how attitudes changed from taking to respecting.
You may be familiar with some of the names in the book, the famous ones, but there are so many more who are equally as interesting and perhaps we should all know. The book fills in their backgrounds and allows them to speak from times past to us now, to entre their thought processes at the time they lived. As shocking as some of them seem to us now, I personally was left thinking would I have been any different if I lived in those times, probably not.
The research and love of his subject and his wanting to teach and share shine out much as it did in his previous book, but this is even better. It was as if your favourite teacher was speaking to you and you were in raptures not wanting it to end. The fact that Chris is writing his own Egyptologist notebook by carrying on the work of those mentioned gives a firm foundation as you understand he knows the conditions and difficulties that those who went before faced.
If I have a slight fault and it is only a very minor one, I found it confusing that the pages with the illustrations on, in my edition weren't numbered which meant I thought I was turning over two pages at a time. This did bug me, but didn't distract from my reading pleasure at all.
I really think this one of the must have books if you have love for Ancient Egypt, because this book does largely explain how we know what we know and how we got to know it and how sadly so much is lost to us. Beautifully written with wonderful illustrations as I wrote earlier this book is a temptress, but one that leaves you satisfied that you followed her, because not only do they show you wonderful things but leave your mind and soul well fed as well.
So thanks Chris and I await your next book.
No comments:
Post a Comment