Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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173 of 179 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Phenomenal Introduction to Egyptology, January 5, 2001
I cannot praise this book enough. Unfortunately in academic areas, introductions and overviews to various fields, particularly broad histories, tend to reflect the opinions and suppositions of the authors much more than render the actual environment they are working in. This book proves to be a rare exception to this sad fact and sets a standard of scholarship to be emulated by all researchers of the ancient world. Never in egyptology, assyriology, or biblical studies have I found a history that did such a wonderful job of laying out the textual and archaeological finds that scholars base their judgments upon. This is important to me, as I am in disagreement with many scholarly communities about issues of chronology. This book, rather than simply laying out tables and dates, supplements those tables with actual references to the texts and archaeological items that have lead scholars to date things the way they have, pointing out inconsistancies and uncertainties along the way.After reading this book, I have become convinced that the history of Egypt is not as well known as most books on Egypt would have us believe. The book is a mammoth undertaking, attempting to chronicle the history of Egypt from prehistory until 311 BC. Introductory sections on the state of research and certainty of chronolology are extremely enlightening. I was particularly impressed with the chapters on prehistory and the naqada culture, in which the archeological evidence and its interpretation were expressely explained to the reader, allowing the reader to agree or disagree with the authors as they wish. My only complaint is that the book, being an anthology of essays by a variety of scholars, shows some inconsistancy in its thoroughness. The chapter on the 18th dynasty reads a little like standard books on the subject, that is, the reader is kept from the evidence to support the author's view and the author seems to have trouble distinguishing his own suppositions from the facts of history, at times appearing a little tendentious. Overall, this book is the best history of an ancient culture that I have yet read.
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58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you read one book about Ancient Egypt, read this one., February 3, 2003
As a quote expresses on the back of this book, "If you only want to read one book on Egypt, then read this one." Ian Shaw's history of ancient Egypt is a beautifully constructed volume that is at once densely packed with information and high in its level of scholarship, and aesthetically appealing and fairly accessible. The book surveys Egyptian history from 700,000 years before the present through the Roman period (ending in AD 395). This is an enormous task, and one might assume that the book could only be very summary and superficial in its treatment of each period. However, every member of Shaw's team of scholars manages to describe his or her period of expertise in a good amount of detail, discussing not only historical events but also art, religion, economics, and material culture. The book thus very successfully follows current trends in history of approaching periods from myriad points of view. Equally importantly, each author discusses the current problems and debates in the scholarship of his or her field. The multi-author approach allows the reader insight into the nature of research for each stage of Egyptian history: the reader gets a sense of the way in which research is conducted, the modes of analysis applied, and the style and terms of discussion. This book serves as an introduction to Egyptian historiography and to the nature of the study of ancient history almost as much as it serves as an introduction to ancient Egypt itself. Thus, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt manages a high level of scholarship while remaining a useful survey of a huge span of time and culture. Readers who are unfamiliar with archaeological language might find some of the articles in this volume slightly more difficult than others, but there is a decent glossary in the back, and it is more the scholarly tone than the actual material that needs getting used to. Any reader who is genuinely interested in the topic will be able to read through this entire book without much trouble. My only reservation is this: the highly dense nature of the text means that it is occasionally a bit of a slow read. I read the book for a graduate class with Egyptologist David O'Connor (excavator of Abydos; you will see him mentioned several times in the book) and it took me about a week of constant focus. On the whole, though, this is a remarkable book and probably the best existing introduction to ancient Egypt. With a publication date of 2002, it is also the most up-to-date.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Encyclopedic work, April 17, 2006
The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt is really more of an encyclopedia than a narrative history. Each of its 15 chapters is written by a different author, presumably an expert in the particular time period under study. This lends itself to a disjointed style as each author presents an overwhelming welter of archeological facts in an effort to deal with their own view of the controversies in the assigned area. While no doubt providing the experienced Egyptologist with fine details is important, the casual reader will find the book a dense and confusing read. The details of stone-age arrowhead manufacture or the various types of thrown pottery in the First Intermediate Period tend to obscure the bigger picture. As a prerequisite for reading this book I would recommend something lighter and more cohesive such as "A History of Ancient Egypt" by Grimal.
That said, the book is definitely a significant resource for anyone interested in Egyptian history. It covers the Egyptian state from prehistory through its incorporation into the Roman empire. Three chapters cover the pre-dynastic period including one on the Paleolithic period, one on the Naqada period and one entitled "Emergence of the Egyptian State" (Dynasties 0-2). Subsequent chapters for the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms (2 chapters for the last of these) and the Intermediate Periods follow. A rather strange and slightly redundant chapter, entitled "Egypt and the Outside World" is located just prior to the article on the Third Intermediate period. Its insertion here seems an afterthought as it covers the material of several preceding chapters using a topical, rather than chronologic, approach. Finally, several shorter chapters cover the Late Period, the Ptolemaic Period and the Roman Period. The book has a substantial further reading list and glossary as well as a tabular chronology, and index. It is well illustrated, with many black and white pictures, extensive maps and approximately 40 colour plates. Unfortunately, there is often a disconnect between the written material and the plates and pictures, leaving the reader confused as to their purpose.
I would definitely recommend this book as a scholarly or reference resource due to its detailed approach but I would suggest it not be the first book you read if you are a casual reader, interested in understanding the sweep of Egyptian history.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
you get the basics, but the narrative is as dessicated as, well, a mummy
This has got to be one of the most boring history books that I have read in years, and I read a lot of them.
Published 8 months ago by Robert J. Crawford
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Good book
I bought this book for a class in Egyptology as required course material but it is so well written and has great pictures and information that instead of selling it after the...
Published 21 months ago by Kimberly K. Owens
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointing
This book is a collection of dry essays written with poor cohesion. It's as if the sum editiorial guidance was "Write something about the second intermediate period.
Published on January 5, 2007 by David Weisman
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Bone Crunching Read
First of all, do not buy the non-illustrated version of this book, it is too hard to follow without some form of visual reference imo.
Published on January 8, 2006 by aberham linkin
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5.0 out of 5 stars
So Rameses II had 85 kids...
This is a very thorough history on Ancient Egypt. All aspects of Egyptian history and society are addressed- chronology, history, religion, and culture.
Published on December 20, 2005 by Rob
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Work
A wonderfully complete work this book deals with all periods of Ancient Egypt stretching far back into pre-history. It is a rather difficult read but well worth it.
Published on September 22, 2005 by Patrick Salland
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Thorough but unbelievably dry.
I am admittedly not a specialist in Egyptology; a fairly thorough survey is all I was looking for. However, I do read a lot of history (as well as law, philosophy, literature), so...
Published on September 10, 2005 by A. M. Whalen
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4.0 out of 5 stars
A very thorough account
Starting, as I did, with the most superficial knowledge of Ancient Egypt, this book was an incredibly useful review.
Published on April 30, 2005 by Ogen Perry
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Thorough, Scholarly but hard work
The work in this book is presented in a thorough and detailed manner, covering the whole fascinating history of ancient Egyptian civilization.
Published on March 21, 2005 by Carwash
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent update on Ancient Egypt
This is a first rate book on the General History of Ancient Egypt from Pre-Historic times until the end of the Roman Empire.
Published on January 6, 2005 by Fabian Boudville
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