The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Magisterial . . . [A] rich portrait of ancient Egypt’s complex evolution over the course of three millenniums.”-Los Angeles TimesNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BYThe Washington Post • Publishers WeeklyIn this landmark volume one of the world’s most renowned Egyptologists tells the epic story of this great civilization from its birth as the first nation-state to its absorption into the Roman Empire. Drawing upon forty years of archaeological research award-winning scholar Toby Wilkinson takes us inside a tribal society with a pre-monetary economy and decadent divine kings who ruled with all-too-recognizable human emotions. Here are the legendary leaders Akhenaten the “heretic king” who with his wife Nefertiti brought about a revolution with a bold new religion Tutankhamun whose dazzling tomb would remain hidden for three millennia and eleven pharaohs called Ramesses the last of whom presided over the militarism lawlessness and corruption that caused a political and societal decline. Filled with new information and unique interpretations The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt is a riveting and revelatory work of wild drama bold spectacle unforgettable characters and sweeping history.“With a literary flair and a sense for a story well told Mr. Wilkinson offers a highly readable factually up-to-date account.”-The Wall Street Journal“[Wilkinson] writes with considerable verve. . . . [He] is nimble at conveying the sumptuous pageantry and cultural sophistication of pharaonic Egypt.”-The New York Times