Cleopatra

In one word, fascinating. This biography delves into the world's most "wicked woman"and arguably the least understood woman. What little survives of her was written by men, Romans who would eventually annex Egypt and misremember, misattribute, and slander Cleopatra. What people remember about this bad-ass queen, is not her wit, fierceness, and shrewd leadership; rather they remember her as a beautiful seductress who managed to snag two of the most powerful men in the world. Stacy Schiff delves deep to set the record straight in this amazing (admittedly a little dense at times) biography. I always thought Cleopatra was cool (what little I knew about her), but after reading this I realized that she is the feminist boss babe I needed in my life right now. In her lifetime she sat a table of leaders, all men - and reigned supreme.

The Buried

Guys... this might make my Christmas card top 5 this year. The Buried was THAT good, I'm still thinking about it! Peter Hessler combines archaeology, cultural and religious customs, politics, language, family relations, and the Egyptian Revolution and writes a compelling narrative of his family's time in Cairo through the lens of the Arab Spring. Peter, his Chinese wife, Leslie, and their two newborn twins settle in Cairo for several years and experience it all. I learned SO MUCH. And it wasn't dry or overwhelming; it was fascinating stuff! Sprinkled throughout would be tidbits about Chinese immigrants selling lingerie, the oppression of women, and anecdotes about the world's friendliest trash man, I can't get over how well this book read. This is definitely one I will come back to again. I've loved Egyptian history since I was a child and getting to read about it's modern day archaeology and it's political climate was so intriguing. It makes me want to go on an Egyptian reading binge. Wonderful, wonderful political/cultural/memoir. A must read!

Valley of the Kings

A sweeping historical drama set in 14th century Egypt, this tale of kings, political plotting, romance, betrayal, and war is sure to find a wide variety of readers. Nerfetiti, Tutankhamen, and Ty are just a few of the major players in this fictional rendering of one of the greatest periods in history. Inspired by real life letters from the Hittites and Amarnas, award winning author, Terrance Coffey lends credence and authenticity to his fascinating look at royal lineage. When Prince Amenhotep succeeds the throne as a small child after his father and older brother's untimely deaths he is determined not to be undermined and to stay in control. To do so he outlaws worship of all other gods save one, Aten the sun god, and builds a new, hopefully less corrupt, capital city. Leaving Thebes behind doesn't solve any problems though; he is just an ostrich with its head in the sand and his controversial banning of gods has angered many. Told through multiple perspectives this story spans a few decades and will keep readers intrigued with tales of passion, lies, secrets, and intrigue. Filled with fascinating detail on cultures, clothes, custom, and religion, this is a great book for anyone looking to learn more about ancient Egypt. A wonderful book, honestly the great historical fiction I've ever read on ancient Egypt!

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased review.