The Culture of Ancient Egypt

"Egypt," wrote the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, "is the gift of the Nile." John Wilson amplifies Herodotus's theme, showing how the rich soils of the Nile made possible the growth of civilizations from the earliest native dynasties to the late Roman empire. He also provides compelling biographical sketches of players who are even now famous--Nefertiti, Amenhotep, and Tutankhamen among them. Although it needs some updating because of recent discoveries, Wilson's book, first published in 1951, remains among the best one-volume introductions to the history of ancient Egypt.