Egypt the Culture

Stacey L. Penney is a librarian in the Queen Elizabeth II Library at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

This fine series about Egypt features beautiful illustrations and splendid photographs (the images are large and break up the sections of text, making it easy to read). Unusual words are highlighted in bold and explained in the text (they’re also defined in a glossary at the back of each book). Each book also includes a short index so the user can search for specific topics within the text.

All three books look at Egypt’s present and past. The text is factually accurate and includes popular information as well as little-known facts. For example, Egypt the Culture discusses the repatriation of Egyptian artifacts. Apparently Ramses I was returned to Egypt from Niagara Falls, Canada, where it sat unidentified in a museum for many years.

Egypt the Land focuses on the country’s geography. While the desert is a dominant feature of the landscape, the reader also learns about the fertile areas, cities, the Nile River, and the Mediterranean Sea. Discussion also covers wildlife, from the snakes on land to tropical fish in the waters.

Egypt the People provides a historical overview of the country from famous ancient rulers to the modern tribes that inhabit the country today. The volume looks at Egyptian origins, current organizational structure, religion, food, social life, customs, traditional dress, and everyday life. To complete the work there is a simple recipe for a traditional Egyptian dessert.

The large amount of information is laid out in a functional way that is easy to understand making this series a valuable addition to any collection. Highly recommended.