sams84 's review for:

The Rape of The Nile by Brian Fagan

4.0

adventurous informative slow-paced

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This is a fascinating account of how the historical treasures of Egypt have been plundered not only by her own people but by the world at large. Fagan gives a thorough and impressively objective account of how the tombs, temples, and treasures of Ancient Egypt have been used and abused through the decades and centuries during and since the end of that great civilisation, used not only for personal gain but for political power, prestige, and even protection. It is a sad tale but Fagan also shows how there were those who tried to protect this incredible heritage, often contributing to its destruction but also adding to the swell of academic and public opinion that things must be done better. This shows what a double edged sword public and private interest can be and how it can be used to protected if the right people with the right knowledge and tools are involved. And it's a surprisingly easy read given how much information is packed in, although the names were a little hard to keep track of at times (I am not good with names!).