Ancient Egypt

The Glory of the Pharaohs

By: David Angus

Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton

Ancient Egypt: The Glory of the Pharaohs tells us about civilization under the pharaohs, of mysterious statues and tombs, incredible obelisks, and the Sphinx. In this selection, the ancient Egyptian kingdom is brought to life in a way that fuels the listener’s imagination, teaching and entertaining in equal measure.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2012 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks

Ancient Egypt for young listeners

I bought this (and other similar Naxos recordings) as an intro to the topic of Ancient Egypt for my then school aged children (late elementary). Now I am re-listening with my high school age son and we are enjoying it anew. Like another reviewer, I am a big Great Courses fan, but this is not intended to be a college level lecture - rather it is an accessible intro to the topic especially for school aged people.

If you like this, look for the similar titles on ancient Greece and Rome - we have enjoyed those as well.

A Fine Introduction

A brief and enjoyable introduction to the history of Ancient Egypt. Well-written and well-read, it touches upon all the topics that will interest an average reader: the pharaohs, mythology, mummification, the pyramids, hieroglyps. It also provides an easily understood historical overview, tracing the arc of this great civilization from beginning to end.

Half Mythology, Half History

What made the experience of listening to Ancient Egypt the most enjoyable?

If you're looking for a simple overview of Egyptian history, you should know that the first hour of the book is spent retelling myths about the gods: Rah, Isis, Osiris, Horus, Anubis, Seth, etc. These myths are certainly pertinent to the history and culture of Egypt -- and really interesting to hear -- but it's not what I expected. However, after about an hour, the book turns to history in terms of actual people. My homeschooled children, ages six, seven and eight, enjoyed listening to the two-hour-plus audiobook. At about an hour in, I asked if they wanted to finish the rest later or switch to music, and they all said they'd rather keep listening. It's not a little kids' book, though, and it will take a few listenings for my kids to absorb the bulk of the information. That's a good thing. As an adult, I found the level of detail to be just right for the novice. I can remember the dynasties and tell them apart, I know which came first and which Egyptian god had the head of a jackal (Anubis). For cultural literacy, it's a great place to start. You'll hold your own during conversations at cocktail parties and gallery openings, and you'll be able to answer questions from kids. It takes a historian with a strong grasp of his subject to create a book that tells the tale simply and memorably. If you want to drill down for more information -- on Seit I or Hatshepsut, for example -- there are other books containing more detail on various pharaohs and dynasties. But if you don't know where to start, start here. The mythology/history approach opens the door to learning about mythology in other ancient cultures, and how a culture's myths and objects of worship impact their worldview, government, values and traditions.

What about Nicholas Boulton’s performance did you like?

The narrator has a clear voice and speaks slowly enough for the listener to take in what he is saying. His volume is consistent. A good choice for this book.

What did I expect for a 2 hour audiobook?

I am not sure what this audiobook was trying to be. The reader is excellent, but this is not a history of ancient Egypt, certainly. While there is an excellent narrative of Egyptian mythology, the rest of the book seems to be aimed at an audience of third graders. I should have known, since it's only 2 hours and 25 minutes long. You can't even scratch the surface of 3000 years of Egypt and the Pharaohs in that amount of time. And that's what this audiobook does: it fails to scratch the surface.

If you want a real history of ancient Egypt in audio form, seek out Professor Bob Brier's efforts for the Teaching Company.