Books on Egypt
 

Can someone give me some interesting books that are set in Egypt. While I research for a trip for 2 years my husband just asks what to pack. He is not a reader but when we go on trips I pick up paperbacks for him to read. When we were in Ixtapa in March I got him "Murder on the Nile" We will be in Cancun at the end of the year & |I would love to pick up some easy reads. Thanks for your help-probably fiction. Nothing too technical-Chris

Elizabeth Peters has a mystery series that is set in Egypt. The main characters are Amelia Peabody and her husband Radcliff Emerson, who are archaeologists in the late 1800's.

Not heavy reading, but the sites they are at are all historically correct (Elizabeth Peters was an archeologist).

I quite enjoyed this series.

The Elizabeth Peters books are wonderful. It is an efforless way to learn your stuff!!!

Another vote for the Elizabeth Peters books! Great fun! It's a whole series, spanning 20-30 years, so it is nice to start at the beginning (because of the reoccuring characters)- but by no means critical. They are all fun.

What's also nice is that the books include maps of the areas that the books refer to. So it's nice to be able to read the stories and refer to the maps.

Elizabeth Peters came to a book signing at AUC (Amer Univ in Cairo) when I lived there and I MISSED IT!!!!!! Found out about it a week too late!!! AUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a website for you.

http://www.ameliapeabody.com/bookshelf.htm

I would recommend the early and middle books. Some of the later ones (the war years) are not quite as focused on Egyptology, but they are still fascinating and fun!

The characters are WONDERFUL!!!!! Amelia reminds me SOO much of my mother!

You might try something by Naguib Mafouz. He won the Nobel Prize for literature for his trilogy. I find him hard to get into, but you might enjoy his stories set in Islamic Cairo.

Casual Cairo is right. Mafouz is also necessary for an understanding of more modern egypt.

The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany
The New York Review of Books caption on the paperback cover says: Captivating and controversial--an amazing glimpse of modern Egyptian society and culture."
I'm halfway through reading the book and the review quote seems to be appropriate.

Hi,

I'd suggest:

Sunbird by Wilbur Smith

The Mamur Zapt series by Michael Pearce. This colourful mystery series is set in Cairo in the first decade of the 20th century. Notionally ruled by the Khedive, Egypt at this time was governed by the British, and this series features Captain Gareth Owen, the Mamur Zapt (head of the secret police) in a number of interesting criminal plots.

Erskine, Barbara - Whispers in the sand (I really enjoyed this novel)

Elkins, Aaron - Dead men's hearts

Enjoy,


Pol

I can't thank you enough. I made note of all books suggested. Our library has used book for sale. i'll see what I can find. I know my husbasnd might like the mysteries. I may check out a few myself to also read.I read everyday but the only time my husband reads is on vacation-except the sports page.Chris

The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett; also Triple

A beautiful travel book is "a Thousand miles up the Nile", written by Amelia edwards at the end of the 19th century. It recreates very well the ambiance of tourism in egypt in those early days.