A Traveler's Guide to the Geology of Egypt

Rating:
Summary: A "Must Have/Must Read"
Review: "A Traveler's Guide to the Geology of Egypt" is well written and extremely readable. Designed for people who have little or no prior knowledge of geology, it is still loaded with information that even professional geologists will find of great interest. As an archaeologist and a frequent traveler to Egypt, I will never again go to Egypt without rereading and carrying a copy of this book. Nor, I think, should any first-time tourist. It's definitely a 5-star publication.

Rating:
Summary: A "Must Have/Must Read"
Review: "A Traveler's Guide to the Geology of Egypt" is well written and extremely readable. Designed for people who have little or no prior knowledge of geology, it is still loaded with information that even professional geologists will find of great interest. As an archaeologist and a frequent traveler to Egypt, I will never again go to Egypt without rereading and carrying a copy of this book. Nor, I think, should any first-time tourist. It's definitely a 5-star publication.

Rating:
Summary: An Accessible Guide to the Gift of the Nile
Review: For civilizations, geology is destiny. If Egypt is indubitably the gift of the Nile, as Herodotus has said, than the history of how the great river was formed over the millenia is surely the place to start in understanding the great civilization that grew along its banks. This is a book that fills a much-needed vacuum: an accessible guide to the history of Egypt's geological formation for the layman tourist rather than the specialist. It also takes the reader on a fascinating trip down the Nile and across the country, documenting lost tributaries and mysterious rock formations. Even for a reader born and raised in Egypt, this book proved to be a voyage of discovery and a treasure trove of little known facts. Best of all, its accessible language and logical lay-out make it a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it for anyone planning a trip to that country or merely interested in the great civilization of the banks of the Nile.

Rating:
Summary: Ties Geology and Egyptology Together
Review: I have read over 100 books on Ancient Egypt and this is the first one I found that describes how the geology of the country was a significant factor in shaping the flow of Egyptian history and civilization. First provides some geology basics without getting lost in the technical details, but just enough to provide the needed background. Than starts at the south (Upper Egypt) and travels through the country tying the country's geology to archaeological finds and historical events.

I was surprised to learn that most granite does not come from quarries. Describes how the Nile's course changed and why. Provides a convincing arguement on how the ancients choose sites for their pyramids. Provides good rationale for a 4,500 year old Sphinx instead of a 12,000 year old Sphinx.

A must to round out an understanding of Ancient Egypt. Well researched and an interesting, easy read.

Rating:
Summary: A " Must Have"
Review: This book belongs on the shelf of every student of ancient Egypt. It is a book I didn't think we needed, but after reading it, I realize how important geology was to the development of ancient Egypt and its monuments. Aswan, for example, existed for one reason: granite -- boulders in the river and stone in the quarries. Again, the location of monuments, and the materials they were made of, were directly related to the availability of building stone. The author's writing style is clear and straightforward -- painless reading for a non-scientist such as myself. Dr. Sampsell explains all of the technical terms she uses (and includes a helpful glossary), and she avoids the common tendency of academics to sound "scholarly." My only suggestion for enhancement in future editions: Although there is a section of color photos, I would have liked more illustrations (and would have been willing to pay more for them). I will definitely pack this book with me on my next trip to Egypt.

Rating:
Summary: A Much Needed Book
Review: Until the publication of this volume, it was difficult to find a book on the geology of Egypt, and impossible to find one at an affordable price. "A Traveler's Guide to the Geology of Egypt" truly fulfills a need. A few brief introductory chapters put the newcomer to geology in a position to better understand what follows. As a further aid, technical words that appear in boldface are found in a helpful glossary. The main body of the book describes the geology of Egypt, and its impact and influence on the development of the ancient civilization, from Lake Nasser to the Delta and east to Sinai. The size of the book and the arrangement of the information within make it an ideal companion to the traveler wishing to understand not only the surrounding physical landscape, but the cultural interaction with that landscape from pharaonic times through the present. This book is clearly written, and plenty of maps, diagrams, and photos compliment the text. The extensive bibliography provides a good tool for further research. While it makes a good bookshelf reference, I look forward to taking this book with me to Egypt.

Rating:
Summary: A Much Needed Book
Review: Until the publication of this volume, it was difficult to find a book on the geology of Egypt, and impossible to find one at an affordable price. "A Traveler's Guide to the Geology of Egypt" truly fulfills a need. A few brief introductory chapters put the newcomer to geology in a position to better understand what follows. As a further aid, technical words that appear in boldface are found in a helpful glossary. The main body of the book describes the geology of Egypt, and its impact and influence on the development of the ancient civilization, from Lake Nasser to the Delta and east to Sinai. The size of the book and the arrangement of the information within make it an ideal companion to the traveler wishing to understand not only the surrounding physical landscape, but the cultural interaction with that landscape from pharaonic times through the present. This book is clearly written, and plenty of maps, diagrams, and photos compliment the text. The extensive bibliography provides a good tool for further research. While it makes a good bookshelf reference, I look forward to taking this book with me to Egypt.