The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt
- Author
- Toby Wilkinson
- Narrator
- Michael Page
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 22 October 2026
- Run Time
- 19 hours
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
‘A sophisticated and complete account’ The Times: Books of the Year
‘Wilkinson’s stirring and clear-sighted account of the ancient world's most enduring civilisation comes as a welcome treat’ Sunday Times: Books of the Year
This is a story studded with extraordinary achievements and historic moments, from the building of the pyramids and the conquest of Nubia, through Akhenaten's religious revolution, the power and beauty of Nefertiti, the glory of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, and the ruthlessness of Ramesses, to Alexander the Great's invasion and Cleopatra's fatal entanglement with Rome.
As the world's first nation-state, the history of Ancient Egypt is above all the story of the attempt to unite a disparate realm and defend it against hostile forces from within and without. Combining grand narrative sweep with detailed knowledge of hieroglyphs and the iconography of power, Toby Wilkinson reveals Ancient Egypt in all its complexity.
Critics Review
-
A sophisticated and complete account of the world's first nation state
The Times: Books of the Year
-
Wilkinson's stirring and clear sighted account of the ancient world's most enduring civilisation comes as a welcome treat
Sunday Times: Books of the Year
-
I had always presumed, before I read Wilkinson's book, that it was impossible to write a history of Egypt which combined scholarship, accessibility, and a genuine sense of revelation. I was wrong
Observer
-
A comprehensive, illustrated history focusing on the dark side of the Pharaohs and some harsh political realities
The List
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Toby Wilkinson
- Narrator
- Michael Page
- Duration
- 19 hours
- Release Date
- 22 October 2026
- ISBN
- 9781037213021
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Ancient history, African history: pre-colonial
Synopsis
<b>A brilliantly readable, beautifully illustrated general history of ancient Egypt, from the builders of the first pyramids to Cleopatra.</b><br><b>‘A sophisticated and complete account’ <i>The Times</i>: Books of the Year</b><br><b>‘Wilkinson’s stirring and clear-sighted account of the ancient world's most enduring civilisation comes as a welcome treat’ <i>Sunday Times</i>: Books of the Year</b><br><br>This is a story studded with extraordinary achievements and historic moments, from the building of the pyramids and the conquest of Nubia, through Akhenaten's religious revolution, the power and beauty of Nefertiti, the glory of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, and the ruthlessness of Ramesses, to Alexander the Great's invasion and Cleopatra's fatal entanglement with Rome.<br><br>As the world's first nation-state, the history of Ancient Egypt is above all the story of the attempt to unite a disparate realm and defend it against hostile forces from within and without. Combining grand narrative sweep with detailed knowledge of hieroglyphs and the iconography of power, Toby Wilkinson reveals Ancient Egypt in all its complexity.
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