Crocodile on The Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Our heroine is Emily Peabody in the first of six books. Our reader said she did not get to Egypt till 20 pages before the middle of the book. She found it very wordy, tedious, and skipped around even within a paragraph. She finally gave up on finishing it. No recommendation here.
The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters
Another reader also read Elizabeth Peters with different results. She has read all six of the books in the series, which take place from the 1880s to the end of WWI. She agreed that Ms. Peters is wordy, but she learned a lot and felt the character of Emily was surrounded by intriguing characters and her exploits were told with a wry sense of humor. She felt they were great fun.
Discussion mentioned that this was a pseudonym of Barbara Michaels, You might try one and let us know who you agreed with, pro or con.
Serpent In The Sky – The High Wisdom of Ancient Egypt by John Anthony West
Orion Mystery: Unlocking the Secrets of the Pyramids by Adrian Gilbert and Robert Bauval
Both books give alternative methods and reasons for building the pyramids and why they were built. Were they mausoleums, temples to astronomists for the study of stars or what? Were they built by slaves? Some have pay records. There were no wheels! How were these immense blocks moved, the number of theories for that is unending. They were built on sand. Blocks were miles away.
500 Interesting facts about Ancient Egypt by Ahoy Publications
Did you know ancient Egypt was 200,000 years BC? They developed the earliest scythe blade and paper as well as were the first to use a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Discussion went to the definition of an antique had to be 100 years old. Jewelry was very fashionable and often depicted animals. Someone brought a booklet of Animals of Ancient Egypt. Another brought an album of the King Tut Exhibit, that they and several other members had gone to see years ago in Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The Egyptology Handbook by Emily Sands
A well done beginner’s book. There were little quizzes in each chapter and that was enjoyed. Egyptians held on to things for a long time. When the wheel finally was introduced, it was from somewhere else. Our reader learned a lot from this small book.
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
Mr. Berry is a prolific writer of mysteries with well researched historical notes. Though he hasn’t won any awards, it is said one of his many books is sold every 30 minutes.
The Library of Alexandria was the epitome of knowledge for over 600 years. In the 7th century Egypt was conquered by the Muslim Arabs who destroyed all materials that they felt insulted Mohammed. However, the Library of Alexandria loaned out books to many other libraries and all was not lost.
Was there another hiding place? The hero of the book, Cotton Malone, is drawn into intrigue when break-ins start happening in modern museums. A “guardian” shows up asking for help finding the lost books from Alexandria. This has happened occasionally over centuries, and presently leading to where was the promised land that God gave to the Hebrews? The description in the Bible doesn’t sound like Palestine.
Everyone added to the conversation of what they knew about the Library of Alexandria. Everybody knew something and shared. Frankly I felt this is one of the best meetings we have had.
Next month our meeting is August 13th at the good old Grover Beach Community Library, 240 No. 9th Street, Grover Beach, CA.
Our subject is “Odd Couples.” Remember Oscar and Felix? How about James Carville and Mary Matlin? Men and bears, kids and deer, Ring of Bright Water, dogs and cats, aliens and humanoids, aliens and aliens. Chewbacca and Han Solo. There are a lot of them out there.