Evocative and passionate . [Romer] has a command of material and of language that makes this a fascinating tale . Magisterial --Anthony Sattin, Spectator Magisterial . Romer can still communicate like no one else, his affinity with his subject fuelled by half a century living and working alongside the ancient Egyptians to give him a level of understanding which simply cannot be accessed from an academic ivory tower . Romer and his writings remain an inspiration --Joann Fletcher, BBC History Magazine John Romer's book is a courageous attempt to write Egyptian history in a new and inspiring way. It is particularly admirable to see the explicit acknowledgment of how inextricably intertwined modern histories of Egypt are with the history of Egyptology. The book is also very elegantly written and presented--Thomas Schneider, Professor of Egyptology and Near Eastern Studies, University of British Columbia.