Just Finished Reading: The Nile – Downriver through Egypt’s Past and Present by Toby Wilkinson (FP: 2014)
Travelling at the pace of the river itself from the great dam at Aswan to Cairo and the Nile delta the author has chosen an ideal introduction to the great river and the country it gave birth to, for without the life giving properties of the Nile the millennia long occupation of Egypt would simply not have been possible. Not only does the Nile provide for extensive irrigation on both of its shores allowing the growth of much needed crops but periodic floods inundate the fields to replenish nutrients taken out by them each season. Generally each years surge is enough for one more growing season but some years the surge is insufficient and hunger follows. If the following year is also bad their follows famine and political strife. If the surge is too strong the floods devastate rather than replenish and chaos ensues. It is no wonder that the river itself was worshiped and so much of the early Egyptian religion centred on it and the creatures that inhabited its waters.
This periodic uncertainty ended with the control of the Aswan dam built with Soviet assistance during the Cold War. Other monuments to greatness are far, far older as the author outlines during his journey stopping off at iconic locations such as Luxor, Thebes, Abydos and Cairo. Although Egypt never cornered the market in monumental architecture it certainly wasn’t for the lack of trying. Temples, tombs and obelisks not only wow recent visitors but have been humbling both tourists and conquerors for centuries – so much so that they often removed items that had been in situ since before the Christian era. The Roman Empire, Napoleon and later the British during its mandate were notorious for their ‘acquisitions’ of antiquities many of which still grace the streets of Rome, Paris and London. I actually saw an obelisk in Rome that had been stolen by the Romans around two thousand years ago and was erected on one side of a main gate into the city. When it was stolen all of those centuries ago is was already three thousand years old. Antiquity never felt so old! I’ve also seen similar obelisks in Paris and London that must have amazed their citizens and certainly impressed me with the engineering obstacles overcome to get them to their new homes.
Naturally Egypt is awash in history and there’s no way a 300 page book can do it any justice. But what the author manages to do – in spades – is to bring out the majesty, the antiquity and the importance of a country that has been so important in global culture. Egypt has always fascinated the world and the craze for its artefacts, art and architecture has swept across the globe more than once – I actually have multiple mini-statues in my house of Egyptian gods (I am a CAT person after all!) – and its culture has had a profound effect on western civilisation for centuries. This delightful book really brings that alive. Full of interesting characters – from the ancient world to 19th century Europe – this is the kind of work that spawns 100 research paths into people and places that could keep you metaphorically digging in the sand for years. I have hardly touched upon the details in this book which is packed with little stories and insights and betrays a real love for the country on the part of the author. After reading this I can see why he admires the river and the country it brought to prominence so much. Definitely recommended for anyone with any interest at all in the ancient world or just one of the world’s most fascinating places. Much more on Egypt to come.
5 comments:
i love digging into metaphorical sand and plan to do so at the earliest possible mo... Egypt is a sort of diary for the rest of recorded history, reflecting in occasionally obscure ways the activities of the rest of the western world. hard to credit the engineering that went into the construction of steles, pyramids and the like; if such monuments were attempted today, they'd probably collapse... or bankrupt the exchequer...
@ Mudpuddle: "Egypt is a sort of diary for the rest of recorded history" - NICE way to put it [grin]
There is a reasonably extensive bit in the book on how the French (can't remember when) brought back their obelisk. It took YEARS to organise and was an engineering feat in itself just to take it apart, transport it down the Nile, then across the Med, then to Paris and then finally to rebuild it. There MUST be some books on it somewhere.... [muses] But of course in the 19th century Europeans thought that nothing was beyond them - so just went ahead and did it.
I have read many, many books set in Eqypt, so I guess I too have fallen for its mystique. I would like to try this one due to its scope.
It is striking just how important rivers are to human history and civilization. As you mention, 300 pages seem sparse for a book like this. As you also mention one can go off and explore many other books in many other directions. But do you think that this book would have worked better if it was longer.
@ Judy: Not only does the book range over thousands of years (and hundreds of miles) but is full of little stories of travelers and explorers throughout the ages from Rome to the British Empire. Like the country itself this book is full of interesting stories.
@ Brian: This is more of a love letter to the country and a personal travelogue than a history of the river or of Egyptian civilisation. In fact the author has written such a book called "The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt" which is almost 700 pages long. The main focus in this particular work is the importance of the Nile itself in the life of Egypt across the ages. It certainly didn't feel 'rushed' or incomplete in any way. I think he achieved what he was aiming at. Naturally his other book is already on my Wish List!
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