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Mountains of the Pharaohs: The Untold Story of the Pyramid Builders Audiobook
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(3.05) - 85 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
An unprecedented account of one of civilization's greatest achievements. The great pyramids of Giza have intrigued humanity for thousands of years. Questions about the construction and the purpose of these majestic monuments have existed since the middle period of ancient Egyptian civilization; in the sixth century B.C., Herodotus was the first of generations of explorers to travel to Egypt in an attempt to unlock their secrets. Recent cutting-edge research has uncovered information about how and why they were built unimaginable to previous generations. In Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass, a world-renowned archaeologist and the official guardian of Egypt's timeless treasures, weaves the latest archaeological data and an enthralling family history into spellbinding narrative. Nearly five thousand years ago, the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom reigned over a highly advanced civilization. Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amidst colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors. Hawass brings these extraordinary historical figures to life, spinning a soap opera-like saga complete with murder, incest, and the triumphant ascension to the throne of one of only four queens ever to rule Egypt. The magnificent pyramids attest not only to the dynasty's supreme power, but also to the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under their rule. Hawass argues that the pyramids-including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing-were built by skilled craftsman who took great pride in their work.
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"A lot of detail about the kings and queen and dynasties, all of it interesting but a lot to absorb. I found most intriguing the parts about the lives of the ordinary people who built the extraordinary pyramids. Apparently they were not slaves, as is commonly assumed. "
— Leigh (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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Simon Vance's educated British accent and soft voice add a dusty patina to his descriptions…. Egyptian names, words, and places seem to roll off Vance's practiced tongue as though the author himself were speaking them.
— AudioFile
Mountains of the Pharaohs Listener Reviews
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" A lot of detail about the kings and queen and dynasties, all of it interesting but a lot to absorb. I found most intriguing the parts about the lives of the ordinary people who built the extraordinary pyramids. Apparently they were not slaves, as is commonly assumed. "
— Leigh, 4/11/2013 -
" The audiobook edition was interesting, but the narrator sounded bored and listening to him put me into a sort of trance. The material itself was interesting and rates three stars, so skip the audio edition and get it as a book. "
— Beth, 3/17/2013 -
" You'll never guess what I'm writing about! "
— Mary, 3/1/2013 -
" However the pyramids were built, one must wonder WHO did the building. The practical, everyday lives of human beings who actually put the things together is addressed in Hawass' book. While a little dry at times, like the sun-parched sands beyond the Nile, it is still an interesting subject. "
— Ed, 3/5/2012 -
" A must-read book for anyone interested in Egyptology. The first chapter is a bit dry and repetitive, but the book improves after that. Loved the chapter on the pyramid builders. "
— April, 1/16/2012 -
" gripping...if its ancient Egyptian culture that excites you "
— Sabine, 9/2/2011 -
" I'm not a big fan of Hawass' ego so I read this with a grain of salt. Not a huge amount of new information and many more illustrations to go with his descriptions would help immensely. "
— Sherrie, 6/7/2011 -
" Fascinating because more time is spent on the builders, the common people's life than in most books that I've read. "
— Debra, 1/3/2011 -
" You'll never guess what I'm writing about! "
— Mary, 7/28/2008 -
" However the pyramids were built, one must wonder WHO did the building. The practical, everyday lives of human beings who actually put the things together is addressed in Hawass' book. While a little dry at times, like the sun-parched sands beyond the Nile, it is still an interesting subject. "
— Ed, 6/27/2008 -
" Fascinating because more time is spent on the builders, the common people's life than in most books that I've read. "
— Debra, 3/15/2008 -
" A must-read book for anyone interested in Egyptology. The first chapter is a bit dry and repetitive, but the book improves after that. Loved the chapter on the pyramid builders. "
— Ningerbil, 12/21/2007 -
" I'm not a big fan of Hawass' ego so I read this with a grain of salt. Not a huge amount of new information and many more illustrations to go with his descriptions would help immensely. "
— Sherrie, 9/16/2007
About Zahi Hawass
Zahi Hawass is the secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and director of the Giza Plateau. He studied archaeology in Egypt and in the United States, earning a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He has taught at the American University in Cairo, at UCLA, and at other universities throughout the world. He is the author of many books on ancient Egypt, including the bestselling Valley of the Golden Mummies. He was the host of such National Geographic television specials as Open the Lost Tombs and Pyramids Live.
About Simon Vance
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.