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Book Categories: Pharaohs, Queens, Valley of the Kings, Tombs & Mummies, Pyramids, Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, Akhenaten & Nefertiti, Tutankhamen, Ramses II, Nubia, Ptolemies, Cleopatra, Ancient Egypt, Modern Egypt, Farouk, Palaces, Miscellaneous, Fiction, Fatimid Dynasty, Saladin, Ottoman Empire, Documentaries, Africa, Children's Books

The Pharaohs

Chronicle of the Pharaohs by Peter A. Clayton. A reign-by-reign record of the rulers and dynasties of ancient Egypt with 350 illustrations, 130 in color.

The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt: A Genealogical Sourcebook of the Pharaohs by Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton. Unravels royal family relationships from the dawn of Egyptian history through the vast progeny of Ramesses II, and ends with the complicated interconnections of the Ptolemies and Cleopatras.

Pharaohs by Joyce Tyldesley. An illustrated history of Egyptian rulers, starting around 3100 BC when the first pharaoh, Menes, unified Egypt, and ending with the conquest of Egypt in 332 BC by Alexander the Great.

The Book of the Pharaohs by Pascal Vernus and Jean Yoyotte. An encyclopedia of information about Egypt's pharaohs and their world. Includes a bibliography and a chronological table.

Encyclopedia of Egyptian Pharaohs by Darrell D. Baker. Predynastic through Twentieth Dynasty (3200 BC - 1085 BC).

From Slave to Pharaoh: The Black Experience of Ancient Egypt by Donald B. Redford. Examines the interactions between Egypt and the Nubian and Sudanese civilizations to the south, focusing on the role of racial identity in the formulation of imperial power in Egypt.

Abydos: Egypt's First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris by David O'Connor. Abydos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt, the burial place of the first kings and a cult center of the god of the lower world. 113 illustrations, 11 in colour, including maps.

Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs edited by Regine Schulz. A large coffee table book illustrated with 800 photographs. Includes chapters on royal tombs and the political histories of various dynasties. Out of print, but available at Alibris.

Letters of the Great Kings of the Ancient Near East: The Royal Correspondence of the Late Bronze Age by Trevor Bryce. From the 17th to the 12th centuries BC, the five Great Kings of Egypt, Babylon, Hatti (the kingdom of the Hittites), Mitanni, and Assyria ruled over vast territories. Many of their letters survive, offering fascinating insights into ancient near Eastern kingdoms.

Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs by Robert Morkot. An illustrated travel guide. Fifth edition.

Whose Pharaohs? by Donald M. Reid is about archaeology, museums, and Egyptian national identity from Napoleon to World War I.

The Book of the Kings of Egypt: Vol. I Dynasties I-XIX, Vol. II Dynasties XX-XXX by E. A. Wallis Budge. Illustrations of hieroglyphics chronicling the Egyptian lineage of kings. Two-volume set.

Books About Nubian Rulers

Queens & Other Women

Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt by Joyce Tyldesley. Covers 3,000 years of Egyptian queenship, from Early Dynastic times until the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Presents a biographical portrait of every queen, supplemented by family trees, timelines, and more. 273 illustrations, 150 in color.

Queens of Egypt: From Hetepheres to Cleopatra by Christiane Ziegler. Goes beyond stereotypes to examine the roles played by women in Ancient Egypt, and the status of queens, secondary royal wives, and concubines. 550 illustrations.

Daughters of Isis by Joyce Tyldesley. A history of women in ancient Egypt. Marriage and motherhood, employment prospects and housework, religion and death are all discussed. Two chapters are devoted to the influential women of the royal harem and the semi-divine queens who owned their land and everyone in it.

Queens of Ancient Egypt by Rosanna Pirelli. A survey of the role and status of the female rulers of Egypt. Illustrated.

God's Wife, God's Servant: The God's Wife of Amun by Mariam Ayad. During the Egyptian Twenty-Third to Twenty-Sixth dynasties (c.754-525 BC), five royal women -- Libyan and Nubian princesses -- were elevated to supreme religious authority.

Mistress of the House, Mistress of Heaven: Women in Ancient Egypt by Anne K. Capel and Betsy M. Bryan, edited by Glenn E. Markoe. Art from ancient Egypt illustrates the lives of Egyptian women, including royal women.

Women in Hellenistic Egypt: From Alexander to Cleopatra by Sarah B. Pomeroy.

Women in Ancient Egypt by Gay Robins.

Women and Society in Greek and Roman Egypt: A Sourcebook edited by Jane Rowlandson and Roger S. Bagnall. Covers the period between 332 BC and 6 AD.

The Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings by John Romer. For more than 500 years, the Valley of the Kings held a thriving community -- then it disappeared from the historical records for hundreds of years. Here is the story of the tombs and the royalty buried there, as well as the archeological hunt for the past.

The Complete Valley of the Kings: Tombs and Treasures of Egypt's Greatest Pharaohs by C. N. Reeves and Richard H. Wilkinson. Includes floor plans, photographs, and more.

The Royal Tombs of Egypt: The Art of Thebes Revealed by Zahi Hawass. The first book to fully reproduce the wall paintings and murals in Egypt's Valley of the Kings.

Luxor and the Valley of the Kings by Kent Weeks. A guide to the art and antiquities found in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, including the tomb of Tutankhamun, the temples of Luxor and Karnak, the Luxor Museum, the Valley of the Queens, and more.

Luxor and the Valley of the Kings by Alesandro Bongioanni. Reconstructs historical events buried beneath the sands for thousands of years with the help of magnificent photographs and detailed maps.

Tomb of Siphtah: With the Tomb of Queen Tiyi by Theodore M. David. The author, who financed archaelogical digs in the early 20th century, discusses two tombs uncovered in the Valley of the Kings.

Royal Tombs, Mummies, and Treasure

Royal Mummies by G. Elliott Smith. First published in 1912, this book provides photos, drawings, and descriptions of the mummies of Ahmose, Tuthmosis III, Amenophis III, Akhenaten, Sethos I and Ramesses II.

The Lost Pharaohs by Leonard Cottrell. Lowered into a crevice 30 feet deep by the priests of the Necropolis, the mummies of the lost pharaohs were undisturbed for 3,000 years. This book discusses their discovery and its impact on Egyptology. It also covers the construction of the pyramids, the City of the Dead, and more.

Treasures of the Pharaohs by Delia Pemberton. Examines the reign of each pharaoh, from the New Kingdom to the Roman empire, and the monuments he built. Color photographs showcase a fantastic array of jewelry, gilded thrones, and murals.

Royal Mummies: Immortality in Ancient Egypt by Francis Janot. Reveals the secrets of the embalming room, the meaning of the amulets found with mummies, and more, spotlighting such mummies as Tutankhamen, Seti I and Ramses the Great. 200 color photographs.

King Tut's Tomb

The Pyramids

Mountains of the Pharaohs: The Untold Story of the Pyramid Builders by Zahi Hawass. Tells the story of the pyramids and the pharaohs who built them, spinning a soap opera-like saga complete with murder and incest.

The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries by Mark Lehner. In the first fully illustrated compendium of every major pyramid of ancient Egypt, Mark Lehner, a leading Egyptologist, surveys the history, building, and use of the pyramids. 450 illustrations, 100 in color.

The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments by Miroslav Verner, translated by Steven Rendall. The author, an Egyptologist, recounts the history of ancient Egypt and describes the religious and political beliefs that gave rise to its great pyramids. He also traces the history of the pyramids' discovery and the endless myths and theories about who built them and why.

Giza: The Truth by Ian Lawton and Chris Ogilvie-Herald. The people, politics, and history behind the world's most famous archaeological site.

Books About Cheops (Khufu) and the Great Pyramid

Hatshepsut

Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh by Joyce Tyldesley. Biography of Hatchepsut (also spelled Hatshepsut), who reigned from 1486 - 1468 B.C.

Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh edited by Catharine H. Roehrig, Renee Dreyfus, and Cathleen A. Keller. A look at the artistically productive reign of Hatshepsut from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

(See below for novels and children's books about Hatshepsut)

Thutmose III

Thutmose III: A New Biography edited by Eric H. Cline and David O'Connor. Includes an overview of the great pharaoh's life, and detailed examinations of his royal building program, royal tombs and iconography, royal portraiture and ideology, and more. The book concludes with a look at the end of his reign and the accession of Amenhotep II.

Thutmose III: The Military Biography of Egypt's Greatest Warrior King by Richard A. Gabriel. Thutmose created the first combat navy in the ancient world, reformed the army, and introduced strategic principles of national security that guided Egyptian policies for half a millennium.

Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamen

Books About Tutankhamen and His Family

Ramses II and Nefertari

Ramesses: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh by Joyce A. Tyldesley. This biography of Ramses II introduces readers to the high politics, international intrigue, and opulence of Ramses's world.

Ramses II: An Illustrated Biography by Christiane Desroch Noblecourt. Ramses II's 67-year reign is extensively documented. This book demystifies the great ruler and unlocks the reality of his life and times.

Qadesh 1300 BC: Clash of the Warrior Kings by Mark Healy. The earliest battle in history which can be reconstructed in detail, Qadesh pitted two great warriors against each other: Muwatallish of Hatti and Pharaoh Rameses II.

Pharaoh Triumphant by K. A. Kitchen. The life and times of Ramses II. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

The Eastern Mediterranean in the Age of Ramesses II by Marc Van de Mieroop. An illustrated look at international life during the age of Egypt's King Ramesses II (1500 BC to 1200 BC), covering everything from eating habits to how royal marriages were arranged.

Children's Books About Ramses II

Cleopatra

Books About Cleopatra

Other Pharaohs

Horemheb: The Forgotten Pharaoh by Charlotte Booth. Ruling Egypt after Tutankhamun, Horemheb returned the nation to wealth and power.

The Harem Conspiracy: The Murder of Rameses III by Susan Redford. Investigates the circumstances of the ancient pharoah's death - and discovers among the women of his harem the threads of a murder conspiracy.

Conspiracies in the Egyptian Palace: Unis to Pepy I by Naguib Kanawati. Examines intrigues in the 6th century Egyptian palace and the possible assassination of King Teti by his own bodyguards. With over 80 illustrations.

Encomium of Ptolemy Philadelphus by Theocritus, translated by Richard Hunter. Ptolemy II Philadelphus ruled Egypt in the third century BC. The author of this poetic tribute lived at the same time.

Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III by Joann Fletcher. Exposes the pharaoh's public and private faces, from the day-to-day running of an empire to his bedroom habits. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Books About the Ptolemies

Ancient Egypt

Lives of the Ancient Egyptians: Pharaohs, Queens, Courtiers and Commoners by Toby Wilkinson. One hundred biographies of ancient Egypt's rulers, monument builders, government officials, farmers, priests, and soldiers. 200 illustrations, 80 in color.

The Realm of the Pharaohs by Zahi Hawass. Takes readers on a tour of the most important sites of ancient Egypt, recounts the history of the most famous kings and queens, and shares details of the everyday lives of the people. Illustrated with hundreds of photographs.

Life Under the Pharaohs by Leonard Cottrell. Provides an overview of Egyptian history, the Valley of the Kings, the building of the pyramids, and such important figures and places as Akhenaten and Amarna. Includes lists of Egyptian dynasties.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt by Donald B. Redford. Features 600 original articles written by leading scholars. Three-volume set. Available from Alibris.

Novels About Egyptian Royals

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran. Nefertari is an unimportant princess left to run wild. Then she is taken under the wing of the Pharaoh's aunt and catches the eye of the Crown Prince, who will become Ramesses the Great. By the author of Nefertiti: A Novel.

Cheops: A Cupboard for the Sun by Paul West. A novel about the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, who built the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The Twice Born by Pauline Gedge. Book 1 of the "King's Man" trilogy. A farmer's son, Huy, is educated to be a scribe and later a seer. The second book of the series is The Seer of Egypt. By book 3 (not yet published), Huy becomes the virtual ruler of Egypt.

Child of the Morning by Pauline Gedge. A novel about female pharaoh Hatshepsut.

Other Books by Pauline Gedge
Novels About Cleopatra

Middle Ages and Ottoman Empire

Books About the Fatimid Dynasty
Books About the Ottoman Empire

Modern Egypt

Biographical Dictionary of Modern Egypt by Arthur Goldschmidt.

The Cambridge History of Egypt: Volume 2 by M. W. Daly is about modern Egypt, from 1517 to the end of the 20th century.

A Short History of Modern Egypt by Afaf Lufti Al Sayyid Marsot. The history of Egypt from the Arab conquest in 639 to modern times.

King Farouk I

Too Rich: The High Life and Tragic Death of King Farouk by William Stadiem. A biography of the playboy king who was deposed in 1952. Published in 1991. Out of print, but available at Alibris.

Farouk by Michael Stern. "The true inside story of the scandalous life and loves of the notorious playboy king." Published in 1963. From Alibris.

Farouk of Egypt: A Biography by Barrie St. Clair McBride. The story of a good-hearted and sad man with palaces but no home, and his struggles against overwhelming odds. Published in 1967. From Alibris.

The Last Pharaoh: Farouk of Egypt by Hugh McLeave. Published in 1969. From Alibris.

A King Betrayed: The Ill-Fated Reign of Farouk of Egypt by Adel Sabit. Published in 1989. Sometimes available at Alibris.

More Books About Royalty in Africa

Children's Books About Ancient Egypt

The Pharaoh's Court by Kathryn Hinds. A look at life in ancient Egypt for children ages 9 to 12.

A Day in the Life of a Pharaoh by Emma Helbrough. For children ages 9 to 12.

Pharaoh: Life and Afterlife of a God by David Kennett. An illustrated look at lives and afterlives of Seti I and Ramesses II and the powerful civilizations they built. For children ages 9 to 12.

Pharaoh's Boat by David L. Weitzman. In the shadow of the Great Pyramid, shipwrights are building an enormous vessel for Cheops, the mighty pharaoh. But no one imagines where the journey will lead. Illustrated. For children ages 9 to 12.

Rulers of Ancient Egypt edited by Don Nardo. For young adult readers.

How to Be an Egyptian Princess by Jacqueline Morley. You know you were born to rule! But what are your duties at court? Will you attend official ceremonies and banquets? What about school? All you need to know to become an Egyptian princess is illustrated here. For children ages 4 to 8.

Ancient Egypt by Andrew Haslam. An educational craft book. For children ages 9 to 12.

Children's Books About Pharaohs

Ramses II: Egyptian Pharaoh, Warrior, and Builder by Stephanie Fitzgerald. For children ages 9 to 12.

Snefru by Susanna Thomas. Children's book about the Egyptian king who built the first true pyramid. For ages 9 to 12.

Ahmose: Liberator of Egypt by Susanna Thomas. Children's book about Ahmose I. For ages 9 to 12.

Tombs, Temples, & Thrones by Jane Richards. Fictional stories about a young princess, Tepi, and prince, Nekhi. In actual history they were real people: King Sequenenre Tao II and Queen Ahhotep, who won a medal for bravery on the battlefield. For ages 9 to 12.

Mummies & Tombs

The Curse of the Pharaohs: My Adventures With Mummies by Zahi Hawass. The head of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities tells true stories of archaeology and Egypt's treasures, including the "curse of the pharaohs." From National Geographic. For children ages 9 to 12.

The Royal Mummies: Remains From Ancient Egypt by Eric Kudalis. For children ages 4 to 8.

Mummies of the Pharaohs: Exploring the Valley of the Kings by Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger. For children ages 9 to 12.

The Valley of the Kings: Egypt's Greatest Mummies by Michael Burgan. Nonfiction for children ages 9 to 12.

Pharaohs and Embalmers (All in a Day's Work) by Anita Ganeri. For ages 9 to 12.

Mummies, Tombs, and Pharaohs: Secrets of Ancient Egypt by Lila Perl, illustrated by Erika Weihs. For ages 9 to 12.

Children's Books About Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut: First Female Pharaoh by Peggy Pancella. Biography for children ages 4 to 8.

Hatshepsut: Egypt's First Female Pharaoh by Pamela J. Dell. For children ages 9 to 12.

Hatshepsut: The Princess Who Grew Up to Be King by Ellen Galford. Biography of the female pharaoh who dressed as a man to quell the fears of her people, who were unused to being ruled by a woman. For children ages 9 to 12.

Children's Books About Ramses II

Ramesses II: Ruler of Ancient Egypt by Don Nardo. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

The Life & Times of Rameses the Great by Jim Whiting. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

Ramses the Great by Silvia Anne Sheafer. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

Pyramids

I Wonder Why Pyramids Were Built: And Other Questions About Ancient Egypt by Philip Steele. For ages 4 to 8.

The Great Pyramid by Elizabeth Mann, illustrated by Laura Lo Turco. The story of farmers, a god-king, and the most astounding structure ever built. For ages 9 to 12.

The Great Pyramid: Egypt's Tomb for All Time by Jeanette Leardi. For children ages 9 to 12.

More Children's Books About Egypt and Africa

Documentaries and Movies

These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.

Ramses the Great

Ramses the Great. From his 100 children to the monuments that transformed the face of Egypt, this is an in-depth look at the legendary pharaoh who ruled for 67 years. From the History Channel/A&E.

Ancient Mysteries: The Secret Life of King Ramses II. Documentary about the king of Egypt (1304-1237 BC) whose long and prosperous reign marks the last great peak of Egyptian power. From the History Channel/A&E.

Decisive Battles: Ramses II. When the Hittite king Muwwitallah threatens to break away from the hegemony of the Egyptian empire, Ramses marches to neutralize the threat. But when the battle arrives, he is surprised in camp with his army strung out for miles.

Digging for the Truth: Ramesses - Visions of Greatness. What forces drove Ramses to be the greatest pharaoh? Host Josh Bernstein decodes the propaganda of the pharaohs.

Pharaohs and History

Egypt Beyond the Pyramids. Go beyond the familiar stories to examine the most recent discoveries, including the ongoing excavations of KV5, the largest tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

Egypt's Golden Empire. Presents the history and royal personalities behind the most extraordinary period in Egyptian history: from 1570 B.C. to 1070 B.C., when the Egyptian Empire reached its zenith.

The Real Scorpion King. A documentary that tells the true story of the legendary ruler who helped found the Egyptian empire. Scholars reveal the stunning findings that have emerged from the recent excavation of his tomb.

The Scorpion King. This fanciful 2002 action movie, based very loosely on the real Scorpion King, stars Dwayne Johnson (AKA pro wrestler "The Rock") as an assassin in ancient Egypt.

Pyramids and Mummies

Modern Marvels: Egyptian Pyramids. Egypt's pyramids are engineering marvels of staggering proportions. But the exact methods used to construct them remain tantalizingly obscure.

Ancient Mysteries: The Great Pyramids of Giza. Computer animations show the pyramids as they appeared during the glory days of the Kingdom of the Nile, and engineers present theories about how they were built.

Mummies & the Wonders of Ancient Egypt. The world's greatest Egyptologists and the latest computer technology bring the fabled world of the Egyptians back to life. Unlock the secrets of the pyramids and the sphinx, decipher long-secret hieroglyphs, and explore the glittering sepulcher of Tutankhamun.

Documentaries About King Tut
Movies & Documentaries About Cleopatra