Tutankhamen's Curse: The developing history of an Egyptian king

Tutankhamen's Curse: The developing history of an Egyptian king

by JoyceTyldesley (Author)

Synopsis

Ninety years ago, Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamen's mummy lying, surrounded by grave goods, in a virtually intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Egyptology would never be the same again. Tutankhamen's Curse approaches the story of the lost king and his development into a cultural icon with fresh eyes. Stripping away the layers of modern myths that threaten to obscure the king, it uses the evidence from his tomb to reconstruct a family and a history for Tutankhamen. Tutankhamen's Curse is designed to appeal to the widest of readerships, from general readers and history fans to students of Egyptology and archaeology.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Edition: Main
Publisher: Profile Books
Published: 25 Jul 2013

ISBN 10: 1861971664
ISBN 13: 9781861971661
Book Overview: The true history and mythology of Tutankhamen.

Media Reviews
Tyldesley's strength has always been her storytelling, and here she is on top form * Sunday Telegraph *
This excellent biography scores with a wealth of splendid detail. * Independent *
[An] engaging reconstruction of [King Tutankhamen's] tomb discovery, family and life. Fluent in her subject, Tyldesley gives her own spin to the story in order to get beyond the sensational nonsense.... Tyldesley does an admirable detective job of reconstructing the boy king's narrative. * Kirkus reviews *
[An] authoritative book.... If Tyldesley finds the curse stories empty nourishment, the core of her book reveals Egyptian history to be full of more satisfying riches. Sifting through the findings from Tutankhamen's tomb, and the arguments of Egyptologists since, she aims to resurrect the man behind the mask. She succeeds: Tutankhamen emerges as a credible figure, a ruler presiding over a turning point in history, when his father Akhenaten's heresies were abandoned and the polytheistic traditions revived.... That has always been Tutankhamen's power: ...to charm all who encounter him. As Tyldesley confesses, he kindled her schoolgirl fixation with ancient Egypt. She calls this 'my own personal version of Tutankhamen's curse', but if it inspires books like this, the rest of us may consider it a kind of blessing. * Sunday Times *
Tyldesley's account of [Howard] Carter's momentous find and the clearance of the tomb is brought to life with contemporary quotes and colourful details.... [Tyldesley is] a gifted storyteller.... Her writing is crystal-clear and charmingly irreverent.... She puts what little we know about Tutankhamun [sic] into context, giving a fascinating discussion of the discovery's social history. * Nature *
[S]olidly researched and accessibly written. The range of topics covered is impressive. * Guardian *
[Tutankhamen] is undeniably an entertaining read and full of interesting information.... [Tyldesley] livens up her narrative with some arresting details.... [E]njoyable. * The Sunday Business Post (Ireland) *
In this well-researched study for the general reader, Tyldesley acknowledges the fragile nature of her biographical reconstructions, presenting conflicting theories and drawing careful conclusions. Highly recommended for all Egyptophiles. * Library Journal *
Author Bio
Joyce Tyldesley's books include acclaimed biographies of Rameses the Great, and the queens Hatchepsut and Nefertiti. She is the author of Egypt: How a Lost Civilization Was Rediscovered, which accompanied a major BBC television series. Her books have been published all over the world. She lives in Bolton, Lancashire.