Africa Books

In A Doctor's Life: Unique Stories, Dr. William Close draws upon his many years of practice to present the reader with invaluable insights into compassionate care giving in today's high-tech world of medicine. A medical memoir sharing cameos drawn from fifty years as a practicing physician and surgeon in New York's "Hell's Kitchen", sixteen years in Africa's brutal and chaotic Congo, and as a country doctor in rural Wyoming, these vignettes and observations include a broad spectrum of patients and notable characters ranging from African leaders to oil field roustabouts, casualties of civil war in the Congo to older people in rural Wyoming reaching the end of their lives at home. A Doctor's Life is highly recommended reading as both an autobiography and as a persuasive testament that compassion and courtesy are as important as scientific excellent when working for the benefit of patients and the advancement of the medical profession.

If you aspire to be a physician--not just any physician, but a good one--these memoirs should be required reading. I first read these stories in manuscript form as a medical student, and they became the template for my professional life. As Doc told me in my last year of medical school: "Let med school teach you the science of medicine; I'll show you the art." And he did, through his life and through these very stories. For as physicians, we are trained to guard our professional boundaries, to not get involved in the lives of patients, and to equate curing with healing. Dr. Close's encounters, chronicled in this very readable first-person account, prove that's not always the best medicine. In "Tata Felix," he exposes with candor, warmth, and humility the foibles of his own humanity and demonstrates how powerful (and often overlooked)a simple act de presence can be. In his Wyoming anecdotes, he convincingly shows that while knowledge without compassion may cure, it doesn't always heal. The stories are well-written, the real-life characters vivid in your mind's eye, and you feel like you are there with him in Africa and in Big Piney. Most of the stories leave you with the distinct impression that here was one of those sublime moments in life when you learned something profound about what it really means to be a doctor. This book is, in essence, an impassioned plea to physicians everywhere to not assume the mantle of medicine lightly nor haughtily, but to wear it in humility and reverence, even perhaps with awe, remembering that they are called not to be served, but to serve.

An elephant in the maternity ward? A carpenter's brace and bit to drill a hole in the cranium? The "Urine Man" at the Presbyterian Home for Women? Oh, and much more! Here is the story of a doctor who, using the most primitive of equipment, performed a host of procedures in this African outback so far removed from high tech medicine as most of us know it today. From the often violent, always political machinations of civil authorities in the African Congo to the quiet complacency of a small Wyoming community . . . from the hectic internship in New York to the broad expanse of the western plains . . . it's all there. A Doctor's Life is the embodiment of the tragic, the hilarious, the truly compassionate. This is a trilogy in one book: New York, Africa, Wyoming -- an exciting, wonderfully human account of Dr. William Close and his keen insight into, not just the world of medicine, but the human condition -- witty, inspiring and stunningly true to life.

My main complaint with "A Doctor's Life: Unique Stories" is that I wish there was more. In this book Dr. Close shares many unique and moving stories from his medical practice in New York, Congo/Zaire, and Wyoming. His stories from his time in Africa are especially interesting to me. In the pre-independence Belgian Congo he worked first as a hospital surgeon in Kinshasa, then in independent Zaire, as President Mobutu's personal physician. From his perspective as a physician he sees the end of colonialism in central Africa, and the beginning of the chaos of independent Zaire. One very touching story is that of his domestic security guard, an elderly veteran of WWII, whose wish is for a doctor to see his dying wife, just so he can tell his grandchildren that she was seen by a doctor before she died. The chapters about Mobutu depict a man very different than is typically seen in print; apparently even dictators have their good side. This book is recommended to anyone who is interested in medicine or Africa. [Note: most of this book is the same as the out-of-print "A Doctor's Story"; the newer version has two new chapters and photographs.]

"A Doctor's Life; Unique Stories" is a gripping, funny and touching real life depiction of the odyssey of Dr. William T. Close, with a description of his career as a surgeon and physician in New York, Africa and a small Wyoming town called Big Piney. His experiences speak humbly of an individual who is a humanitarian and a practical idealist, who exhibits a deep commitment to his fellow human beings, regardless of their circumstance.

But there's more! This book goes well beyond a collection of stories about a remarkable man's life. The messages illustrated in the descriptions of the patients Dr. Close encounters refocus attention on the human side of medicine. Dr. Close effectively reminds individuals working in the medical field that it is the patient whose health crisis brings the medical team together with the multiple goals of understanding the pathophysiology of disease, the delivery of optimal expert treatment and compassionate care. The patient, Dr. Close teaches us, is more than a disease, more than `a case to be plugged into a treatment protocol'.

This respect for human life is evident in the stories of his practice of rural medicine in Big Piney, Wyoming. Dr. Close describes spending the time necessary for good care and seeing many patients in their homes, especially at the end of their lives.

The messages in this book will inspire many who practice nursing and medicine to approach the care of their patients with expertise and compassion, for the sake of the patient, and for the optimum experience as a healer. Potential patients will yearn for the kind of patient/doctor relationship that Dr. Close's patients enjoy.

"A Doctor's Life; Unique Stories" is a celebration of an approach to life and fellow humans that is dedicated, passionate and honorable. Everyone who reads this book will be inspired and entertained.

There are two types of travel books: Those we skim through and those we read. As a book to skim, it's ok. It does not have much to reference quickly, if at all. However, as a book to read and to contemplate, it is very good. If you buy this book, take the time to read it carefully from cover to cover. Unlike a lot of commentaries on foreign culture, which tend to be trite, this author is very respectful of Egyptian culture without being ingratiating.

Thank God for this book! I recently have been accepted for a job in Egypt and boy did this book help me prepare. Without it I don't think I would have made it through. It's content is rich and full of great tips on local custom and it is truly in depth about the "do's & don'ts" when you get there. Highly recommended.

Wilson's book provided me with the "cultural common sense" that made for a successful stay in Egypt in June 2000. Her chatty tone invited me, as a reader, into her own experiences living in Egypt and set a context for me to be open to the warmth of the Egyptians as well as to be prepared for the very real challenges of travel here. While other books provided guidance to the sights, Wilson's provided guidance to the people and customs. I'll be returning to Egypt for future work and will rely on her book as a continuing resource.

Before heading off for Egypt, make sure that you read this book. It is invaluable!

As an American woman who had already been to Egypt and experienced many different things with regard to cultural differences, I decided to purchase this book before returning again . It was a relief to get some insight on certain situations to avoid (as a woman) and how to enjoy this wonderful country while maintaining a deep respect for it's people's beliefs and customs.

There are few up-to-datea travel books for Ethiopia, but this is as good as any other country guide. The author, Philip Briggs, does a nice job of covering the major tourist attractions as well as focusing on the more quiet areas. If you are going to Ethiopia, this is a great guide to bring along!

I went to Ethiopia to see the children I sponsor through the Christian Children's fund. This guide was very helpful in preparing for the trip and I reread many parts after I got there to help understand what I was seeing. I wish I would have had more time to see the historic sights in the north and to go on an safari. I hope to return again someday for a longer visit.
The Ethiopian people are the friendliest I have ever met in a foreign country.

Briggs's book is the best travel guide book on Ethiopia. His coverage of Ethiopia is fair and balanced. He seems to have excellent understanding of the Ethiopian culture and his book does a great job at explaining Ethiopia to the rest of the world. If you travel to Ethiopia, and I hope you do travel, this book will not disappoint you.

Hi all of you, I did travel 2 years ago with the "The Bradt guide". This guide is the best on the marketplace. Met many people with the Lonely Planet and it seems there are an amazing amount of flaws in this onz. The Bradt is not perfect, sometimes it's a little bit inaccurate. But it was a very useful tool during my trip. Ethiopia was my best travel experience up to now !!! Thanks Philip Briggs. Just go.

I left the safety of my overland truck in Kenya to travel Ethiopia independantly in April 2004. I found myself being shot at by bandits with AK47's in Northern Kenya about 50km south of the border with Ethiopia. We were treated OK but all I was left with was the clothes I was wearing, my invaluable Bradt Guide to Ethiopia and of course a bin bag to carry these in.

Due to my determination not to let the bandits win I then spent 7 weeks travelling around Ethiopia. Your guide is the best I have used as it really does tell you how to get from tiny villages, to ancient sites, to cities, and to meet the ordinary people. If you want to experience life in a different culture as apposed to a holiday overseas then this is the guide for you.

Despite such a stressful start to my adventure, and the difficulties with bus travel in Ethiopia, I will never forget what wonderful people Ethiopians are. Philip Briggs writes not just an informative and very practical guide but a fascinating story of the history of Ethiopia and the lives of the people there today. I read and re-read every word on every page.

Without this guide book I would have turned back and missed this memorable adventure.

Thank you
Natalie Cousins

Wildlife researchers and conservationists Delia and Mark Owens have spent much of their lives since 1974 in the African bush, first in the Kalahari Desert from which came their best seller "Cry of the Kalahari" and then in the North Luangwa Valley in Zambia, the setting of this 1992 book.

The Owens' passion leads them to risk their lives routinely. In searching for a suitable camp in North Luangwa they set out in an ancient truck with no radio and inadequate gear. After a grueling trek that would have sent sane mortals packing for home they separate so Mark can fly his Cessna to a site that "would make Cessna's insurance company shudder" while Delia makes the two-day trip alone with the old truck and a trailer over trackless hilly, bushy, gully-filled flood-plain terrain. Tracking animals they are constantly walking smack into a startled lion or buffalo or cornered elephant.

But the real danger comes from people. "The Eye of the Elephant," while filled with wildlife anecdotes and tidbits of information about elephants and lions, is really about the poaching war the Owens conducted on behalf of the besieged North Luangwa elephants.

The poachers are villagers, many armed with AK47s, backed by the local government and assisted by the corrupt and underequipped local game guards. The Owens' weapons are education, cottage industry projects financed by the Owens Foundation for Wildlife Conservation and the Cessna.

The battle starts genially with children exclaiming over magazine pictures and their parents joining sewing circles and carpentry workshops. But it quickly escalates until Mark drives Delia from him with his obsession for highly dangerous and only modestly effective night flights, and the poachers organize an assassination squad to rid themselves of the Owens once and for all.

The book is organized in alternating first-person chapters between Delia and Mark. The tone is brutally honest, touching when one admits to mistakes which endanger the other, disturbing when their frank discussion of anti-poaching tactics veers from the politically correct. The Owens' care more for the animals and the landscape than the people. But since the people are there, their needs must be faced. Their singlemindedness will outrage some, but their strong personalities and sheer stamina will awe almost everyone.

York County Coast Star

The Eye of the Elephant is a wonderful, adventurous journey into the heart and soul of Africa seen through Mark and Delia's eyes. From the very first page you are caught up in their heroic quests to protect the animals they are there to observe. In spite of the unbelievable odds against them, they persevered and put the safety and security of the highly endangered animals FIRST. The elephants in the Luanga Valley are very fortunate to have had Mark and Delia watch over them and be their heroes. I have loved Africa and the African elephant my entire life and I am so grateful for these two selfless, dedicated people who have become the protectors of our most precious wildlife. This is one of my most treasured African stories.

You will immediately be drawn into their story! I was so involved reading this book that I missed my train station stop...you'll feel like you're there with them!

This book is laden with fascinating information on African Wildlife and how to survive as human and animal in harsh conditions. Excellent read.

I wish these authors would write more books about their adventures in Africa. Truly riveting page-turners!

This is the most amazing book. The photography is extraordinary capturing the smallest details, such as the smile on someone's face who is waving @ you. It is a must have for anyone interested in Africa & makes one want to go there.

Eyes over Africa (Hardcover) by Michael Poliza (Author)

I saw the bigger version of this book "Eyes over Africa (Hardcover) by Michael Poliza (Author) " in a store were it was displayed and I fell in love with it .
This piece of art is one of those rare items you do not forget after seeing it .
The amazing and breathtaking images were imprinted in my mind , I had to buy this book!

I can only but dream of seeing as much of Africa as Michael Poliza has, but this book carries me along on his journey. The level of detail is incredible - the more I look at the images, the more I find that surprises, delights or intrigues. Many pictures are pure abstract - and then I flip to the back of the book, only to find they are acute observations on some fascinating aspect of the natural world. Sadly, this detailed record is now vital in an age when global warming is changing the face of Africa so quickly. Perhaps these images will inspire us all to make a difference.

A truly beautiful book that gives the reader an immediate sense of the vast and immeasurable beauty of this grand continent. There is a vunerability in his work too. One gets the sense that even though the subject is grand and impressive it is all too fragile.

A new and refreshing perspective on a beautiful place. "Eyes Over Africa" will be a centerpiece of my photo book collection. Absolutely breathtaking. I've always been a fan of aerial photography and this book has solidified it for me.

if you love traveling and photography ..this is one of the books you should get.

it has lots of amazing images of different tribes which is really amazing.

A visual treasure. This book is one of the most stunning and beautiful I have ever seen. The production is of the highest quality. Beckwith and Fisher have again brought the excitement and pulse of their amazing work to the page in order that readers may immmerse themselves in a world many only dream of. The photography is breathtaking. The text illuminating. Anything these women produce will have a welcome place in my library. This book will be enjoyed for many generations to come. My young grandsons love it. The photographs bring to life a world we may never experience and, sadly, one that may disappear in time. I find something new every time I pick it up to peruse. The Beckwith and Fisher eye for detail is, in a word, unparalleled.

What a beautiful book, the photographs are exquisite and colorful. The information in the book is sufficient as not to overwhelm the beauty of the photographs.

Highly disappointed that upon opening this book for the first time that the pages detached from the spine. It was going to be a gift but obviously won't work for my intended purpose.

What a delight for the eyes this book is! I found myself drawn deeper and deeper into each photograph. The accompanying text is beautifully crafted and I almost want to commit each entry to memory. When I visited Africa, I instantly fell in love with its people, its landscapes and the authenticity of life on this breathtaking continent. This book allows me to marvel at, and to cherish, the traditions and rituals which frame the lives of the African people.

This is one of my favorite illustration of Africa; jovial, moving, colorful and passionate, the best introduction to the many tribes and cultures of the African continent. The ceremonies of the Surma tribe in Ethiopia and the Samburu tribe in Kenya are beautiful and rich photographic testimony of African culture. Everyone should own this illustrative account of Africa.

This is a remarkable collection of information on a sorely needed region of herpetology. Not just for advanced hobbyists either...this book has WONDERFUL photographs and is a MUST have for any level of reptile enthusiast.

This is the most perfect book for any snake or reptile fan.

This book is amazingly detailed, giving in-depth information on ALL species of reptile known to occur in the five countries covered.
The photographs are of excellent quality (though where none was available, drawings would have been better than nothing) and the keys very user-friendly.
It is an absolute must for anyone interested in the herpetofauna of this region.
A word of warning though: despite the title this book is much too bulky and heavy to carry around on the field!
More likely, you will want to keep it at home (or in your car?) as a reference.

A great book, with descriptions and photos of al known east african reptiles, including distribution maps.
Which i must say could have a little bet bigger and easier to read(country references).

If you are interested in finding the reptiles in the field or keeping them in captivity, you must own this book !

The long-awaited field guide to the diverse reptile populations of East Africa. This book was everything I expected it to be and more. Comprehensive listings, excellent photography and detailed information on habitat/distribution, natural history, conservation status etc. I can't say enough good things about this book, the list of authors should speak for themselves! ;-)

No serious herper's library is complete without this book...

This is a book I ordered to send to my grandson for his birthday. It was sent directly, so I haven't really read it. It got good reviews and he likes the story. It was shipped well ahead of his birthday. All was well. Thanks

This is a wonderful, well illustrated book about a young boy who has an idea and finds what he needs to create it. What he needs is just a small amount of wire. It is not clear until the end what a "galimoto" is but by then we are all cheering for him to make one. I read this book to students who are studying to be elementary teachers. I think it would be an excellent book to use in the elementary classroom...it is set in Africa and has many lessons for young readers. I would love to see a whol classroom of "galimotos"!

This book is set in the small Southern African country of Malawi, the country in which I spent the first 19 years of my life. This book is very dear to me because of its connection to my home. However, it is a good book in its own right. I can say that the language used in the book is authentic (galimoto is, in fact, Chichewa for car). The illustrations are also accurate. The book also has several plot elements which are great discussion points for parents or teachers. For instance, the main character has to make several deals with people to get the things he needs for his project. This provides a good lesson in compromise. The main character also shows planning by setting a goal and then following through the motions to reach his goal. Although the book is intended for smaller children, I think that it is a helpful book for older kids as well. I have read this story to my 7th graders, and it has prompted many discussions on other cultures.

As I prepared to visit Zambia to learn how communities are coping with the HIV/AIDS pandemic, I tried to help the children of our church understand what life is like in Africa. "You mean they are so poor nobody buys them toys?" Galimoto not only gives a realistic picture of life in a small African village, it celebrates the resourceful spirit of African children. Our young people were filled with wonder when I brought home a galimoto that I bought on a roadside in Zambia. They were eager to try their hand at creating their own galimotos.

I just attended a talk by a Peace Corps volunteer who spoke about how children in Ghana were resourceful about creating toys to play with. This book illlustrates that point. I hope that my students from Africa will enjoy this book.

...this is one of those few books that i could randomly open to a page,-any page- and be thoroughly satisfied. It is that well-written. I was transported. I think that is one of the best compliments you can give to a work of fiction. I literally felt like i left my immediate surroundings and was with her on all her adventures.

One of the most grabbing, well written books I've read in a long time. It was especially intriguing as I read it while on holiday in Zanzibar! A definite read for anyone going there, and for anyone interested in a really good read.

If the shape of a life is determined by what one chooses to notice, maybe its trajectory is determined by what one fails to notice. In a world where nothing and no one are what they seem, Marcella D'Souza, intelligent, beautiful and determined, flees the haunted shores of her native Zanzibar to build a new life amidst an ad hoc family of ambitious immigrants in London. In this politically volatile, multi-cultural landscape where no one truly "belongs" Marcella finds love and an unexpected sense of belonging. The life she designs is satisfying and successful, but ultimately falls prey to the hidden designs of others. Multiple schemes, misapprehended systems and coincidence conspire, collide and explode into chaos. But Roger King, through his intriguing protagonist, seems to be saying that even chaos is illusive. "Disorder is only order we can't see, and coincidences are the evidence." Once betrayed, imprisoned and presently living in quiet exile, Marcella is once again reinventing herself in a foreign world, this time as a professor of Multi-cultural studies at a small Vermont College. From this temporary sanctuary she explores the graceful havoc of her personal history in a voice both poignant and utterly devoid of self-pity. "I had failed to read the signs. I had looked up and out when I should have looked down and in. I watched my front when I should have watched my back. I only noticed that...I failed to correctly evaluate... overlooked... misheard...mistook...I had only myself to blame." But personal responsibility, like personal history, is not so easily traced in a world of blurred borders.

Roger King is an adept magician weaving an intricate web in time. Marcella's tumultuous history casts sticky threads into an uncertain future and her present is delicately balanced between the two. The drama that unfolds when timelines meet is powerful -- it's unpredictable and yet somehow manages to deliver a mysterious sense of inevitability. Along the way, King's complex assortment of characters, all enchanting and unsavory in varying degrees, are rendered with profound compassion and insight. It's deeply satisfying reading.

The writing style is accessible and smart; complex without being confusing; insightful and reflective without weighing heavily. A great read!!!
What makes reading this novel so enjoyable is the adept weaving of history -- Zanzibar has a complex history, and it is told through the stories of the narrator, a young woman -- as well as via an insightful grasp of the contemporary condition -- of mobility, of otherness, of migration; it is both the tale of an individual, and the story of millions.
The author Roger King uses a wonderful method, of the narrator thinking about both past and present -- to bring us the careful, reflective details of an individual's life while at the same time painting a picture of the complex past (and present) difficulties of Zanzibar (particularly relevant given recent international press attention to this island archipelago off Tanzania).
The narrator, a young Goan (Indian and Portuguese descent; many settled in Zanzibar) woman who has recently come to the U.S. to teach, relates both delightfully concrete details of her life in Vermont and her past in Zanzibar, all the while revealing a very reflective story of personal changes and growth, wrangling with her past and present, as an "exotic" immigrant to the U.S. The weaving of past and present, of concrete and cerebral, make this a wonderfully rich story, both intensely personal and more broadly historical.

The wanderings of Marcella D'Souza, the protagonist of Roger King's brilliant new novel, have begun in her native Zanzibar; taken her to the bustling, multi-ethnic streets of Bayswater, London; and finally deposited her in a quiet college town in snowy Vermont, where she has been assigned to teach a vaguely-defined course in "multi-cultural studies." Looking back on her odyssey, she has this observation: "I think I have the making of a new theory here. Maybe these days, everything is so international, there's always an advantage in being from somewhere else. What is important is not local knowledge, but foreign knowledge. If the whole world is in motion, then the world's displaced are those who stay at home." "Those who stay at home" have had little role to play in Marcella's world. As a naive, ambitious newcomer to London--the New York Times calls her a "modern-day Candide"--she falls in with a group of equally peripatetic friends, people whose racial identity, national origin, and even religious affiliations can only be expressed via a long series of adjectives: "I've got it," an earnest British friend remarks of Marcella herself, "You're a Goan Indian Portuguese Arab African of Catholic Moslem parentage." This group of friends, living a hustling and often exuberant existence in the immigrants' netherworld of Thatcher's England, contains elements that the reader rightfully suspects will pull Marcella into dangerous waters. And indeed, from the novel's first page we know that she will end up serving time in prison for an unnamed crime. But the novel unfolds with such luminous grace, effortlessly moving us from scenes of the past, into the present, and back again yet more years, that we surrender to its shifting timeline without impatience. Instead, our knowledge of Marcella and her world becomes more richly layered. Our deepening understanding makes the novel's final revelations far more satisfying then if they had been disclosed earlier. A gloriously enjoyable novel, and one that adds to the reader's perception of a world that exists, if below the radar, in the most ordinary corners of the U.S. and Europe today.

Intriguing mankind for millenia, the pyramids of Eqypt have prompted numerous investigations by scholars and scientists over the centuries. In this book, John Romer's most impressive achievement is his extensive analysis and masterful synthesis of these investigations, enhanced with his own on-site studies and observations. The ease and clarity with which he presents his conclusions, and the scope of the material covered, is astonishing. Many photos, line drawings, and other visual aids complement his presentation.

Even if this had been a strictly scholarly book of dry facts and observations, it would be significant enough, but Romer also brings to life the society and people that produced the pyramids, revealing them to be skilled and dedicated craftsman who created works of timeless beauty with simple tools, professionalism, and perseverance. The idea that "ancient man" could never produce such structures is quietly, confidently, and thoroughly refuted. This book is a "must read" for any layman who wants a clear and compelling answer to the age-old question, 'who built the pyramids?'

It is difficult to imagine how anyone is going to top this treatment of the Great Pyramid. Romer, an Egyptologist for more than 40 years, describes in unprecedentedly precise detail how the pyramid was designed and built. There is none of the mystical nonsense that has appeared in some books about the pyramids. This massive structure was built by humans like us who learned from their mistakes on earlier pyramids and adjusted their plans to the realities of the Giza plateau.

Romer brings out the sophistication and architectural subtlety of the Great Pyramid, and the clever alignments that made its construction possible. This was an astounding feat of planning, organization, and execution for people living 4,500 years ago. Medieval cathedrals look relatively modest by comparison.

Romer admires the dedication and skill of the stone-workers, giving the reader a good feel for the adjustments they used to make their ambitious plan work. Some of the most interesting chapters show how pyramid-builders learned from the mistakes made in building pyramids for Khufu's father.

Romer tracks down related parts of the pyramid project such as quarries and ramps. He provides intriguing sidelights, such as the huge amount of copper needed to make chisels for the masons who shaped the stone blocks.

Romer describes the pyramids as the physical residue of establishing the Egyptian state. This age was short-lived; the pyramids that followed the Great one were less ambitious, and the pyramid age soon died out.

Romer writes with style, though he occasionally dwells too much on certain features such as the "prism point."
He praises some earlier Egyptologists such as Flinders Petrie. The accuracy of Petrie's surveys, made over a century ago, has never been surpassed.

This is a large format book of more than five hundred pages. It is well illustrated with diagrams, drawings, and black and white photographs, including well-chosen photos from as early as 1865. This is not a book for the lazy reader, but it rewards those with sustained interest.

A new book by John Romer on the library shelf! I could hardly contain my excitement since his books have always had fascinating views of Egypt presented in a readable way that suddenly opens vistas of ancient Egypt and puts things in a new light, brings the people more to life than most other authors. I adore his "Ancient Lives" TV series. Here was a new and fascinating book to read - photos of parts of the Great Pyramid and views of parts of it I'd never seen in the books I had available; discussions of sources of minerals, stone and copper; calculations of awesome quantities of resources and how this changed Egypt; methods of transport and calculations of manpower needed; details of quarries; details of earlier pyramids that made it clearer how they "evolved" and were planned. This was also a frustrating book to read and I returned again and again over about 2 months - "squaring the circle" had me going in circles trying to reproduce, from the description, what was intended, and deciding he must mean circumference, not diameter; finding some of the diagrams on how the builders worked things out confusing until finally about page 364 (?) a reasonable diagram finally was clear. Frustrating because I'm sure I could explain the basic idea to my 14 year old students in about 10 minutes with that last diagram and wondering why it took so long to get around to that diagram. Fascinating in the simplicity of the overall method of control once it was clear the east field could be used as a full size planning area. As a teacher always on the lookout for things from the real world to base problems on for maths or science, and as someone used to teaching areas, nets and scale models for a technology unit, maybe the placement of the Great Step didn't seem quite so miraculous to me. I still think the book is a monumental work and should be read by anyone interested in Egypt and the pyramids. John Romer has again given a fascinating and different view of ancient Egypt and its most well known monument.

John Romer has outdone himself with his book, The Great Pyramid. Highly readable, this well researched book shows the remarkable engineering skills of the ancient Egyptians. For those who will look for such silly theories as building assistance by extra-terrestrias and other rubbish, this is not the book for them. It is a book for rational, intelligent readers who admire and wish to have a better understanding of the creative abilities of older civilizations.
Greg Slater
Australia

Since many illustrious and famous Egyptologists have already written their praise for this book on its cover, I shall not try to emulate their eloquent praise for John Romer's quite extraordinary book. However, as an amateur lover of ancient Egypt's history, engineering and artistic achievements, I was spellbound by Romer's quite amazing conhesion of painstaking research and found myself totally absorbed and amazed. The reader is taken on a spellbinding journey through every aspect of the building of the great Pyramid and back in time. His text is elegant and fluidly written, the pictures and diagrams most interesting and easy to understand. I loved this book.
Out of Africa. Johannesburg