Happiness is...reliving history.

Today's Google Doodle made me smile.

I've spent too many hours to count poring over Egyptian museum exhibits and reading books about Egypt (both historical and mythical) and falling in love with this unique part of the world.

I know I've posted on this before so I won't rehash it all again but I did enjoy reliving a bit of my own history and remembering the amazing trip I took to Egypt with my mom and sister a few years ago. It was almost like stepping back in time. The language, the people, the food, the smells, the bustling market places, the camels and carts and calls to prayer are all timeless. And then there are the pyramids, the sphinx, the great Nile, the hieroglyphs, the monuments that speak from centuries past.  There's no place like it.

Howard Carter's a slightly controversial figure but there's no doubt he played an important role in bringing much of what we know about Egyptian history to light and generating new interest in the subject. Happy 138th birthday to the man!

Happiness is...a good book. (Summer Reading edition #30)

Happy Tuesday!  What? It's not Tuesday you say? Well, let's see what we can do about that. (Cue wiggling fingers of illusion and appropriate time travel music).

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Ah, my friends!  Welcome to Tuesday, July 26th. I'm so glad you could join me. I have a lovely book to review for you today. Are you ready for this?!

Wrapped
Author: Jennifer Bradbury
Pages: 309
Age Range: 12+
Published: 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery/Young Adult
Cover Score: ****
Overall Grade: *****
Rating: PG

Agnes Wilkins is an unusual 17 year old girl about to debut into 1815 London society. Her father is a government official and her mother is determined to see her only daughter engaged to their charming and wealthy neighbor Lord Showalter before the season is out. While Agnes knows her duty and is somewhat excited at the prospects she's also loathe to give up her opportunities to continue her education to settle into a life of bland domesticity. (She speaks 10 languages, longs for adventure and loves the romance in the newly published A Lady's novels, particularly Pride and Prejudice, and fancies herself finding a Lizzie Bennett/Mr. Darcy type relationship full of banter and passion.) 

Her first social adventure is attending a mummy unwrapping party in Showalter's garden. As she cuts into the linen wrappings she's equally enthralled and disgusted. She's fascinated to see something very few have from a place she, as a proper English lady, will probably never visit but feels that the relics, ruins, and artifacts should remain in their places of origin rather than be desecrated by people for entertainment's sake.

As she unwraps a small jackal's head in the bindings there is a disturbance and insistence that the party stop so the mummy, supposedly switched with another during shipping and unloading, can be returned to the British Museum. For some reason Agnes finds herself pocketing the iron head and witnessing a few odd exchanges before the party comes to a chilling end with the murder of one of Showalter's grooms. 

By morning talk of ancient curses has spread throughout the city with several of the party goers being attacked or having their houses broken into. Agnes scoffs at the talk of curses but is sure it all has something to do with the jackal's head hidden under her pillow. Throughout the course of the book she goes behind the scenes of the British Museum, unlocks a code with the help of the Rosetta Stone, dresses as a boy, uncovers Napoleon Bonaparte's dastardly plans to conquer Britain, meets a handsome and vexing young scholar, learns to shoot a gun and more.

There's enough fact and history interwoven into the story to make it all sound very credible and give it some substance. There's also an author's note at the end separating fact from fiction and giving a bit of additional information about the historical setting and customs. It's lightly flavored with turns of phrase that remind you of the time period and keep it from sounding modern yet it's highly readable.  Agnes is a spunky heroine eager to buck the system that keeps her confined and locked into a particular role and future, both likeable and relatable. Like a watered down combination of Jane Austen and Elizabeth Peters it begs to be read during afternoon tea in the garden. I thought this book was thoroughly delightful. It was the perfect blend of smart and fluffy. The perfect easy escape for my crazy weekend, I highly recommend it (particularly to fans of either of the aforementioned authors!) 




Hope you enjoyed your short journey to Tuesday.  Can't wait to see you all again tomorrow!

Happiness is...a good book. (Summer Reading edition #14)

I apologize for the slight delay in entries this weekend (not that anyone is so faithful a reader that they check in every day but I feel that since I committed to a post a day I ought to do what I can to live up to that, right?) I've been gallivanting with 300+ of my closest friends all weekend at a mid-singles conference. Unfortunately I didn't meet the love of my life but I did have a few fun adventures and was pleasantly surprised by the entire event (I'd gone into it all with pretty low expectations and a rather negative attitude...is anyone shocked?) Anyway, that's my excuse but here's today's second entry to get us back on track.

Mara: Daughter of the Nile
Author: Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Pages: 279
Age Range: 12+
Published: 1953
Genre: Historical Fiction
Cover Score: **
Overall Grade: ****
Rating: PG 

Mara is a young slave girl living in Menfe, Egypt.  Educated by a former owner she speaks Egyptian and Babylonian and can read and write as well.  Her current master doesn't value these skills and is spooked by her blue eyes and angry at her proud and defiant manner, earning her more than her share of beatings.  

One day when she has escaped to the marketplace she bewitches a young baker and absconds with several of his fresh baked rolls.  Unbeknownst to her she's been observed by two men. One buys her freedom in exchange for her promise to act as spy and interpreter for the newly arriving Babylonian Princess sent to marry King Thutmose. The other, Sheftu, she meets on the boat during her journey along the Nile and finds herself stumbling into his own plans to spy against Thutmose's aunt, the Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut who sits on the throne.  Stuck between both sides of the plot to overturn the rulers of Egypt she realizes she is in over her head and worse, she is falling in love with Sheftu, the nobleman and mastermind behind the coming revolution.  When both sides discover her duplicity she struggles to appease both masters, spare her own life and stay true to the cause she has come to believe in.

I really enjoyed this little adventure story set against the thrilling backdrop of actual historic events in one of the world's most dramatic environments. Mara was a spunky character with flaws and feelings, easy to relate to and care for. There was a perfect blend of intrigue and suspense, action and romance. I only wish there'd been some author's note or something to provide a bit of factual historic context for those not familiar with the time/events. It's nothing you can't easily find with a quick Google search but still...


McGraw also paid great tribute to the land of Egypt. Her descriptions were eloquent and vivid and easily drew me back to the sights familiar from my trip there a few years ago. (Oh how I'd love to go back!) So, permit me to lead you on a tiny little tour of some of my favorite spots.

The Great Pyramids...of course

The Sphinx and Pyramids

Edfu Temple

Karnak Temple details

Sailing down the mighty Nile River

A column/lintel from the Temple of Hatshepsut (where part of the story takes place) at Deir El-Bahari

It's such a spectacularly breathtaking place in its ancientness, the mystical history and cultural significance.  The landscape itself is incredibly haunting. It's easy to see why it has captured the imagination of people for generations. It was a once in a lifetime journey and I would highly recommend to anyone who has the chance to visit to GO!!! But if you can't get there in person here are a few other books about the area that you might enjoy.

And at least a million and a half others.  Do you have any that you've read and loved?  I'm always looking for good suggestions! Take a mini-vacation and escape to a new and exciting world from the comfort of your favorite chair. Just don't forget to tell me about it!  Happy Reading!