A Year in the Life of Ancient Egypt

By: Dr Donald P. Ryan

Narrated by: Philip Bretherton

Spend a year in the company of the ancient Egyptians, during the twenty-sixth and final year of the reign of Amenhotep II (c.1400 BC), which saw a royal transition bringing Thutmose IV to the throne of Upper and Lower Egypt.

While builders from the secluded village of royal tomb workers rush to complete Amenhotep's tomb, and craftsmen labour to finish the numerous extravagant objects to accompany the god-king in his burial, most Egyptians go about their daily lives in ways unchanged for eons.

Following the Egyptian calendar year, which was divided into three seasons (inundation, sowing and harvest), we will meet a farmer and his family, an embalmer, an artisan, a royal physician, a priest and even a royal wife as they live their lives in Thebes and Memphis during the eighteenth dynasty of the New Kingdom in this remarkable year in ancient Egyptian history.

©2022 Dr Donald P. Ryan (P)2022 W F Howes

Nice but only scratches the surface...

Book is rather interesting but not so diply informative as I expected. There's definitely more focus on narrative story than on historical knowledge. Nevertheless it is great experience.

Fantastic

I was skeptical because of the lack of reviews but the book blew me away. So. Informative and well written. I’m very sad there is not more by Dr. Ryan on Audible! Bravo!

Engrossing

I’ve never been one much interested in Ancient Egyptian history because the names, language, and writing system have always seemed out of reach for me. I’ve gravitated to Ancient Greek and Roman history because they are far less foreign and much easier to engage with since the languages live on in English and because they aren’t terribly difficult to learn in their own right. Dr. Ryan’s several books are wonderful and have made learning about the Ancient Egyptians much more accessible and, in this book, much more personal with the recounting of the lives of several Egyptians from all strata of their society during the course of a year. The narrator does an excellent job bringing further life to these people. I am actually sad that my time with this book is at an end. Dr. Ryan has single handedly open my heart to further investigation of this most impressive and antique of all cultures.

Fanciful story

This book is an imagination of what life may have been like in ancient Egypt . Though some of it is based on facts learned from tombs , most of it is the author’s creation. If you want real history, this book isn’t for you .

Immersive and atmospheric in detail

Insightfully detailed story, filled to the brim with side notes and anecdotes from Egyptian life during the 18th dynasty. you'll feel yourself become entwined with the lives of the people as the story unfolds and learn a lot about the culture, history and experience of living in Egypt during the time.