Gary F. (garythefowler) reviewed The Keys of Egypt: The Obsession to Decipher Egyptian Hieroglyphs on + 65 more book reviews
Very good! A fuller account of Chamopollion's life and work than I've encountered before--though of course I know that extensive biographies are out there. This one is very accessible, intertwining his personal life, political turnmoil in France and Egypt, scholastic rivalries, and more: It becomes increasingly clear how amazing his success was in the context of all the rest. The "hows" of hieroglyphics and other related systems are clear and fascinating; ancient Egyptian history covered well, too. Good index, and a good current bibliography "Further Reading." High on the list anyone who reads biography, ancient or modern history, linguistics... actually, maybe drama and psychology, too.
Dawn M. (Widow53) reviewed The Keys of Egypt: The Obsession to Decipher Egyptian Hieroglyphs on + 161 more book reviews
How did Jean-Francois Champollion decipher the Egyptian hierglyphic system? This book explains how he did it and why. Dawn
