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Book Review
by Mary Kay
Radnich
Ancient Egypt: Life, Myth and
Art
By
Joann Fletcher
Stewart, Tabori and Chang 1999
New York, New York
$27.50
Stewart, Tabori and Chang are known for their lavishly
illustrated art books and ANCIENT EGYPT, part of the Life,
Myth and Art series is no exception. Each page of Joann Fletcher’s
text is accompanied by both beautiful photography and
illustrations.
In keeping with the series title, various topics are covered in
the text, ranging from the River of Life, glyphs, of how art and
nature were seen by the ancients, as well as their religion and
myths. Rites, festivals, magic and mysteries as practiced in
ancient times are explored and an entire chapter is devoted to the
"Realm of Osiris."
While this book is certainly not a scholarly, comprehensive
tome of Ancient Egypt, it is a worthwhile addition to one’s
library or as a gift for a budding young (or old) Egyptologist.
Joann Fletcher, PhD, is a freelance Egyptologist and Director
of the NILE educational organization. She teaches regularly in
northern England and for the University of London, the British
Museum Education Department, the Egypt Exploration Society and
Egyptian Embassy Education and Culture Bureau. Her publication
list includes The Way to Eternity: Egyptian Myth (1997) and Oils
and Perfumes in Ancient Egypt (1998).
EGYPTIAN ARABIC PHRASEBOOK
Lonely planet language survival kit
By
Scott Wayne
Lonely Planet 1990
As has been discussed in Tour Egypt Monthly and
elsewhere on the Tour Egypt website, one of the best ways to
prepare for a trip to Egypt is to learn a little Egyptian Arabic.
Egyptian Arabic is the most common form of Arabic in the Middle
East and North Africa, largely due to the influence of Egyptian
TV, radio and movie culture. It’s nice to be able to greet
someone on the street or to say thank you in the native tongue for
a small kindness. It’s also helpful to be able to emphatically
say, "La! Shukran!" (No! Thank You!) to that street
vendor whose merchandise just doesn’t interest you.
The most convenient way to learn a few phrases is to purchase a
phrasebook for the Egyptian Arabic language. Lonely Planet
Publications delivers a small, nicely done little phrasebook for
the reasonable sum of $3.95.
While the beginning of the book gives you a simple lesson in
the Arabic alphabet and grammar, the useful phrases are arranged
topically, such as Greetings & Civilities, Small Talk, Food,
etc. There are also simple illustrations as well as some
explanatory paragraphs in each section. All translations are in
transliterated English as well as Arabic script. At the end of the
book is a vocabulary section, so that you can look up common words
with ease.
What this book does not have, is a vocabulary section at the
end with the words in transliterated Arabic – English and Arabic
script – English. The Rough Guide Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook
( Sept. 2000 review) does have these sections. That phrasebook is
slightly larger and a few dollars more.
For the once in a lifetime tourist, I think the less expensive
Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook would be a great little
addition to your travel pack and will bring you lots of fun and
good experiences, interacting with the local people. If you want
to learn a little more Arabic but are not yet ready for a full
course in Arabic, then try the Rough Guide’s Egyptian Arabic
Phrasebook.
And, if you desire to learn to read Arabic script, then see our
following book review and consider this one as a place to start.
Your First 100 Words in ARABIC
Beginner’s Quick & Easy Guide to Demystifying
Arabic Script
By
Mahmoud Gaafar
Passport Books 1999
Chicago Illinois
$8.95
 I like to browse
in bookstores and a few weeks ago, my daughter and I were visiting
the local Borders Books. I also like to see what’s new as far as
travel guides, language learning systems, history books – really
anything pertaining to Egypt or the Middle East. When I discovered
Your First 100 Words in ARABIC, I was surprised and
thrilled.
I was thrilled because, to me, the biggest stumbling block to
really learning Arabic is the script. Beautiful to look at, but
nearly impossible to decipher. You read right to left, a challenge
for my brain, as well as the letters being composed of swooshes
and dots with hooks and tails.
This workbook is reminiscent of something my daughter would
have used in first or second grade, to learn English words. Very
elementary, with flash cards, matching games, puzzles and
something called "scriptbreaker tips" to help you get
the hang of deciphering this beautiful but different alphabet. The
whole idea of the book is to help you learn to visually recognize
and distinguish the component of the Arabic alphabet.
Elementary? Childish? Maybe. But also, very, very helpful.
Short of finding a class or private tutor in Arabic, this little
book may be the next best thing to increase your knowledge and
recognition of one of the world’s most visually beautiful
languages.
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