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READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

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Books for

Enrich your travels with reading! Here's a hand-picked list prepared for your journey in conjunction with the book experts at Longitude.

Essential Reading

Item EXEGY43. Buy these 4 items as a set for $70 including shipping, 15% off the retail price.
With free shipping on anything else you order.

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Eyewitness Guide Egypt

Eyewitness Guide Egypt

by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

A visually rich guide to the history, culture and monuments of Egypt. (EGY90, $25.00)

The Search for Ancient Egypt

The Search for Ancient Egypt

by Jean Vercoutter

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 207 PAGES

This pocket encyclopedia, packed with illustrations, tells the tale of Greek travelers, buried treasure, international intrigue and scholarship in understanding Egypt. (EGY02, $15.95)

The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Egypt

The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Egypt

by Bill Manley

  • HISTORY
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

Ingenious color maps, site plans, photographs and accompanying essays trace Egyptian civilization from the founding of Memphis through the sacking of Thebes and invasion by Alexander the Great in 332 BC in this authoritative, remarkably concise history. (EGY54, $20.00)

Egypt Map

Egypt Map

by Nelles

  • 2010
  • MAP

A handy map with insets of Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Giza, the Nile River Valley, Cairo and other sites. (EGY03, $13.95)

 
Cairo Map

Cairo Map


by Cartographia

  • MAP

A colorful, folded map of Cairo on thick paper. Insets of Luxor, Alexandria and Heliopolis. Scale 1:13,000. (EGY163, $8.95)

Jordan Map

Jordan Map


by Cartographia

  • MAP

A folded, colorful map of Jordan at a scale of 1:700,000. (JRD18, $12.00)

Culture Smart! Egypt

Culture Smart! Egypt


by Jailan Zayan

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 168 PAGES

A handy pocket guide to understanding local customs and etiquette. (EGY196, $9.95)

Say It in Arabic (Egyptian)

Say It in Arabic (Egyptian)


by Farouk El-Baz

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 1968
  • PAPER
  • 185 PAGES

A guide to common words and phrases in the widely spoken Cairo dialect. (ARB54, $4.95)

Spectrum Guide to Jordan

Spectrum Guide to Jordan


by Camerapix

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 347 PAGES

This handsome guidebook features in-depth essays and hundreds of color photographs introducing the culture, history and archaeology of Jordan. With travel information, maps, wildlife checklists and information on politics and the economy. (JRD09, $22.95)

The Treasures of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings

The Treasures of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings


by Kent R. Weeks

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 563 PAGES

This illustrated, authoritative guide to the celebrated temples, tombs and art of Thebes by a leading scholar includes not only Luxor and Karnak but also the temples of Madinat Habu, Merenptah and Dayr al-bahari. (EGY295, $24.95)

Write Your Own Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Write Your Own Egyptian Hieroglyphs


by Angela McDonald

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 80 PAGES

Understand the language of the Pharaohs! McDonald's handy illustrated guide to reading, writing and understanding ancient Egyptian names, epithets, titles and phrases includes 50 color illustrations and 200 line drawings. (EGY25, $17.95)

A Traveller's History of Egypt

A Traveller's History of Egypt


by Harry Ades

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 452 PAGES

This effectively condensed chronological history takes in the full sweep from the earliest inhabitants to 21st century politics. (EGY180, $14.95)

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt


by David P. Silverman

  • HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A lavishly illustrated book featuring the latest scholarship on Egyptian archaeology. With essays on topics including language, ritual and economy and 200 color photographs, maps and charts, it's an excellent reference book for the traveler's library. (EGY37, $24.99)

Cairo Illustrated

Cairo Illustrated


by Michael Haag

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 96 PAGES

A warm, richly illustrated portrait of the city, featuring 125 color photographs of the people, monuments and attractions of Cairo alongside Michael Haag's insightful commentary. (EGY203, $22.95)

Cairo, The City Victorious

Cairo, The City Victorious


by Max Rodenbeck

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 300 PAGES

Rodenbeck presents his hometown in all its chaotic, marvelous glory, combining a lively history of the 5,000-year-old metropolis with description, anecdote and political commentary. (EGY38, $15.95)

Egypt, Beyond The Pyramids


by The History Channel

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • DVD
  • 4 PAGES

These four programs, originally presented on The History Channel, interweave footage of tombs and monuments, interviews, computer animation and archival footage. Narrated by Peter Woodward. (EGY135, $39.95)

Imagining Egypt, A Living Portrait of the Time of the Pharaohs

Imagining Egypt, A Living Portrait of the Time of the Pharaohs


by Mark Millmore

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2007
  • HARD COVER
  • 192 PAGES

Millmore animates the history, culture and daily life of the people of ancient Egypt in this lively illustrated overview. The book is filled with original drawings and diagrams, color photographs, essays and stunning 3-D computer renderings. (EGY202, $24.95)

Inside Egypt

Inside Egypt


by John R. Bradley

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A reporter in the region since 1999, Bradley pulls no punches in this highly readable expose of the politics and policies of Mubarak's military and modern Egypt. (EGY261, $16.00)

Islam, A Short History

Islam, A Short History


by Karen Armstrong

  • RELIGION
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 230 PAGES

Armstrong brings authority and experience to this vivid, clear-headed survey of the history and impact of Islam from the birth of Muhammad to present-day challenges. (ISL15, $15.95)

Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women

Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women


by Geraldine Brooks

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A highly readable overview of the role of women in Islamic society, drawn from the author's many interviews with women throughout the Arab World. (ARB06, $15.00)

Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs, A Popular History of Ancient Egypt

Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs, A Popular History of Ancient Egypt


by Barbara Mertz

  • HISTORY
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 324 PAGES

Mertz's great enthusiasm and formidable scholarship brings ancient Egypt to life for the general reader in this updated classic. She's also the author, writing as Elizabeth Peters, of the best-selling Amelia Peabody mysteries. (EGY27, $15.99)

The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt

The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt


by Richard Wilkinson

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

This superbly illustrated survey covers Egyptian temple life from construction of the monuments to society, religious rites, festivals and discovery. (EGY238, $39.95)

The Egyptians

The Egyptians


by Cyril Aldred

  • HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

A volume in the "Ancient Peoples and Places" series, this classic book is an outstanding account of the history and culture of ancient Egypt. With hundreds of illustrations and maps. (EGY26, $18.95)

The White Nile

The White Nile


by Alan Moorehead

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 431 PAGES

A lively history of the Victorian search for the source of the Nile including the extraordinary tales of Burton and Speke, not to mention the famous meeting of Livingstone and Stanley. With vivid descriptions of Zanzibar, the last days of Khartoum and the building of the Suez Canal. (EGY79, $14.99)

Tutankhamun, The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs

Tutankhamun, The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs


by Zahi Hawass

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 264 PAGES

The official companion to the international exhibition, featuring 180 color photographs. (EGY244, $40.00)

Alexandria Rediscovered

Alexandria Rediscovered


by Stephane Compoint | Jean-Yves Empereur

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 1998
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

A photographic record of ancient Alexandria, with text by the archaeologist who excavated the ruins in the 1990s, discussing the findings and what they reveal about this great Hellenistic city. (EGY86, $60.00)

Cleopatra, The Life and Death of a Pharaoh

Cleopatra, The Life and Death of a Pharaoh


by Edith Flamarion | Alexandra Bonfante-Warren

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Part of the "Discoveries" series, this illustrated, pocket-size biography of Cleopatra follows the life, the empire and the noteworthy loves of Egypt's most famous queen. (EGY82, $12.95)

Hidden Treasures of Ancient Egypt, Unearthing the Masterpieces of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo


by Zahi Hawass

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER

This a well-photographed history of the Cairo Museum and of archaeology in Egypt, published in conjunction with a new permanent exhibit, features 120 color photographs and incisive text by the head of Egypt's antiquities council. (EGY201, $35.00)

KV 5, A Preliminary Report on the Tomb of the Sons of Rameses II in the Valley of the Kings


by Kent Weeks

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 201 PAGES

Revised to reflect recent findings, this source book covers the corridors and chambers of this largest tomb ever found in Egypt in detail. (EGY296, $34.50)

The Art of Ancient Egypt

The Art of Ancient Egypt


by Gay Robins

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

Organized chronologically, this authoritative survey of the tombs, temples and sanctuaries of ancient Egypt features 300 illustrations. (EGY52, $30.50)

The Complete Pyramids

The Complete Pyramids


by Mark Lehner

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A fully illustrated compendium of every major pyramid in Egypt by the director of the Giza mapping project. With 450 maps, photographs, reconstructions and site diagrams. (EGY33, $26.95)

The Complete Valley of the Kings

The Complete Valley of the Kings


by Nicholas Reeves | Richard Wilkinson

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

A thorough and intriguing look at the burial place of the New Kingdom pharaohs, this book brings together the art, architecture and history of the valley; contains profiles of archaeologists, diagrams and detailed site descriptions. (EGY14, $26.95)

The Giza Plateau Mapping Project


by Mark Lehner

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2007
  • PAPER

This first volume of the Giza technical reports, with a forward by Zahi Hawass, covers the project history, survey, ceramics, and the Main Street and Gallery III.4. With foldout maps, drawings, photographs and site plans. (EGY297, $60.00)

The Great Pyramids

The Great Pyramids


by Jean-Pierre Corteggiani

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

The newest addition to the acclaimed Discoveries series, this lavishly illustrated pocket encyclopedia illuminates the archaeology, history and splendor of Giza, last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. (EGY221, $12.95)

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel


by Zahi Hawass | Farouk Hosni

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 64 PAGES

A short overview of the temples of Abu Simbel by a noted Egyptologist. With 78 color illustrations. (EGY111, $15.95)

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, Official Companion Book to the Exhibition Sponsored by National Geographic


by Zahi Hawass

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2005
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

The lavishly illustrated exhibition catalogue for the comprehensive Tut exhibit now touring the U.S. Written by the Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. (EGY148, $35.00)

Valley of the Golden Mummies


by Zahi Hawass

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2000
  • HARD COVER
  • 224 PAGES

Featuring some 250 color illustrations, this book by the director of excavation at the site reveals the lives, customs, and religious beliefs of this until now little-known community. (EGY74, $49.95)

Apricots on the Nile, A Memoir with Recipes

Apricots on the Nile, A Memoir with Recipes


by Colette Rossant

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Rossant's zesty tale of waiting out WWII on the Nile in Cairo's Garden City with her father's extended Egyptian-Jewish family. With recipes. (EGY213, $12.00)

Down the Nile, Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff

Down the Nile, Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff


by Rosemary Mahoney

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 273 PAGES

Mahoney weaves the tale of her quest to row the Nile with deft portraits of the people she meets in this marvelously engaging chronicle. (EGY207, $14.99)

Out of Egypt, A Memoir

Out of Egypt, A Memoir


by Andre Aciman

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 339 PAGES

Aciman transports us to Alexandria and the richly imagined world of his eccentric, polyglot Jewish family in this dazzling memoir. (EGY19, $17.00)

The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, A Jewish Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World

The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, A Jewish Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World


by Lucette Lagnado

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 368 PAGES

Lagnado poignantly evokes the life of her marvelously social father (the "boulevardier of Cairo") and his milieu in this textured memoir. (EGY215, $14.99)

Traveling Through Egypt, From 450 B.C. to the Twentieth Century

Traveling Through Egypt, From 450 B.C. to the Twentieth Century


by Sahar Abdel-Hakim | Deborah Manley

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 255 PAGES

From Herodotus to Napoleon, Flaubert to Twain, Egypt has long enchanted travelers, as shown by this choice anthology of excerpts from centuries of travelogues, histories and memoirs. (EGY237, $24.95)

Walking the Bible, A Journey by Land through the Five Books of Moses

Walking the Bible, A Journey by Land through the Five Books of Moses


by Bruce Feiler

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

An account of a 10,000-mile trek through the Biblical lands of the Middle East in the company of an Israeli archaeologist. It's part travelogue, part pilgrimage, and part quest for religious meaning. (MDE50, $14.99)

Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile


by Agatha Christie

  • MYSTERY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 333 PAGES

How could we resist? Christie wrote Egypt's most famous murder mystery on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. (EGY09, $12.99)

Karnak Cafe

Karnak Cafe


by Naguib Mahfouz

  • LITERATURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

In this gripping and suspenseful novella from the Egyptian Nobel Prize-winner, three young friends survive interrogation by the secret police, only to find their lives poisoned by suspicion, fear and betrayal. (EGY245, $13.00)

Palace Walk

Palace Walk


by Naguib Mahfouz

  • LITERATURE
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 504 PAGES

The first volume in the monumental Cairo Trilogy, a family saga set in post-WWI Egypt. Nobel Prize-winning Mahfouz provides insight into life in Egypt and the revolution against the British. (EGY04, $16.00)

The Egyptologist, A Novel

The Egyptologist, A Novel


by Arthur Phillips

  • LITERATURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

A playful and clever novel convincingly set in the milieu of 1920s Egyptian archaeology. Phillips deftly combines historical personages and events with wild invention. (EGY128, $15.00)

The Yacoubian Building

The Yacoubian Building


by Alaa Al Aswany

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 255 PAGES

The politics, repressed desires, hopes and dreams of Cairo are reflected through the lives of the inhabitants of a once grand apartment house in this deft novel of contemporary Egypt. (EGY175, $13.99)

Fishwatcher's Field Guide Red Sea

Fishwatcher's Field Guide Red Sea


by Jerry Greenberg

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • PLASTIC CARD

This double-sided plastic card shows 64 of the most commonly encountered reef fish of the Red Sea in full-color illustrations, convenient for the boat or beach. (DIV13, $7.50)

More Recommendations

Here are some other groups of books that might be of interest

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.