The temples of Abu Simbel have fascinated travelers since they became known to the Western world in the nineteenth century. And since the 1960s when the rising waters created by the Aswan High Dam threatened to engulf the site, visitors' imaginations have been captivated by the elaborate international rescue operation, described by the author as ''a great moment that no one will ever forget: the most advanced technology of the twentieth century was used to save one of the most amazing achievements of a civilization that preceeded it by 3,300 years.'' Prepared by one of the world's best-known Egyptologists, Dr. Zahi Hawass, this lavishly illustrated book is the ideal companion on a visit to the unique monuments of Abu Simbel.

In ancient times, Egypt extended its influence over Nubia, a vast geographical area that lies between Aswan and the confluence of the White Nile and the Blue Nile. Rich and updated scientific essays, color photographs and detailed maps lead the reader on a virtual visit to the archaeological sites in order to fully understand and appreciate the history of the Egyptian domination of Nubia.

Despite the tremendous shock of the Battle of Kadesh, Ramses has not managed to bring the formidable Hittite might to its knees. Rather than continue the struggle, he decides to engage in negotiation. But more important than anything to Ramses is the love he bears the Great Royal Consort, and he decides to offer Nefertari the most fabulous of gifts: at Abu Simbel two temples will be built - symbols of their eternal love. Meanwhile shadows are gathering, from Nubia to the sovereign's own capital of Pi-Ramses and Ramses must come face to face with Moses, the childhood friend whom he had lost sight of for so many years: Moses, who has returned to Egypt to demand the exodus of the Hebrew people.

Folklore, temple and tomb paintings, and hieroglyphic texts are drawn upon to explore the potent and pervading legacy of magic and ritual in ancient Egypt, a legacy that has survived to the present day. To the Egyptians, magic was an exact science with rules that were necessarily observed to placate the gods, ensure good fortune, cure the sick, and guarantee a safe passage through the underworld. This book provides insight into the full meaning of rituals that were designed to ensure health and happiness, preserve life, and smooth the moments of passage birth, marriage, death, and the continuum of years."

After four decades of research and multiple trips to Egypt, Brown believes he has solved the mystery of the Great Pyramid of Giza. He has concluded that the pyramid fits the profile of a type of chemical laser and that the Giza Plateau functioned as a massive industrial complex. Following the architectural principle that form follows function, Brown recognized it was impossible to enter the so-called burial chamber in the Great Pyramid because of the small size of the passage (less than four-feet square) and the extreme angle of the interior passages. This huge stone structure did not align with the supposed purpose, or with ancient Egyptian burial practices. Recently, a man-made tunnel was discovered under the Giza Plateau that connects the Great Pyramid to the Nile. In ancient times the annual flood waters from the Nile coursed through the Great Pyramid, and through a powerful chemical process created what Brown calls Earthmilk, electrified water. This enhanced elixir served many purposes, including enlivening the human body and flowing into the river to enrich animal life and soil on the banks, resulting in rich and abundant crops. Fire in Middle outlines Brown's compelling research and his journey of discovery. The book includes more than 350 stunning full-color images and diagrams. This is the second in a series of three volumes of research and evidence gathered from grassroots expeditions to Giza, Luxor, Saqqara, Abydos and Abu Simbel. This ground-breaking and ongoing research presents compelling evidence that the traditional interpretations of ancient Egyptian pyramids need to be reconsidered and re-evaluated.

"Abu Simbel: The Miracle of the Sun" by Ahmed Saleh provides a detailed exploration of the historical and architectural significance of the Abu Simbel temples, built by Ramses II in the 13th century BC. The book delves into the geographical and cultural context of Abu Simbel, a small town near the Egyptian-Sudanese border. It highlights the construction and purpose of the grand Temple of Ramses II and the smaller Temple of Nefertari, emphasizing their role in the political and religious landscape of ancient Egypt. The temples are celebrated for their remarkable solar alignment, where twice a year, the sun illuminates the inner sanctum of the Great Temple, highlighting Ramses II's devotion to the sun gods Re-Hor-Akhty and Amun-Re. This phenomenon underscores the Egyptians' advanced understanding of astronomy and their ability to incorporate it into monumental architecture." The book also addresses the modern history of Abu Simbel, particularly the rescue mission during the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s, which threatened to submerge the temples under Lake Nasser. An international effort led to the meticulous relocation of the temples to higher ground, preserving their historical and cultural value. The text provides insights into the artistic and architectural features of the temples, including the colossal statues of Ramses II, detailed reliefs depicting his military exploits, and the symbolic representations of his divine kingship. Additionally, it explores the broader historical impact of Ramses II's reign, marked by extensive building projects and military campaigns, which solidified his legacy as one of Egypt's most powerful and influential pharaohs."

Missing in Egypt will intrigue you with its twists and turns, romance and adventure as well as its insights into Australian and Egyptian cultures. Australian Anna Davies travels to Egypt with her lover to help him search for his brother, who disappeared whilst on holiday. The Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and the Temple of Karnak are amongst the settings for their search. Will they be able to track him down and find him alive - or is Ramy already dead? What tragedies await Anna and Kareem as they come closer to retracing his footsteps? This fast-paced action plot will keep you guessing until the end.

The Winter Vault is a stunning, richly layered, and timeless novel that is everything we could hope for for Michaels’s second novel—and more. Set in Canada and Egypt, and with flashbacks to England and Poland after the war, The Winter Vault is a spellbinding love story that juxtaposes momentous historical events with the most intimate moments of individual lives. In 1964, a newly married Canadian couple settle into a houseboat on the Nile just below Abu Simbel. At the time of the building of the Aswam dam, Avery Escher is one of the engineers responsible for the dismantling and reconstruction of a sacred temple, a “machine-worshipper” who is nonetheless sensitive to their destructive power. Jean is a botanist by avocation, passionately interested in everything that grows. They met on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, witnessing the construction of the Seaway as it swallowed towns, homes, and lives. Now, at the edge of another world about to be inundated in the name of progress, much of what they most believe in is tested. When a tragic event occurs, nearing the end of Avery’s time in Egypt, he and Jean return to separate lives in Toronto; Avery to school to study architecture and Jean into the orbit of Lucjan, a Polish émigré artist whose haunting tales of occupied Warsaw pull her further from her husband, while offering her the chance to assume her most essential life. Breathtaking, vivid in its exploration of both the physical and emotional worlds of its characters, intensely moving and lyrical, The Winter Vault is a radiant work of fiction and contains all the elements for which Anne Michaels is celebrated.

The launching of this hitherto unpublished book by the great nineteenth-century British traveler Edward William Lane (1801-76), a name known to almost everyone in all the many fields of Middle East studies, is a major publishing event. Lane was the author of a number of highly influential works: An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians (1836), his translation of The Thousand and One Nights (1839-41), Selections from the Kur-an (1843), and the Arabic-English Lexicon (1863-93). Yet one of his greatest works was never published: after years of labor and despite an enthusiastic reception by the publishing firm of John Murray in 1831, publication of his first book, Description of Egypt, was delayed and eventually dropped, mainly for financial reasons. The manuscript was sold to the British Library by Lane's widow in 1891, and has only now been salvaged for publication by Dr. Jason Thompson, nearly 170 years after its completion. This enormously important book, which takes the form of a journey through Egypt from north to south, with descriptions of all the ancient monuments and contemporary life that Lane explored along the way, will be of immense interest to both ancient and modern historians of Egypt, and will become an essential companion to his Manners and Customs. ''Jason Thompson's exact and dedicated edition deserves much praise.''-Astene Newsletter, June 2002. ''Thompson, a historian at AUC, has done signal service in taking a manuscript dating from 1831 and preparing it for publication so many years later; AUC Press deserves praise for making so major a work available, and at so reasonable a price.''-Daniel Pipes, Middle East Quarterly, June 2001. ''In all, the appearance of this major work of scholarship at this late date is a major boon to the study of Egypt's history between the pharaohs and 18280.''-Daniel Pipes, Middle East Quarterly, June 2001.