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Serket72 Citizen


Joined: 24 Jul 2019 Posts: 5
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Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 4:57 pm Post subject: Best book on Amenhotep III? |
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I’ve always tended to gloss over the reign of Amenhotep III but am now anxious to put this right. So can anyone tell me the best book on this pharaoh? I can see at least three listed on amazon: ‘Egypt’s Radiant Pharaoh’ by Arielle Kozloff; ‘Perspectives on his reign’ Eds. O’Connor & Cline; and ‘Egypt’s Sun King’ by Joann Fletcher. Is one better than the others, or should I just save my pennies and buy all three??!!!
Also, are there are any historical fiction books about Amenhotep III? I’ve read plenty of Amarna novels where he makes an appearance at the beginning but can’t think of any in which he is the main protagonist. |
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Montuhotep88 Priest


Joined: 12 Dec 2008 Posts: 563 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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The most readable and engaging one of those is Fletcher's. She's currently somewhat unpopular in Egyptological circles because of her views on what she considered Nefertiti's mummy, but her book on Amenhotep III is enjoyable.
Kozloff's book is more scholarly-- both in the sense of a little denser reading and in the sense of well-supported with annotations, etc. But I would recommend it as well.
I have not yet read O'Connor and Cline, though I intend to.
Between the two I've read, if you want a smooth, fun read, opt for Fletcher; if you want a more academic take, go with Kozloff.
(There is also a large exhibition catalog titled "Egypt's Dazzling Sun," edited by Betsy Bryan and Kozloff; it's worth the time as well.) |
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Lutz Pharaoh


Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 4060 Location: Berlin, Germany
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 6:19 am Post subject: |
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Montuhotep88 wrote: | ... Kozloff's book is more scholarly-- both in the sense of a little denser reading and in the sense of well-supported with annotations, etc. But I would recommend it as well. ... |
With "scholarly" I would be a little more cautious, for both books (Fletcher & Kozloff). They are both in many parts largely fictional and full of statements, that archeologically probably can not really be proved.
Example from Kozloff, page 21 :
Quote: | "The infant Amenhotep was born at Mi-wer to Prince Thutmose, a son of Pharaoh Amenhotep II, who was in the fifteenth year of his reign, about 1412–1411 B.C. by modern reckoning.
The little boy was not perfect: he had a clubfoot, but that was a relatively common feature of this family, judging by the mummies thought to be theirs. This malformation would never appear in any of his portraits, nor was there a hint of it in his inscriptions. ..." |
It would be new to me that we have a "birth certificate" from any king. Even with the deformation of the foot, the author leans quite far out of the window (looking at the condition of the preserved mummy).
Montuhotep88 wrote: | ... I have not yet read O'Connor and Cline, though I intend to. ... |
I can only recommend ... For this book the designation "scholarly" really applies :
Amenhotep III - Perspectives on His Reign. - [Ed. David O'Connor / Eric H. Cline]. - Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 1998. - XVI, 393 p., pl.
For historical fiction books about Amenhotep III (beside Fletcher ) see the works by Pauline Gedge.
Greetings, Lutz. _________________ Ägyptologie Forum (German) |
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Serket72 Citizen


Joined: 24 Jul 2019 Posts: 5
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:29 am Post subject: |
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Okay, thanks. It sounds as if Fletcher's book (despite its flaws) would be the best to read first. |
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Montuhotep88 Priest


Joined: 12 Dec 2008 Posts: 563 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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I think you'll like it. As Lutz may agree, if you go into it keeping in mind that there's a heavy layer of interpretation on top of a relatively few facts (better than in the ensuing Amarna period, but still...) and take it as opinion or extrapolation instead of "the truth," you shouldn't go far wrong.
Reading a lot of Egyptological works is like surfing or skateboarding... you have to be aware of the waves and bumps and not let things like differences the way things are spelled in English (or German) (or even in transcription) throw you off... and, especially when getting towards Amarna, if you get three experts together to talk about the topic, you'll get at least four different opinions.  |
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karnsculpture Scribe

Joined: 27 May 2010 Posts: 307
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Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:13 am Post subject: |
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I have Kosloff's book but can't accept some of the conclusions (for example AIII is assumed to be older than most scholars believe he was on accession to the throne), however it is one worth getting as it quite rightly highlights that we lack information about much of the middle years of the reign. One to read to act as the starting point for you to reach your own conclusions. |
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Lutz Pharaoh


Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 4060 Location: Berlin, Germany
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Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Montuhotep88 wrote: | ... As Lutz may agree, if you go into it keeping in mind that there's a heavy layer of interpretation on top of a relatively few facts ... |
He agrees ...  _________________ Ägyptologie Forum (German) |
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