Love Lyrics of Ancient Egypt Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My introduction to the love poetry of Egypt came in a course on the Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon) which used as a text Michael Fox's The Song of Songs and the Ancient Egyptian Love Songs. Ms. Fowler has translated these poems with philogical assistance from Fox. The result is a very readable translation - enjoyable on it's own. However, I found myself going back to Fox for the background to truly understand some of the poems - the cultural chasm and the passage of time eroded the meaning of the poems to me.
However, the translations are lightly footnoted with required information e.g. that Menqet is the goddess of beer or that a word is added for meter. While I prefer translations that stand on their own, this is a good choice for an introduction to a little known poetry that had significant impact on our culture indirectly via the Song of Songs

Click Here to see more reviews about: Love Lyrics of Ancient Egypt

Click here for more information about Love Lyrics of Ancient Egypt

Read More...

Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a wonderful collection of stories and poems from ancient Egypt, translated of course. Someone once said "Poetry is that which is lost in translation," but that does not hold true for this book. Most of its stories are in poetic form, and they are all as fascinating and engaging as any non-translated work might be.
Some of the best works in the book are its love poems, which range from tender and sweet to erotic-and often both. They are delightful to read, not to mention startlingly modern; love has not changed much over 3000 years, it appears.
For a glimpse at what life 3000 years ago might have been like; or a taste of the incredible culture that existed then; or an eye-opening example of how close we are to people from all places and times; or simply a fabulous collection of literature, I would definitely recommend this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology

Read More...