James Henry Breasted (1865–1935)

This a very readable book regardless of its age and subject. But its greatness is found in an amazing lesson from history. Mr. Breasted effectively demonstrates how priestly literalism - driven by greed - undermined the development of a very precocious system of ethics that began in the Middle Kingdom by turning the wrongly named "Books of the Dead" into the equivalent of cosmic "get out of jail free cards" very similar to the infamous Papal Indulgences. A deep awareness of how this came show more about is essential to the ability to recognize the development of such nefarious trends in our own society. This book should be an essential part of the overall reading list of all public school systems. Moreover, it should be included in the dreaded, mandatory classes that tend to be the most feared by every undergraduate and that usually include the word "symposium" in their titles. The quality of his writing and the extraordinarily concise manner with which he covers such a broad and complex subject make this work a trenchant example of an important lesson of history, of amazing clarity of thought, and of the brilliant use of the English language. show less

Sets out to prove that morality was conceived of by the ancient Egyptians and that some passages in the Old Testament of a more elevated nature are taken from Egyptian writings. In essence, a book on the origins of Christian theology and an argument against any sort of divine revelation. Ultimately, a very thick book, and just not a compelling question for me.

Ancient Egypt's reputation as a land of healers is not well-known except by scholars. Even among the learned, it has been eclipsed by Greece since it was Grecian medicine that was preserved through the Romans and, later, the Arabs. Nevertheless, it was in Pharonic Egypt that the practice of medicine first reached its height.

The first Egyptian physician to gain fame was Imhotep, whose skill (along with his abilities as an architect and builder) was so great that he was later recognized as a show more God. Later, places of healing (called "per ankh" or "house of life") appeared near or in temple complexes throughout the land.

While Grecian medical practice can be traced back to only the fourth century BCE, evidence indicates that there was a organized system of medicine in Egypt dating back, at least, 4,500 years, to the time of the Pyramid builders. One of the most important pieces of evidence is the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus. show less

Interesting on the relations between the ancient Egyptians and the Hebrews, including monotheism. Dated, but still a good general introduction, as long as one goes on to absorb current research.