James Putnam

While written for children, these mummies from Egyptian to South American to peat to catacomb, are presented in such detail, even clinical detail, to satisfy even adult, morbid curiosity. There is easily two thirds images to one third text so while slim, this page-turner is an album of dessicated curiosities.

One thing that stood out to me was the modern (neo-lithic) mountain ice mummy found with a more advanced copper axe than was expected. It always makes me wonder how survivor bias makes show more us tend to discount the advances of our forebears. Antikythera mechanism, anyone? show less

Outstanding visual encyclopedia, more geared towards younger audiences, about the history and documentation of mummies! Even if you are not of younger age, this guide gives a lot of intriguing and beautiful photographs regarding mummies and many well presented bite-sized facts. It doesn't just cover the mummies of Egypt - but also the embalming and preservation in bogs and ice. I wish this book was longer!

A visual documentary of the history and legends of mummies. This very attractive book covers the topic completely, exploring every dimension of mummies, not just the well known Egyptian variety. Natural mummies and man-made mummies, South American embalming customs and Egyptian, and the many beliefs that contributed to the process. Along with this wealth of information are an abundance of high quality photographs of every item imaginable, from dissected mummies to old movie posters.

What a show more great book for lovers of ancient Egyptology. For some reason, that topic has a broad appeal to children and adults alike. This book builds on that interest and uses it to teach children about the wider ranging use of mummies and their cultural implications. I personally learned a lot reading this, and I thought I already knew a bit about the topic. The information is contained in small paragraphs or picture captions, so it is not too overwhelming. This is an optimal presentation of a wealth of information, much like the other books in the Eyewitness series. show less

The Eyewitness Books series is one of my personal favorites. They provide a headfirst dive into a subject with vibrant illustrations and clear explanations of different aspects of the topic. Pyramid does not disappoint with its coverage of Egyptian, Mesoamerican, and modern incarnations of pyramids. A thorough index allows for quick reference.