Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century

Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century by Christina Riggs

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


*** Possible Spoilers ***

DNF

I got this in audio format. It was classified as history and I expected a work on ancient Egypt; however, the century referenced in the title is the hundred years of archaeology involved in the discovery. I might have continued but the author made it clear this book had precious little to do with Egypt, history or Tutankhamun. In audio format this book is eleven hours, thirteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds in length. Within the first fifteen minutes the author uses words and phrases such as, 'systemic racism', 'global inequities', 'climate change', 'western colonialism', 'systems that relied on racism through and through', 'empire building', 'capitalist excess', 'cold war politics', 'dizzying detrimental heights reached by weapon sales and fossil fuel extraction in the Middle East', and others of that nature.

I might have continued despite the above; however I decided this book was definitely not for me when I came to the following: "It draws on personal history as well. In this book I weave together memoir, travel, art and archeology in order to write a history that is revisionist in the best and truest sense of that word." In short, this is a work of fiction.

By "best and truest sense of that word" she means it will most likely ascribe to the Critical Theory that is part and parcel of Marxist ideology. In simple terms, one is apparently presented with over eleven hours of left wing drivel. Not for me.

If your politics is right of center you are best to skip this one. If you are of the political left, you may enjoy it but you may find it boring. I suspect that even the most radical of the political left can stomach only so much preaching before packing it in.

Frankly I don't recommend this for anyone.







View all my reviews