Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction
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- Author：Lynne Olson
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Summary
The extraordinary story of the intrepid French archaeologist who led the international effort to save ancient Egyptian temples from the floodwaters of the Aswan Dam， from the New York Times bestselling author of Madame Fourcade's Secret War
In the 1960s， the world's attention was focused on a nail-biting race against time: Fifty countries contributed nearly a billion dollars to save a dozen ancient Egyptian temples， built during the height of the pharaohs' rule， from drowning in the floodwaters of the gigantic new Aswan High Dam。 But the massive press coverage of this unprecedented rescue effort completely overlooked the gutsy French archaeologist who made it all happen。 Without the intervention of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， the temples--including the Metropolitan Museum's Temple of Dendur--would be at the bottom of a huge reservoir。 It was a project of unimaginable size and complexity that required the fragile sandstone temples to be dismantled， stone by stone， and rebuilt on higher ground。
A willful， real-life version of Indiana Jones， Desroches-Noblecourt refused to be cowed by anyone or anything。 As a member of the French Resistance in World War II she had survived imprisonment by the Nazis; in her fight to save the temples she defied two of the most daunting leaders of the postwar world， Egyptian President Abdel Nasser and French President Charles de Gaulle。 As she told one reporter， "You don't get anywhere without a fight， you know。"
Yet Desroches-Noblecourt was not the only woman who played a crucial role in the endeavor。 The other was Jacqueline Kennedy， America's new First Lady， who persuaded her husband to call on Congress to help fund the rescue effort。 After a century and a half of Western plunder of Egypt's ancient monuments， Desroches-Noblecourt had done the opposite。 She had helped preserve a crucial part of its cultural heritage and， just as important， made sure it remained in its homeland。
In the 1960s， the world's attention was focused on a nail-biting race against time: Fifty countries contributed nearly a billion dollars to save a dozen ancient Egyptian temples， built during the height of the pharaohs' rule， from drowning in the floodwaters of the gigantic new Aswan High Dam。 But the massive press coverage of this unprecedented rescue effort completely overlooked the gutsy French archaeologist who made it all happen。 Without the intervention of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， the temples--including the Metropolitan Museum's Temple of Dendur--would be at the bottom of a huge reservoir。 It was a project of unimaginable size and complexity that required the fragile sandstone temples to be dismantled， stone by stone， and rebuilt on higher ground。
A willful， real-life version of Indiana Jones， Desroches-Noblecourt refused to be cowed by anyone or anything。 As a member of the French Resistance in World War II she had survived imprisonment by the Nazis; in her fight to save the temples she defied two of the most daunting leaders of the postwar world， Egyptian President Abdel Nasser and French President Charles de Gaulle。 As she told one reporter， "You don't get anywhere without a fight， you know。"
Yet Desroches-Noblecourt was not the only woman who played a crucial role in the endeavor。 The other was Jacqueline Kennedy， America's new First Lady， who persuaded her husband to call on Congress to help fund the rescue effort。 After a century and a half of Western plunder of Egypt's ancient monuments， Desroches-Noblecourt had done the opposite。 She had helped preserve a crucial part of its cultural heritage and， just as important， made sure it remained in its homeland。
Reviews
Rebecca Hill
，
This was a fascinating view of the life of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， and her work in Egyptology。 When many others were focusing on "proper" rules of the day， Christiane defied convention and went after her dreams。I enjoyed the book immensely， and for those who enjoy history - and Egyptian history， this is one book that will appeal to you！ This was a fascinating view of the life of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， and her work in Egyptology。 When many others were focusing on "proper" rules of the day， Christiane defied convention and went after her dreams。I enjoyed the book immensely， and for those who enjoy history - and Egyptian history， this is one book that will appeal to you！ 。。。more
Amanda Bruner
，
When I was a young child I dreamed of becoming an Egyptologist。 Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt is a woman I consider an influence in my decision to follow my dreams at 38。 I am honored to read her story and keep her legacy alive。 448 pages of this kindle book are filled with her love of history， protective nature of Egyptian art and her passion for preservation。 I was delighted to read her love of Egyptian artifacts and what lengths she went to save them。 I don't want to spoil the book for read When I was a young child I dreamed of becoming an Egyptologist。 Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt is a woman I consider an influence in my decision to follow my dreams at 38。 I am honored to read her story and keep her legacy alive。 448 pages of this kindle book are filled with her love of history， protective nature of Egyptian art and her passion for preservation。 I was delighted to read her love of Egyptian artifacts and what lengths she went to save them。 I don't want to spoil the book for readers but if you love a strong woman and Egyptology you will fly through this book， just as I did。 Lynne Olson is a gifted historical author and Empress of a Nile is another successful capture of history！ I appreciate the conversations around colonialism， war， theft and repatriation。 Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Anne Morgan
，
Historian Lynne Olson， best known for her fantastic books on little known aspects of World War II history， （Last Hope Island） gives us another little known but hugely influential story in Empress of the Nile。 Along the lines of Madame Fourcade's Secret War， Empress of the Nile focuses on a Frenchwoman- Christine Desroches-Noblecourt， a resistance fighter during World War II。 But what I thought would be the most interesting part of her story ended up being only a small part， and by no means the m Historian Lynne Olson， best known for her fantastic books on little known aspects of World War II history， （Last Hope Island） gives us another little known but hugely influential story in Empress of the Nile。 Along the lines of Madame Fourcade's Secret War， Empress of the Nile focuses on a Frenchwoman- Christine Desroches-Noblecourt， a resistance fighter during World War II。 But what I thought would be the most interesting part of her story ended up being only a small part， and by no means the most fascinating。Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was fascinated by Egypt from a young age and was fortunate enough to have parents who supported her in following her dreams。 She became the first female archaeologist and Egyptologist in France， facing incredible hostility from the men in her field， who didn't want her on dig sites。 They disliked her presence in general， her talent and intelligence， her familiarity and positive working relationship with the local Egyptian workers， and her successes。 When not on a dig in Egypt she was working at the Louvre。 As the Nazi threat began to loom， the Louvre packed up its treasures and shipped them to different places for protection， with Christiane helping catalog， pack， and transport the Egyptian collections。 She remained in Paris during the occupation and was part of the first resistance group against the Nazis， a fascinating collection of men and women who were mostly museum workers but were able to help hide escaping POWs in their museums and get them to safety， among many other things。 When Christiane was arrested， questioned， and then released by Nazi officers she knew she would be under surveillance and backed away from the group to keep her friends in the movement safe。 While I thought this early part of her life would have been the most fascinating， what really captivated me was what came after the war。 Christiane worked with Egyptian officials， UNESCO， and other agencies during the 1960s to save Abu Simbel， the Temple at Philae， and other priceless monuments from being lost to flooding with the building of the new Aswan High Dam。 She was the visionary and the driving force behind the effort， even though she received little credit then or now。 It was Desroches-Noblecourt who brought experts and professionals from around the world together to work on a project with no political motivation， just pure desire to save archaeological treasures for the good of humankind。Lynne Olson describes the race to save Abu Simbel， the Temple of Philae， and the other endangered monuments in breathtaking details that leave the reader's heart racing， desperate to find out what will happen next and how they will succeed。 What will go wrong？ How will they triumph？ What political disasters will get in the way？ The reader feels some of what Desroches-Noblecourt must have felt as she worked nonstop to save the temples。 Along the way I learned a lot about the politics of Egypt， from when France and England took over during the 1800s through the 1960s and how the world's politics affected Egyptology。 And how this can be overcome when a few voices prove what really matters。 Empress of the Nile is a fascinating story of the little known life of Christiane Desroche-Noblecourt and her life long dedication to discovering， interpreting， and preserving Egypt's past。 Carefully researched and beautifully written， this is the story of a strong and dedicated woman who inspired generations of archaeologists， and should inspire future generations of people to go for their dreams， no matter how impossible they seem。 Because sometimes， you can move mountains。I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 。。。more
Brenda
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French Egyptologist/archaeologist Christine Desroches-Noblecourt was a dynamic force in an era when educated women were scoffed and mocked。 But Christine became an advocate， advisor， teacher， mentor and rescuer of important Egyptian artifacts。 During WWII she was instrumental in protecting works of art and antiquities in the Louvre。 She was also part of the French resistance。 Later， when proposed construction of the Aswan High Dam meant that many ancient structures and temples would be flooded， French Egyptologist/archaeologist Christine Desroches-Noblecourt was a dynamic force in an era when educated women were scoffed and mocked。 But Christine became an advocate， advisor， teacher， mentor and rescuer of important Egyptian artifacts。 During WWII she was instrumental in protecting works of art and antiquities in the Louvre。 She was also part of the French resistance。 Later， when proposed construction of the Aswan High Dam meant that many ancient structures and temples would be flooded， she was adamant that they be moved to higher ground， an almost laughable task。 Author Lynne Olson describes Christine's life from birth to her death， detailing her impactful and resourceful personality。 Her perseverance and determination saved important Egyptian treasures （and therefore history） from certain death。 Of course this was incredibly expensive and painstaking but Christine pushed and pushed and was able to get this and many other projects financed。 Jacqueline Kennedy's passion for Egyptology is described （a wee bit too much on that in my view） as is the government of Egypt's perspective。 Fascinating stuff。If you are at all interested in Egyptology as I am （or even if you're not！）， Empress of the Nile is an unmissable true story which will mesmerize and impress。 My favourite aspect was learning in mind blowing detail how the Nubian temples， particularly Abu Simbel， were cut and moved， something I've wondered about for years。 The photographs are lovely， personal and effective。 Learning about Christine reading and translating hieroglyphics is fascinating as well。My sincere thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this extraordinary book。 I absorbed the information like a sponge and feel smarter about a subject dear to my heart！ 。。。more
Naomi's Bookshelf
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This book is an amazing story about a woman who lived an incredible life。 I was in awe of what she lived through， what she did， and how she never followed the status quo。 We follow Christiane from her childhood all the way through WW2 and Egyptology’s sexism to her campaign to save monuments on the Nile。 I took my time reading through every chapter and it was a fascinating way the spend my time。 This book covers so many years but puts an emphasis on the post war efforts。 I learned things I never This book is an amazing story about a woman who lived an incredible life。 I was in awe of what she lived through， what she did， and how she never followed the status quo。 We follow Christiane from her childhood all the way through WW2 and Egyptology’s sexism to her campaign to save monuments on the Nile。 I took my time reading through every chapter and it was a fascinating way the spend my time。 This book covers so many years but puts an emphasis on the post war efforts。 I learned things I never thoughts to seek out and I recommend you seek out this biography as you will not regret it。 I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review。 。。。more
Sharon
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I’ve discovered that Lynne Olson’s nonfiction books are every bit as engaging as fiction， and in fact， her “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War” is one of my favorites when it comes to World War Two。 It was with pleasure I learned that she had a new book published and even though I have no interest in Egyptology， I drove right in。 I haven’t given any thought to this dusty subject and assumed interest died out after Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb faded away。 Apparently it has been alive an I’ve discovered that Lynne Olson’s nonfiction books are every bit as engaging as fiction， and in fact， her “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War” is one of my favorites when it comes to World War Two。 It was with pleasure I learned that she had a new book published and even though I have no interest in Egyptology， I drove right in。 I haven’t given any thought to this dusty subject and assumed interest died out after Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb faded away。 Apparently it has been alive and well all along。Egyptology isn’t dead， thanks to the passionate research of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourts and her French and British colleagues。 She made allies of Gamal Abdul Nasser and Anwar Sadat as well。 The discovery and relocation of some of the most priceless tombs were thanks in part to this remarkable woman who died at the age of 97， shortly after retiring。 This book is Christiane’s book and starts in Paris when she enrolled at 17 in the Louvre。 The excavation and discovery of artifacts is a cutthroat business， primarily dominated by French and British men who were from the largest and most active colonial powers in the early 20th century。 Her mentor was Father Etienne Drioton， whom she said made Egypt come alive。 “He could have awakened a dead man and turned any idiot into a scholar。” She adopted his teaching style and at the end of the work day， gave a talk to the workers， explaining what they had just excavated。 There would be no Abu Simple temples for us to see today were it not for her tireless and diplomatic efforts to keep them from being drowned by Aswan Dam。 She is a truly remarkable and fascinating woman。 。。。more
Andrea Johnson
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I have long had a fascination with ancient Egypt and have enjoyed many fictional stories set there。 I found this book on life of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt fascinating。 I knew nothing about this female archaeologist and her amazing work to save ancient Egyptian temples， statues and treasures。 I learned so much and now I really want to go visit！ Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc。
Hallie
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2。5 stars rounded up。 I have read several of Lynne Olson's books， and have generally enjoyed them。 Her book， Troublesome Young Men， for instance， delved into the public and private lives of some parliamentary rebels in England at a dire time in World War II， before Churchill became prime minister。 It was dramatic and gripping; wildly entertaining overall。 In comparison， this book about what should be a fascinating subject - Christiane Desroches， one of the first prominent female archaeologists - 2。5 stars rounded up。 I have read several of Lynne Olson's books， and have generally enjoyed them。 Her book， Troublesome Young Men， for instance， delved into the public and private lives of some parliamentary rebels in England at a dire time in World War II， before Churchill became prime minister。 It was dramatic and gripping; wildly entertaining overall。 In comparison， this book about what should be a fascinating subject - Christiane Desroches， one of the first prominent female archaeologists - is at many points， a snoozefest and it seems that Desroches disappears from the narrative of her own life story。I am， of course， happy that a great and important woman is getting the attention she rightly deserves。 Desroches was passionate about Egypt and ancient Egyptian history， teaching， art， and culture。 She worked for the Louvre， went on digs in Egypt （and at the time was usually the only woman to do so）， was a professor， was part of the French resistance during Nazi occupation， helped keep priceless artwork out of Hitler's hands， and so much more。 But no amount of Olson's skillful writing can make chapters about bureaucratic red tape interesting， despite Olson's best efforts。I am referring to the title of the book， regarding the rescue of Egypt's ancient temples。 When the Egyptian government embarked on the construction of the new Aswan dam， the floodwaters would drown several ancient historical sites， including， but not limited to， Philae and Abu Simbel。 Desroches was one of the main voices of opposition， and helped raise awareness about these temples with UNESCO， including engaging in speaking， writing， and fundraising campaigns to try to rescue these temples by moving them out of harm's way。 This was a long， slow， painful process， with meetings and bureaucracy， and politics usually getting in the way。 Once the momentum picks up， Olson's writing diverts from Desroches to Nasser， other Egyptian officials， JFK and Jackie Kennedy， among others。 It is here that I unfortunately think that Olson has been too generous with Desroches' hand in the rescue of， for instance， Abu Simbel。 Desroches did not cause Jackie Kennedy to pick up a UNESCO magazine on the plight of the Egyptian temples。 She didn't cause Jackie Kennedy to conduct research on this history and the rescue efforts。 She didn't cause Jackie Kennedy to pick up a pen or turn to a typewriter to draft memos to her husband urging him to get involved。 Desroches didn't cause the U。S。 State Department to approve funding， the funding that was absolutely necessary to save Abu Simbel。 Desroches appears nowhere in these chapters， and in several of the chapters about the undertaking of Abu Simbel， because we find out later that Desroches was involved in so many other significant affairs。 The rescue of the temples is indeed fascinating （I loved reading about the engineering feat itself）， and we can recognize Desroches' support， but Desroches becomes a background character in what is ostensibly her biography because she wasn't on the scene。 This was bothersome to me。 Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Bruce Katz
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I’m way behind in， well， everything so this will be brief。 The publisher's description gets it right。 I think I went into the book expecting something like Millard's "River of the Gods" with a dash of Indiana Jones。 Well it ain't that， though there are snakes and crypts and an interrogation by the Gestapo。 Rather， the book captures the singularity of its main character， Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， the extraordinary lengths she went to in trying to save some of humanity's greatest treasures I’m way behind in， well， everything so this will be brief。 The publisher's description gets it right。 I think I went into the book expecting something like Millard's "River of the Gods" with a dash of Indiana Jones。 Well it ain't that， though there are snakes and crypts and an interrogation by the Gestapo。 Rather， the book captures the singularity of its main character， Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， the extraordinary lengths she went to in trying to save some of humanity's greatest treasures in art and architecture from destruction （and， early in the book， from Nazi plunderers）， the enormous technological and political challenges involved in saving them， the frustrations of archeological/cultural diplomacy， and the misogyny that she encountered and had to overcome -- as did Jacqueline Kennedy， the reader learns， because men didn't take her seriously either。 A solid， engaging， and impressive read。 。。。more
Thomas Lambe
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Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this！ I have several authors that I will read anything that they publish。 Ms。 Olson is one of them！ She is so brilliant and a treat to read。 This story was new to me。 This is the story of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 No one will ever forget her after reading this。 Many/most people will likely not have heard of her story。 Thoroughly readable with so much information to convey， this book is highly recommended for all biography and history fans。 Readers t Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this！ I have several authors that I will read anything that they publish。 Ms。 Olson is one of them！ She is so brilliant and a treat to read。 This story was new to me。 This is the story of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 No one will ever forget her after reading this。 Many/most people will likely not have heard of her story。 Thoroughly readable with so much information to convey， this book is highly recommended for all biography and history fans。 Readers that are not familiar with Ms。 Olson's works should explore her catalog。 。。。more
Lori
，
Loved it！ Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was a remarkable woman， who more than succeeded in a man's world。 This is her story - how she came to be the head of the Egyptian department in the Louvre， and how she changed the world of archaeology and museums。 But mostly it is the story of how， with her intelligence， passion and vision， she saved the ancient Nubian temples for the world， instead of letting them be destroyed by the construction of the Aswan dam。 This was a fascinating read， full of in Loved it！ Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was a remarkable woman， who more than succeeded in a man's world。 This is her story - how she came to be the head of the Egyptian department in the Louvre， and how she changed the world of archaeology and museums。 But mostly it is the story of how， with her intelligence， passion and vision， she saved the ancient Nubian temples for the world， instead of letting them be destroyed by the construction of the Aswan dam。 This was a fascinating read， full of indepth history， people and events of the times。 Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc。 Solid 4。5 stars。 。。。more
Kaitlin
，
Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt is a badass， prominent figure in Egyptian Archeology who challenged the ideal women norms in the World War II era France。 She succeeded in Egypt and in archeology because she was resilient， learned their native language and treated Egyptians with respect when others in her field treated them like 2nd class citizens。 If you love Egypt， archeology and women’s history， this book will not disappoint。 I give Empress of the Nile 5 stars。
Nancy
，
Lynne Olson has excavated and restored the story of a forgotten French Egyptologist whose contributions should have been memorialized in stone and legend。 I was enthralled by this biography of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 Inspired as a teenager by Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb， she forged a career in a male-dominated field， gaining the respect of the laborers on the archeological sites and scholars and political leaders alike。 She challenged accepted truths。 And her re Lynne Olson has excavated and restored the story of a forgotten French Egyptologist whose contributions should have been memorialized in stone and legend。 I was enthralled by this biography of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 Inspired as a teenager by Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb， she forged a career in a male-dominated field， gaining the respect of the laborers on the archeological sites and scholars and political leaders alike。 She challenged accepted truths。 And her relentless work to save ancient temples from destruction culminated in one of the most ingenious and difficult feats of engineering: moving the temple of Ramses II before the Aswan High Dam flooded it。 Incredibly， she also participated in the Resistance during WWII！Single-minded and a relentless worker， Christine’s career started when she took classes in archeology， art history， and hieroglyphics at the Ecole du Louvre， home of the most prized collection of Egyptian art， a legacy of France’s imperialist domination of Egypt。 Her first job was to catalogue unopened crates brought back from Egypt。 The volunteer project took three years， but she gained a deep understanding that would surpass her peers when she worked in the field。 Which happened in 1937 when she was selected to work in the Valley of the Kings on a village that had housed the artisans and laborers who worked on the pharaohs’ tombs。 It was thought that a female couldn’t stand the primitive living conditions and heat of the field， but she thrived。As Christine’s career progressed， the political world around her changed。 When the Nazis reached Paris， she helped move the Louvre’s art to secure locations。 She stayed under the radar while working with a resistance group as a courier。 With the rejection of colonialist powers over Egypt， one of the few Europeans they allowed in the country was Christine; she had forged relationships with Egyptians， learning Arabic。 When Nassar determined to build a dam that would bring electricity to his developing country， Christine was appalled at the resulting loss of twenty temples。 She pushed UNESCO to fund the rescue operation of moving the temples， which included Abu Simbel， a remarkable temple built by Ramses II。I was a girl in the early sixties when Abul Simbel was being sawn apart and moved to a high elevation。 I vividly recall the National Geographic magazine’s photographs of the project。 It was exciting to read this behind the scenes narrative。Olson includes a wealth of information about Ancient Egypt and the history of archeology in Egypt。 The first photographs of King Tut’s treasures was printed in a book written by Christine。 Traveling exhibits of Egyptian art raised awareness across the world， inspiring even school children to raid their piggy banks to send money to save Abul Simbel， and fomenting a passion for all things Egyptian。 The legacy of colonialism and imperialism， the rise of Pan-Arabism， and the cold war figure into the story。 In 1954， she left academia and ended up working thirty years there。Another surprising insight was the influence of First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy， who was deeply interested in art and Ancient Egypt， who pressured her husband to fund Abul Simbel。 And who later， with second husband Aristotle Onassis， asked Christine。to take them on a tour。Each segment of Christine’s story furthered my interest and excitement， rekindling my childhood interest in Ancient Egypt。I was given a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley。 My review is fair and unbiased。 。。。more
Liz
，
I’m always looking for a strong nonfiction that teaches me about a bit of history I was unaware of。 As Olson did with Madame Fourcade’s Secret War， she focuses on a single woman to present a larger story。 Here， the woman is Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， one of the few female Egyptologists in the 20th Century。 The subtitle would have you think that the book is all about the fight to prevent the flooding of a dozen ancient Nubian temples by the floodwaters of the Aswan Dam which would have put I’m always looking for a strong nonfiction that teaches me about a bit of history I was unaware of。 As Olson did with Madame Fourcade’s Secret War， she focuses on a single woman to present a larger story。 Here， the woman is Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， one of the few female Egyptologists in the 20th Century。 The subtitle would have you think that the book is all about the fight to prevent the flooding of a dozen ancient Nubian temples by the floodwaters of the Aswan Dam which would have put them at the bottom of a reservoir。 It took 50 countries donating colossal sums in 1960 to prevent that loss。 But it tracks Desroches-Noblecourt across decades。 The story follows Christiane from her initial fascination with Egyptology as a child through her career。 She helped with the removal of all the Louvre treasures ahead of the Nazi invasion。 She joined the resistance。 Because of her lack of prejudice， she was the only French Egyptologist allowed back in the country after the 1956 Suez Crisis。 The sixties were taken up with saving Abu Simbel， the seventies included the Tutankhamun exhibit in Paris。 She arranged for the study and preservation of Ramses II’s mummy in Paris。 She was involved in almost every major event that involved Egyptology。 This book is smoothly written and keeps the reader engaged throughout。 Olson brings in the necessary political background of France， England， America and Egypt to explain the issues。 Several chapters also focus on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis， who also had a major impact on saving Abu Simbel。 The book includes some fabulous pictures of the removal of the statues and colossi。 My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book。 。。。more
Jeremy Booty
，
I have enjoyed each of Lynne Olson's books immensely and this， her latest， is no exception。 This is the story of Christine Desroches-Noblecourt a woman who， over the course of her life studied at the louvre when it was still lit by lamps， fought the Nazis as part of the French Resistance and then became one of the world's most prominent Egyptologists。 A force of nature， she at one time or another went toe to toe with Charles De Gaulle and Gamal Nassar to achieve her desired goals。 One of her gre I have enjoyed each of Lynne Olson's books immensely and this， her latest， is no exception。 This is the story of Christine Desroches-Noblecourt a woman who， over the course of her life studied at the louvre when it was still lit by lamps， fought the Nazis as part of the French Resistance and then became one of the world's most prominent Egyptologists。 A force of nature， she at one time or another went toe to toe with Charles De Gaulle and Gamal Nassar to achieve her desired goals。 One of her greatest achievements in a life filled with great achievements was her leadership in saving the monuments of the Nubian Valley， especially Abu Simbel， from the flood waters of the Aswan dam。 The book also brings in and tells the story of how Jacqueline Kennedy， independent from Desroches-Noblecourt， helped obtain money to fund this effort。 （I remember looking at photographs in Life or Look， the picture magazines at the time， of these monuments being taken apart and moved。 I don't think I was more than 8 or 10 at the time so they must have made a significant impression。 ）Desroches-Noblecourt accomplished what she did not by trying to be someone else but by being most fully herself: curious， daring， forceful， but above all respectful of all， even the most lowly of her workers at her digs。 She provided them medical care when they needed it， shared their lives and even remembered their birthdays。 She saw a continuity between the Egyptians of her time and the lives of those who lived in the time of the pharaohs and was as interested in the lives of those who built the monuments as she was in those who were laid to rest in them。 It is no wonder then， that in the post war age， Desroches-Noblecourt was among the few trusted by the Egyptians to help them establish their own museums and schools to study their ancient past。I'm glad that Lynne Olson's path led her to study this astounding woman and I very much enjoyed the result。 This is the last book I will finish this year and I am glad to have ended my reading year with it。 Five stars without equivocation 。 My thanks to Net Galley and Random House for this ARC。 。。。more
Kayla Tornello
，
This book follows the long career of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， an Egyptologist in an era when women were not expected to do such things。 I liked learning about how difficult the conditions were at the sites in Egypt， as well as how difficult it was to manage all the different personalities of all the people involved in such large endeavors。 I appreciated all the pictures that illustrated the subjects in the book。 I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway。 Yay！
Beth H
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I received an advanced copy of this book。This is the story of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， a woman who played a huge role in the preservation & restoration of many Egyptian artifacts and temples。 It was really interesting to learn more about this French woman and the important role that she played in recent history。 I was also intrigued to learn more about the role that the Kennedys， Congress， and many other countries played in the efforts to save the Abu Simbel temples。 It's a little fright I received an advanced copy of this book。This is the story of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， a woman who played a huge role in the preservation & restoration of many Egyptian artifacts and temples。 It was really interesting to learn more about this French woman and the important role that she played in recent history。 I was also intrigued to learn more about the role that the Kennedys， Congress， and many other countries played in the efforts to save the Abu Simbel temples。 It's a little frightening to think of the parts of Egypt that would not be preserved today if not for the efforts of Desroches-Noblecourt。 。。。more
Hardcover Hearts
，
This book was amazing。 I had never heard of the French archeologist Christiane Desroches Noblecourt before this story， but now I am obsessed with her work， perseverance， and sheer audacity needed to become an Egyptologist in the 1930s。 Not only did she lead her own dig in Egypt， but also was one of the teams from the Louvre who hid the Egyptian artifacts from the Nazi regime， among other amazing feats。 （No spoilers，） Just a remarkable story。The style of the writing was great with enough detail b This book was amazing。 I had never heard of the French archeologist Christiane Desroches Noblecourt before this story， but now I am obsessed with her work， perseverance， and sheer audacity needed to become an Egyptologist in the 1930s。 Not only did she lead her own dig in Egypt， but also was one of the teams from the Louvre who hid the Egyptian artifacts from the Nazi regime， among other amazing feats。 （No spoilers，） Just a remarkable story。The style of the writing was great with enough detail but not so much to weigh down the narrative。 I appreciated how she addressed the issue of artifact ownership being at the core of a legacy of colonialism， and how thoughtfully she explored the topic， especially as I find it appalling that one country's monuments and artifacts are exhibited in another country as a permanent collection （and more so when it's actual human remains）。 This book was one of the best I read this year and I won't be able to stop talking about it。 I would like to thank the publisher for access to the digital arc through Netgalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Brendan Dowd
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Ancient Egyptian graves， spy-craft， and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis。 These are just a few of the topics which are contained within Lynne Olson's "Empress of the Nile。" The book is very good and， like archeology， you wind up in places you did not expect。"Empress of the Nile" feels like quite a few books rolled into one。 The first is a biography of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 She was a pioneering archeologist when women in the field was almost completely unheard of。 She is the through-line of Ancient Egyptian graves， spy-craft， and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis。 These are just a few of the topics which are contained within Lynne Olson's "Empress of the Nile。" The book is very good and， like archeology， you wind up in places you did not expect。"Empress of the Nile" feels like quite a few books rolled into one。 The first is a biography of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 She was a pioneering archeologist when women in the field was almost completely unheard of。 She is the through-line of the book which also touches on World War II in France， the rescue of ancient Egyptian temples from the building of a dam （especially Abu Simbel）， and a not insignificant amount of world politics。 There are large parts of the narrative where Desroches-Noblecourt disappears。 For someone who wants a fully focused biography only of her， I could understand where these diversions could become distracting。 However， I am a fan of Lynne Olson's work because she has an uncanny ability to make every chapter interesting。 I thought back on whether this book can be edited down and while I believe the book would still be a great read， the tangents do add some nuance which enriches the overall book。An example would be the portions of the book which center on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis。 While each of them barely knew each other， Kennedy Onassis is a great contrast to Desroches-Noblecourt。 They were both intelligent and driven， but they achieved things in completely different ways。 No one would have ever called Desroches-Noblecourt a shrinking violet。 In fact， the end of the book is extremely satisfying as Olson fully reveals what Desroches-Noblecourt was like to work with from the view of her colleagues。 Their comments are both a bit shocking in their candidness and yet not surprising in the least。（This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Random House。） 。。。more
Gail
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Lynn Olsen has written a compelling book about the life of Christaine Desroches-Noblecourt a French Egyptologist who was a galvanizing force in the field and helped pave the way for women and even Egyptians who only were recognized in the field in the 1960’s。 The book is very comprehensive， and my only criticism is that it sometimes reads like an archival dump。 It is very detailed， almost to a fault as we get caught up in ever spat that happened between governments， UNESCO and Egypt over the yea Lynn Olsen has written a compelling book about the life of Christaine Desroches-Noblecourt a French Egyptologist who was a galvanizing force in the field and helped pave the way for women and even Egyptians who only were recognized in the field in the 1960’s。 The book is very comprehensive， and my only criticism is that it sometimes reads like an archival dump。 It is very detailed， almost to a fault as we get caught up in ever spat that happened between governments， UNESCO and Egypt over the years as they race to preserve Egyptian antiquity。 Christiane is a wonderful character。 She is fearless， doesn’t get intimidated by obstacles and is single minded in her wanting to help Egypt。 She is put through a lot of hazing and proves herself a formidable field worker and her finds are remarkable。 She was educated at a time when there were no women in the field and ended up doing her teachers proud as she herself becomes a teacher at the Louvre， all while continuing fieldwork， （she saved Abu Sibel） and tirelessly went back and forth with each government to raise money。 Even though she marries and has a son， you get the sense that her family takes a back burner to her passion。I would have liked the book better if it was edited and as detailed as it is， it takes away from the story。 I did learn many interesting facts I didn’t need to read it repeatedly。 I am glad I read the book， although it was like reading in a deep swamp。 。。。more
Cathie Hill
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This is a very interesting and enlightening book， however， I really felt the title was a bit misleading。 The whole thing is more of a case study in salvage archaeology with an emphasis on Noblecourt's role rather than a biography of her and her work specifically。 However， it was still a good read and I definitely learned a lot， I would recommend this book to anyone with a specific interest in the cultural and political aspects of Egytpology in the 50s and 60s。 This is a very interesting and enlightening book， however， I really felt the title was a bit misleading。 The whole thing is more of a case study in salvage archaeology with an emphasis on Noblecourt's role rather than a biography of her and her work specifically。 However， it was still a good read and I definitely learned a lot， I would recommend this book to anyone with a specific interest in the cultural and political aspects of Egytpology in the 50s and 60s。 。。。more
Nancy
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Lynne Olsen’s EMPRESS OF THE NILE has that rare ability to engross the reader in the minutia of a subject they did not know they were interested in。 A singular feat， I think。This book introduces the reader to a devoted scholar of Egyptian life and culture and her lifelong journey to save Egypt’s monuments and heritage。 The book’s detail is astounding， but never tedious and I was drawn in to the challenges and journey of Olsen’s female archaeologist。Through Christiane Desroche-Noblecourt’s extens Lynne Olsen’s EMPRESS OF THE NILE has that rare ability to engross the reader in the minutia of a subject they did not know they were interested in。 A singular feat， I think。This book introduces the reader to a devoted scholar of Egyptian life and culture and her lifelong journey to save Egypt’s monuments and heritage。 The book’s detail is astounding， but never tedious and I was drawn in to the challenges and journey of Olsen’s female archaeologist。Through Christiane Desroche-Noblecourt’s extensive career she encountered world leaders， obstinate academic competitors， and well-connected patrons， but she was never in thrall to anyone or anything except her passion for Egypt。 I was not familiar with Desroche-Noblecourt before reading this book， but she is a character who will not leave me。 Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review。 。。。more
Laura
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Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， an Egyptologist from France， led the way in a field dominated by men。 She began working at the Louvre in the 1930s， working there through the Second World War （during which time she also served in the French Resistance）， and retiring years later at the age of 70。 In the early 1960s， Desroches-Noblecourt worked for UNESCO， leading a rescue effort to save the Nubian temples that would find themselves permanently underwater when the new Aswan High Dam was completed。 Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt， an Egyptologist from France， led the way in a field dominated by men。 She began working at the Louvre in the 1930s， working there through the Second World War （during which time she also served in the French Resistance）， and retiring years later at the age of 70。 In the early 1960s， Desroches-Noblecourt worked for UNESCO， leading a rescue effort to save the Nubian temples that would find themselves permanently underwater when the new Aswan High Dam was completed。 She succeeded in raising the money and international interest to move and protect all the threatened temples， a feat of historic preservation not accomplished anywhere else at that time。 Desroches-Noblecourt’s actions in Egypt led to the Louvre receiving the first large-scale exhibition of King Tutankhamun’s artifacts， which sparked the “King Tut” fervor and ignited public interest in museums across the globe。I went into this book knowing only the basics of Ancient Egyptian history and nothing at all about Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt。 This history is not a quick read， but it is well worth the time。 I learned so much about archaeologists in Egypt; the relationship between Egypt， Britain， and France in the late 1800s and early 1900s; the challenges Desroches-Noblecourt faced in the field of Egyptology—and how she overcame those challenges; and MUCH more。 I’ve read several of Olson’s books before， and each has struck me as well-researched and incredibly interesting。 I will say that there were times when I thought the book could benefit from a bit of editing—Olson’s description of how Abu Simbel was moved was exhaustive。 While in some ways I appreciated the amount of detail， it did feel a bit overwhelming when she described how workers moved almost every block from this temple。 In the end， though， Empress of the Nile was definitely worth my time。 I’d recommend this book to others。 。。。more
Firetruckmama
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I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher， for which I thank them。“Empress of the Nile” by Lynne Olson is a memoir about Christian Desroches-Noblecourt。 I picked up this book because a female Egyptologist is in my wheelhouse。 Why I had never known all this about Christine Desroches-Noblecourt is bewildering。 There’s a lot packed into this book。 Not only is Ms。 Desroches-Noblecourt’s fascination with all things Egypt included but also some history about Egypt’s rulers （from I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher， for which I thank them。“Empress of the Nile” by Lynne Olson is a memoir about Christian Desroches-Noblecourt。 I picked up this book because a female Egyptologist is in my wheelhouse。 Why I had never known all this about Christine Desroches-Noblecourt is bewildering。 There’s a lot packed into this book。 Not only is Ms。 Desroches-Noblecourt’s fascination with all things Egypt included but also some history about Egypt’s rulers （from Pharaohs to Nasser）， history about Napoleon’s excursion into Egypt， saving and moving Abu Simbel， along with another temple， the start of UNESCO， and how two Egyptian tours （Kings Tut and Rameses） were allowed to occur。 Ms。 Desroches-Noblecourt did a lot in her life and this book gives great information。 I also found the information about the Kennedy’s assistance to be an incredible find for the author and a story that I wish I’d known about years previously。 For the most part the book moves along at a pretty good clip， though I did skim in a few places。 This is not a quick beach read as it’s packed with information。 。。。more
Wafflepirates
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