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The Spell Series
The Spell of Egypt
In Egypt one ever seeks the dead in sunshine, black vaults in the land of the gold. But here in Abydos I was accompanied by whiteness. The general effect of Seti's mighty temple is that it is a white temple when seen in full sunshine and beneath a sky of blinding blue. In an arid place it stands, just beyond an Egyptian village that is a maze of dust... -from "Abydos" Leave it to a beloved novelist to bring to life the allure and mystery of Egypt. First published in 1908 under the title Egypt and Its Monuments, this is a beautifully poetic valentine to that desert land by Robert Hichens, one of the most popular fiction writers of the early 20th century. Romantic and transporting, this lovely book explores the "drowsily splendid" pyramids, the "terrible repose" of the Sphinx, the "silver eddies" of the Nile, the "immense aspect of patience" suggested by the Colossi of Memnon, the Tombs of the Kings, where a "king's silence bids you be silent," and more. Whether you've actually traveled down the Nile or have only dreamed about it, you will be swept away by Hichens' idyllic prose. British novelist ROBERT SMYTHE HICHENS (1864-1950) also wrote The Garden of Allah, The Lady Who Lied, and The Paradine Case.
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1908
About the author
Robert Smythe Hichens
194 books24 followersRobert Smythe Hichens was a satirist and critic, having studied at Clifton College, the Royal College of Music, and the London School of Journalism. He was a friend of Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas.
Also wrote as Robert S. Hichens and Robert Hichens
Also wrote as Robert S. Hichens and Robert Hichens
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 22, 2019
For Egypt lovers, it's an interesting memoir.
It's not a fancy book, more like a traveler's thoughts from the places he wonders.
He takes you back to a different time where Egypt was not full of tourists and you could enjoy the Pyramids and all its magnitude without a thousand people taking pictures by your side, and probably could sit and enjoy the peacefulness of the mosques.
It's not a fancy book, more like a traveler's thoughts from the places he wonders.
He takes you back to a different time where Egypt was not full of tourists and you could enjoy the Pyramids and all its magnitude without a thousand people taking pictures by your side, and probably could sit and enjoy the peacefulness of the mosques.
January 27, 2019
A good starter travel memoir. The author is able is beautifully describe his emotional connections with places he visited.
December 30, 2019
Did not like it
I believed it was suppose to be a love story, mixing up the myths of Egypt and the early years of Jesus rubbed me the wrong way.
I believed it was suppose to be a love story, mixing up the myths of Egypt and the early years of Jesus rubbed me the wrong way.
March 3, 2017
I went in search of a book about Egypt in LibriVox and found this unexpected gem. It must be read with illustrations, and I googled images while I listened. The author is especially good at describing light and color as he describes the ancient buildings and ruins, and he records the impact of each place and object on his emotions.
May 8, 2013
This is a gorgeous book. Hichens' descriptions of Egypt's most famous monuments are painterly and poetic. More of a romantic evocation than a 'mere' travel book, he takes you back to a more relaxed and serene era of gentle exploration in which it was still possible to commune with the Great Pyramid or the Temple of Hathor without an accompanying horde of camera-weilding tourists, souvenir-sellers and loudly-declaiming tour-guides. The Spell of Egypt was a 'cheaper' version of Egypt and it's Monuments, published in 1908 - which is the same text but with accompanying black and white photographs and some stunning colour illustrations by Jules Guerin. I'd say begin by reading the free version from Project Gutenberg, then, if you want a copy to keep on your shelves, buy yourself the paperback, or put the earlier, hardcover version on your Christmas list.
June 23, 2013
This isn't a bad book, but it's not a particularly good book either. I've read a fair bit about Egypt over the years (though I've never been there), and I found this rather dry in places. What I did enjoy was that it wasn't purely about Ancient Egypt, but included more recent, though still very old, places of worship.
January 29, 2015
Good, but limited, book
The author focuses on the feel of places, not their appearance or history. So the book has an odd tone. Pleasant if that's what you are looking for, but lacking meatiness if you are wanting more history.
The author focuses on the feel of places, not their appearance or history. So the book has an odd tone. Pleasant if that's what you are looking for, but lacking meatiness if you are wanting more history.
November 15, 2018
If only all travel books were written as beautifully descriptive as this one was!
“The Spell of Egypt†was written by Robert Smythe Hichens (1864-1950), an English journalist, lyricist, novelist, critic, and playwright. This book was publish
“The Spell of Egypt†was written by Robert Smythe Hichens (1864-1950), an English journalist, lyricist, novelist, critic, and playwright. This book was publish
September 3, 2014
Would have been good to be more familiar with the names of places in Egypt.
Got from LibriVox
Got from LibriVox
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews