The Writing of the Gods, The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is one of baffling pieces of archeological treasures of the 2nd century BC. Discovered under the rubble in 1799, this primeval Egyptian treasure contained the same message that was inscribed in three different versions of a decree - in Greek, in demotic as well as an Egyptian picture-writing methodology – hieroglyphs. Two extremely talented rivals set to decipher this coded puzzle of ancient era. One is English and other is French. And this densely detailed non-fiction vividly portrays their intellectually fascinating race to decode the Rosetta Stone and unfolds the events like a great adventure tale.
Reviews
"An engrossing account of the 20-year competition that followed [the discovery of the Rosetta Stone]. . . . Dolnick exuberantly captures the frustrations and triumphs of scholars as they puzzle out the meaning of long-dead runes." —New York Times Book Review
“[Dolnick] does a first-rate job of storytelling; his scenes are vivid and his cast of characters wide-ranging. Too, he writes with wit.” —New York Journal of Books
"[Dolnick] has a remarkable ability to explain and contextualize complex topics and create compelling, lucid nonfiction narratives. . . . Reading The Writing of the Gods is like tagging along for a dazzling intellectual journey of discovery, akin to listening to a fascinating lecture. Dolnick brings this period of history to life in the same way the Rosetta Stone revived ancient Egypt." —BookPage (starred review)
"Stimulating. . . . Dolnick lucidly explains the complex steps taken to decipher the relic, and offers brisk and enlightening history lessons on the first appearances of written language, Roman emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in the fourth century, the Scientific Revolution, and Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt. The result is an immersive and knowledgeable introduction to one of archaeology’s greatest breakthroughs." —Publisher's Weekly
"Dolnick presents a fast-paced intellectual adventure for general readers that surveys the invention of writing and the processes of deciphering and decoding. Highly recommended for anyone who relishes challenging puzzles." —Library Journal
"Prolific nonfiction author and prior science writer at the Boston Globe, Dolnick’s prose is beautifully lyrical, and will engage even those unfamiliar with the three converging subjects of ancient Egypt, the Rosetta Stone, and Europe during the Napoleonic Wars." —Booklist
"Dolnick provides an exciting narrative of the journey to legibility. . . . Dolnick makes complicated linguistic challenges not only comprehensible, but also especially vivid for readers new to the subject, and, as in his previous books, his enthusiasm is infectious." —Kirkus Reviews
“Fascinating.” —The New York Times
“Engaging and exuberant.” —The Wall Street Journal
“A wonderful, astonishing story, beautifully told. Edward Dolnick has surpassed himself (and everyone else)!” —David Wootton, author of The Invention of Science: A New History of the Scientific Revolution
“Delightful.” —Robert Krulwich, NPR
“I’ve read a lot of science books and this is by far one of the best I’ve ever read. It’s fascinating, clear, even funny.” —Barbara Strauch, former science editor, The New York Times
The Forger’s Spell
“Edward Dolnick has a novelist’s talent for characterization, and he raises fascinating questions.” —The New York Times
“Extraordinary. . . . fascinating. . . . compelling.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
About the Author
Edward Dolnick is the author of The Writing of the Gods, The Clockwork Universe, The Forger’s Spell, Down the Great Unknown, and the Edgar Award-winning The Rescue Artist. A former chief science writer at The Boston Globe, he has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, and many other publications.
Compiled by
Srini
Note:
To publish this review, we (INSTANEWSGRAM BOOKS) didn’t receive any cash or kind. It’s selected solely based on its merit.