Tanaka sets the tone of the book and entices readers with a mysterious prologue about a mummy unrolling. From there, her text reads like a conversation, absolutely full of well-researched facts and guaranteed to keep readers enthralled. The biographies of pharoahs (Ramses II and King Tut) and commoners (Nacht, a weaver, and Djed, a woman employed as a musician in the Great Temple of Amun-Re) are not told in a traditional biographical manner. Instead, Tanaka brings a human quality to each of their life stories by telling about their homes and families, their lifestyles and the maladies that plagued them during their lives. When their mummies were studied, each of them revealed to scientists something about the diet, diseases and other common medical conditions of the time by the condition of their mummified remains. The author treats her subject with the respect it is due, for, although she states that mummies are a precious source of information about ancient peoples, they were never meant to be unwrapped and viewed by the world. With modern technology, such as CAT scans, mummies no longer have to be destroyed in order for scientists to study them.

Ruhl's collection of illustrations is a feast for the eyes. There are abundant photographs (both black-and-white and colour) of Egyptian temples and pyramids and their valuable contents as well as photos, x-rays and scanned computer images of mummies. Ruhl's own illustrations are vibrant, realistic paintings depicting life in ancient Egypt. All of them have been rendered in the gold and ochre tones of the Egyptian desert with touches of green and brilliant sky blue. Chapter headings and sidebars giving additional information are bordered by traditional Egyptian designs, unifying the book's theme and giving it visual appeal.

An outstanding book on a fascinating subject.

Highly Recommended.