'...this is a most welcome book, which will fill a gap in the study of early Egypt...The author...has sprinkled his narrative with anecdotes from his own archaoelogical expeditions make the text lively and entertaining, elevating his book from mere description to a highly personal and approachable account. I highly recommend it.' Ronald Leprohon, Professor of Egyptology, University of Toronto Ancient Egypt: The Origins is a beautifully illustrated, easy-to-read book covering the formative era of the Egyptian civilization: the age before the pyramids. Douglas Brewer shows why an awareness of the earliest phase of Egyptian history is crucial to understanding of later Egyptian culture. Beginning with a quick review of the fields of Egyptology and archaeology, Ancient Egypt takes the reader on a compelling survey of Egypt's prehistoric past. The books tours the Nile Valley to explore its impact on all aspects of life, from day-to-day living to regional politics, and introduces the reader to the Nile Valley's earliest inhabitants and the very first "Egyptians".