Not so much a book review, as an opinion. My logic doesn't stretch long enough for most to easily comprehend my leaps & links from one book to random bits of information ;) However, inspired by the ever lovely Magaly, I can share two quotes & one visual in the hopes of sharing what I find interesting reading.
These snatches of words are from "The Travellers' Guide to The Duat" (Kiya Nicoll). This book is for those planning a trip to the Egyptian spirit world, a guidebook for tourists. Nicoll writes in a lighthearted manner, with no disrespect. She has taken her time, researched well, & has taken the effort to translate ancient spells in modern poetry forms as a method of making them more accessible to modern readers.
"You may wish to consider the possibility of using a pseudonym in at least the more public portions of the presentation of your name......Certainly, if you have many enemies, use an alias!" (page 37, paragraph 2)
Quite practical, as any good guidebook is!
"The ba will want to be able to recognize its original inhabitation when it sojourns in the daylit lands, & it can be greatly distressed if the features of the khat are damaged." (page 44-45, paragraph 7 & 1)
Here, then, is my wondering begun. From what I have read, the ancient Egyptians put great store in the preservation of the body in it's whole, perfect form. I wonder, how they would modify..or, if they would modify this view...presented with the modern day problem of soldiers returning from active duty maimed in body, if not mind.
A visual.....from the poem 'Feasting'
"So hail to food, & hail also to grain,
To flour, hail, & all abundance laud,
And all the ones who Ra's meal do obtain,
All on the Great Flood, everyone a god." (page 114, paragraph 1)
The poems are my favorite part of this book. I read them all, but stopped halfway reading the text. Not from poor writing or editing, but from an admitted lack of interest in the Egyptian pantheon. I chose this excerpt because Thursday is Thanksgiving, & this reminded me of that.
I will be keeping this book as I enjoyed the poetry so much.
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