MIRAGE Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt

When Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798, he took along a motley group of scientists and artists, as well as soldiers. While the military battled scimitars, the noncombatants documented the country's present and past. They measured pharaonic monuments, took rubbings of tomb engravings, and made off with the Rosetta Stone. Everyone, meanwhile, fought the heat and dust. Cassandra Campbell reads this entertaining rendition of Egypt's encounter with archaeologists, painters, and engineers with the right balance of seriousness and lightness. Her voice is well modulated. And her studied pace picks up nicely after the first disc, while maintaining commendable clarity. She also delivers the frequent (untranslated) French quotations beautifully. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]