by Kara Cooney
National Geographic, 2018. 399 pages. Nonfiction.
Throughout history women seldom ruled, but in ancient Egypt women repeatedly reigned as the head of state. Egyptologist Kara Cooney examines this phenomenon of repeated female rulers over the course of Egypt’s long history, and delves into the cultural conditions that allowed for women to hold the highest position in the land. Through a close look at the lives of six female rulers, a fascinating story of the rise and fall of Egyptian dynasties unfolds.
One of this book’s main points is women rule differently than men. Author Kara Cooney really hits home on this point, and demonstrates these differences not only in the way women ruled Egypt, but also uses contemporary political figures. Cooney makes some interesting conclusions on the subject, and carefully backs her reasoning and assertions, while also acknowledging when her conclusions are controversial among Egyptologists. Overall it felt well researched and cited within the text and made for a fascinating read. I’d recommend for anyone interested in Egyptian history, women’s history, or just looking for an interesting nonfiction book.
ER
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