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Red Nile: The Biography of the World’s Greatest River

Wednesday, May 15, 2019Wednesday, May 15, 2019 admin

The result of this meticulously researched book is an all-inclusive history of this epic river and the incredible connections throughout history. The stories of excess, love, passion, splendor, and violence are what make the Nile so engaging, even after centuries of change. Hardcover , pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

To ask other readers questions about Red Nile , please sign up. Lists with This Book. The Nile has teemed with crocodiles and hippopotami from the first century BC onwards, as this Roman mosaic shows Description: From his back garden Robert Twigger can see kingfishers swooping and crocodiles emerging from the grey-green expanse of the Nile. Never ending, as wide as a lake in places, the Nile continually snakes its way north to the sea.

It's a river steeped in history, and as Twigger searches for its source and probes its ancient, biblical and more contemporary existence, he uncove The Nile has teemed with crocodiles and hippopotami from the first century BC onwards, as this Roman mosaic shows Description: It's a river steeped in history, and as Twigger searches for its source and probes its ancient, biblical and more contemporary existence, he uncovers the Nile's bloody, murderous past. List of Illustrations Maps Introduction 1: Beasts and Beginnings 2: Famine, pestilence and a severed penis 3: River of the Believers: Madness and Mystics 4: Raw steak and Napoleon 5: Elephants, exploration and Agatha Christie's trunk 6: Blood on the Nile: View all 5 comments.

A collection of stories, related to the Nile and the countries in which it is flowing, from prehistory until the Egyptian Revolution of This book is a collection of stories related to the Nile. It covers a vast period, starting from prehistorian times to Robert Twigger lives in Egypt, and therefore has a great inside knowledge of the Nile. The collection of stories starts in a chronological order, and ranges from stories about the great Pharaos, Alexander the Great, the Romans, the Arab A collection of stories, related to the Nile and the countries in which it is flowing, from prehistory until the Egyptian Revolution of This book is a collection of stories related to the Nile.

The collection of stories starts in a chronological order, and ranges from stories about the great Pharaos, Alexander the Great, the Romans, the Arabs, the Ottomans, the English, Napoleon, Flaubert, Florence Nightingale and so on For someone interested in general history this is a great variety that never leads to boredom. I took me quite a long time before I finished this book. In fact, this is the only way to read this book. In the evening, when the kids are sound asleep, pick up this book, read a few chapters and call it a day.

That makes this book last longer and more enjoyable. The end of the book ends with the Egyptian Revolution. In these chapters, Robert Twigger vividly tells about his personal experience during the riots. All in all, a very fun read. I can't actually in all honesty give this book a fair star rating. There were parts I really liked and parts, toward the end, that I loathed. The book is a roaring gallop of time and places, rather like the flowing of the Nile itself.

The journey starts out smooth and fairly brisk but then along comes bumps and near misses with whirlpools, the bumps along the way are not crocodiles and hippopotami, although at this junction I will point out I would far rather sit with crocodiles, hippos and babo I can't actually in all honesty give this book a fair star rating.

Those large and uncertain animals are rather like wasps, you leave them alone and they will leave you alone. The bumps then became more like smashing into the dams, being dragged under and then squeezed through the cracks to be popped out the other side. In the literal contexts in my personal opinion people who are mentally disabled should not be labelled 'mad' and I think he watched too many old movies where in disgusting settings of institutions disabled people were shown to scream, shout or yell.

It could be true that this may have happened, but neither he nor I are authorities on the validity of this suggestion. Having visited Egypt as a child and lived in a desert land for five years and knowing the fragile beauty that can be found in such an ecosystem I believe it is idiotic to promote quad biking in any form. Despite the author living in Egypt far longer than I did in the neighbouring Middle East and having far more education than I have had his ignorance seems wide spread despite what the inside flap tells me. This may seem tiny and nitpicky but it seems to draw parallels further along.

Foxes don't kill for curiosity. They kill more than one hen for example because they fully intend on coming back and storing the other carcasses for lean times. The reason why a lot aren't able to do this is because they are interrupted. It was equally unpleasant to read that in a generalised sweeping remark he makes it sound as though Arabs then and now are Taliban in appearance with shark faced dictators. As well as 'darkest Africa' would have been more accurate, otherwise it smacks of colonialism in all its monstrousness or gives the impression there isn't much sun light in that part of Africa, where ever that is.

As well as telling us about this sunless part of the great continent there was a regular feature of cannibals and at this point we seem to be further away from the Nile and an actual biography about the Nile than one could wish for. As you may have guessed the reader was not left with the ancient Egyptians for long. Roll on the Europeans!

Wait while we bump around to the ivory trade. In short there are too many elephants and it's all the China's fault. Which should read that because of the tourists coming to drive their quad bikes, paddle their canoes and stare at the pyramids and the Nile Egypt has to cater for this insatiable demand and the odd writer who will promise one thing and deliver another. Farmers need to expand their crops to feed all these extra mouths, cities grow, towns become cities and so on, farmers encroach on the elephants territory.

The elephants are starving, some see a farmer's crop, easy food, they eat and become a menace. Does the author reassure the reader that he exposed Fabrice to the proper authorities? I get the distinct impression that Fabrice continues his illegal activity and the author has no guilty conscience at all. By this time I had the book down for three stars from five. It keeps slipping after that. Now roll on General Gordon. Shall we all weep salty tears as lush and long as the Nile once was for the fall of Gordon?

Le Mie Mani Da Mostro (Italian Edition).
Cancérologie (French Edition)!
The Mistress Mistake!
www.newyorkethnicfood.com: Red Nile: A Biography of the World's Greatest River eBook: Robert Twigger: Kindle Store.

That may be the requirement. I for one cannot believe that the opposing forces, the Mahdis, were not legitimate dervishes and that they're grievances were not legitimate and to be brushed off with the sweep of modern jihadists who were simply crazy and poor old Gordon was really poor old Gordon. If he didn't want to do it then he should have tried harder to find someone else. To be a fair and unbiased biographer one should always state the other sides reasons, even if the reasons are beyond the comprehension of the writer.

However, I didn't get the impression at this point that the author was unbiased. Indeed it was all too clear where his bias lay. It was all very much apparent in the statement that during the empire the British record was impeccable. Well there are a lot of ghosts from the past he should dare risk saying that too.

Not least and limited to the Beothuk people of Canada and the slaves that existed on from the British banning of the trade. Yes that must be clear that the banning of the trade in slaves did not stop there being slaves and while there were many British men that abhorred slave trade, mark you "slave trade", there were more than enough in positions of power that saw the need in the trade and practise.

I disagree most strongly with his suggestion that while the empire existed before s the record was impeccable. The decline of the empire was not complex and hard to decipher as the author makes out. At this point the stars slipped from one to none, but as I said because the first part was well done and made me think of the corniche of my early childhood. Nov 27, Ameya Warde rated it liked it Shelves: I finished this book. Parts were so long winded and rambling especially closer to the end my eyes glazed over and I skimmed ahead, which I hate doing. It was also just very In the sense that it very much written by a decedent of British colonizers.

For example, talking about Cannibalistic tribes that caused me to research them on my own, then finding out that their susp Oh my god. Or lines like this: I did watch Levison Wood's 4 part series "Walking the Nile" on the UK's channel 4 while reading this, where Wood became the first recorded to anyone's knowledge person to walk the entire length of the River.

It was intense, and I wish I'd have watched that before instead of near the end of reading this, as, not being very familiar with the geography of the Nile, i was often lost, until I saw the program and all their maps especially helped me put the geographical puzzle into place in my head. For anyone interested in this subject, I'd say this book definitely is worth grabbing from the library and attempting, or at least skimming through. In a parallel world of Story the River Nile is red, the colour of blood, passion and fertile silt. This book is a summer indundation of spellbinding stories, told by polymath, explorer and writer of beautiful lucid prose, Robert Twigger.

The physical Nile may have one of its sources in the Mountains of the Moon, where giant lobelias h In a parallel world of Story the River Nile is red, the colour of blood, passion and fertile silt. The physical Nile may have one of its sources in the Mountains of the Moon, where giant lobelias have flower spikes over fifteen feet long; but the Red Nile has a tributary in the land of the Iraquois Indians. In time it stretches from when the great river cascaded six miles down into the Tethys Sea as the Mediterranean was called in ancient times to the recent past and the uprising which deposed Mubarak.

Into this mighty time-space basin drain stories of ancient pharaohs, mad caliphs, alchemists and cruel sultans. Mamluks, Ottomans, European explorers, generals, colonisers and novelists follow; while battles and genocide ensure that the red of the Red Nile does not fade.

Red Nile: A Biography of the World’s Greatest River by Robert Twigger | The Sunday Times

For Robert Twigger there are no taboos. This book is not just entertainment. For me it was an eduation in history for which I am deeply grateful. Jul 30, David Canford rated it it was amazing. It took me some time to get through this book as there is so much to absorb. I'm glad I kept coming back to it. There's so much fascinating stuff in it. The author has done an amazing research job. Jan 28, Andrea rated it liked it Shelves: This author's technique and purpose just were not suited to me. The narrative seemed jumpy and disjointed and the "history" not very well researched. Aug 14, Stuart Bathgate rated it it was amazing.

This is a book that succeeds in being both entertaining and erudite - always a difficult trick to pull off. The Nile has been at the heart of human history since records began, and Twigger explores all the most significant episodes from the era of the Pharaohs to the revolution and its aftermath. There are some fascinating stories along the way, and it's especially interesting how much ancient knowledge eg on the origins of the Nile itself was lost for centuries or even millennia.

What make This is a book that succeeds in being both entertaining and erudite - always a difficult trick to pull off. What makes the book particularly accessible is Twigger's ability to remain conversational and put himself into the story at times without being egotistical - another difficult trick. The amount of information and detail makes it quite a slow read, at least until we get to modern times, but it's well worth the effort. Oct 18, Donald W. The book was a series of interesting historical anecdotes somewhat in chronological order.

They were engaging and insightful especially the contemporary experience of the Arab Spring revolution. Great tid-bits of history connected to the Nile and engagingly written, but by its nature a bit disparate. To delve in and out. Nov 01, Nathan Schmidt rated it really liked it.

I received this book as an advance copy from Goodreads First Reads, and am grateful for the opportunity. The Nile is a fascinating river is many ways, from its length to its wildlife to the vibrant civilizations connected to it. Therefore, I was greatly interested in reading a history of the river. Red Nile covers the history of the Nile River in its entirety, from prehistory to the present day, and all the way from the Mediterranean to the Blue and White Nile. Additionally, it covers not only th I received this book as an advance copy from Goodreads First Reads, and am grateful for the opportunity.

Additionally, it covers not only the histories of civilizations around the river, but also the geography and nature of the river. The book is very detailed, and covers many pieces of history and culture. The history really helped me better understand periods of history such as Ancient Egypt and the Islamic caliphates.

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However, I did have a few issues with the book. One main concern stemmed from the tendency to jump back and forth between periods of history. This could even happen within historical periods. For instance, I was disappointed that the book never adequately addressed the differences between the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, and instead seemed to mold all of ancient Egypt together. I am also wary of Twigger's emphasis on individuals instigating change on their own. While I feel that individuals can be important in history, focusing too narrowly on them obscures the role of the common people and culture in transforming the world.

At multiple points during the book, he went off on tangents to highlight individuals. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Twigger is an excellent story teller with a great story to tell which he does with brio! A true biography of the longest river in the world. I am an avid reader with a good memory and interest in History and I must say he wrote a history that I was not fully aware of. Fascinating personalities populate his book, with biographical information I knew very little about and which I found fascinating.

This fascinating list of engaging historical personages just fills the pages of this history with mesmerizing information.

Red Nile: A Biography of the World’s Greatest River by Robert Twigger

This is just one aspect of this engaging history. It is a grand sweep of the historical Nile and a geography on an exceptionally erudite level. The best book I have read in two or three years! One comes away with a deep sense of the demanding physical conditions of the Nile Basin, along with the flora and fauna of the entire region, as well as the profound ecological impact of specific engineering decisions on the African continent. One person found this helpful.

Nile and all things connected with it based on excellent research and personal experience. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. An incredible history of the Nile and all things connected with it based on excellent research and personal experience. A must read for general knowledge. Geology, history, personal histories of pharaos, kings, explorers of various parts of Africa, geography etc.

It is all there Fun and informative to read with some mildly naughty bits too. Terrific story and a nice condensation of Terrific story and a nice condensation of several explorer books I've read. Wonderful intimate history of the Nile region from its formation to just yesterday, including art, politics, exploration, geography, agriculture, and animals. A great pleasure to find.

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Triggers book is an Odyssey, a very readable exploration of the Nile River as it has influenced years of history. Well researched and filled with anecdotes trivia and action. The book moves quickly and ties great swaths of change and adventure around the central theme of this great river.

Moving back and forth seamlessly from present to ancient events this is history in the hands of an accomplished spinner of tales. An extremely entertaining and rewarding doorway into Africa and the compelling physical and historical narrative that this river and region have engendered. See all 16 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers.

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