Beneath the Sands of Egypt
Adventures of an Unconventional Archaeologist

This is not something I would normally choose to read but I’m so glad I did. I’ve been trying to read more nonfiction. I was never interested in Egypt before. I learned so much from this book. Egypt and ancient history make a lot more sense to me now. Very good writing. I like the way the chapters w......more

Donald Ryan chronicles his career from his first interest in exploration and archeology to his first digs and his efforts to finally get his PhD so he could be in charge of a dig himself. He goes through some tombs in the Valley of the Kings that were discovered years earlier and been sealed back up......more

Very enjoyable read, it’s been on my tbr for several years. No really dry parts like you might expect of a non-fiction book on archaeology. The author has a persistent desire for adventure, first awakened as a child. The years working with Thor Heyerdahl were a dream come true, on top of his years sp......more

I thoroughly enjoyed travertine through the author's life as an archeologist with a focus on Egypt. Beyond the specific projects, it highlights how much we don't know about those who came before us. This was easy to read... some of the interactions between these scientists was hilarious.......more

A very enjoyable memoir of an archaeologist. As the sub-title indicates he is an "unconventional" archaeologist and this book goes into some of the details of his unusual career path from rock-climbing into tomb-exploration in Egypt. The chapters dealing with his explorations in Egypt were (to me, a......more