Synopses & Reviews
The deciphering of the Rosetta stone was one of the great intellectual achievements of all time, unlocking the secrets of thousands of years of Egypts ancient civilization. Yet in the past two centuries, the circumstances surrounding this bravura feat of translation have become shrouded in myth and mystery. Now in his spellbinding book, Daniel Meyerson recounts the extraordinary true story of how the lives of two geniuses-the emperor Napoleon and the linguist Jean-François Champollion-converged in a breakthrough that revolutionized our understanding of the past.
In this sweeping narrative, the haunting story of the Rosetta stone-its discovery in a doomed battle, the plot to secure it, the agonizing race to unlock its secrets, and the pain it seemed to inflict on all who touched it-reads like the most engrossing fiction. As counterpoint to the stories of the brilliant linguist and the visionary emperor, Meyerson interweaves the ancient tales of love, intrigue, brutal death, and miraculous rebirth that were hidden for centuries on the walls of Egyptian tombs-stories that Champollion finally made accessible to the world.
About the Author
Daniel Meyerson, an Ellis Fellow at Columbia University, has taught writing at Columbia, New York University, and Bennington College. He is the author of
Blood and Splendor: The Lives of Five Tyrants, From Nero to Saddam Hussein. He lives in New York City.
From the Hardcover edition.
Reading Group Guide
1. In this book, author Daniel Meyerson has an unusual way of narrating history.Did his unique approach impact your view of the books events? If so,how?
2. Meyerson quotes La Rochefoucauld saying,“Language was given to human beings that they may conceal their thoughts from others.”How do you interpret this enigmatic statement?
3. Napoleon desired a place in history alongside greats like Caesar or Alexander. Do you feel he achieved his dream?
4. Napoleon is most famous as a conqueror and military genius, yet he brought printing presses and 167 scholars with him on his Egyptian conquest.Was Napoleon an idealist?
5. Napoleon and Champollion were drastically different, but both had great passion.How do you define passion and in what ways does it manifest?
6. Another La Rochefoucauld quote says,“It is easier to understand humanity in general than to understand a single human being.”Of Champollion and Napoleon, who do you understand more? What does Meyerson mean when he says of these men,“They are eternal types who have always existed and who always will”?
7. The decoded hieroglyphs seem like fables or fairy tales. Did you get a sense of what daily life in ancient Egypt was actually like from these ancient stories? How do you imagine that distant time and place?
8. This book tells a tale where learning and knowledge are the end result of varied historical elements (from madness and war to brilliance and bribery). What other human advances have been the accidental byproducts of historical conflict?
9. Who owns art? Is it appropriate that great works of ancient Egyptian art can be found in museums across the globe—from NewYork to Paris to Tokyo? Do these antiquities belong in Egypt?
10. Can you think of a modern equivalent of the Rosetta stone? What mysteries lie ahead, waiting to be solved?
1. In this book, author Daniel Meyerson has an unusual way of narrating history.Did his unique approach impact your view of the books events? If so,how?
2. Meyerson quotes La Rochefoucauld saying,“Language was given to human beings that they may conceal their thoughts from others.”How do you interpret this enigmatic statement?
3. Napoleon desired a place in history alongside greats like Caesar or Alexander. Do you feel he achieved his dream?
4. Napoleon is most famous as a conqueror and military genius, yet he brought printing presses and 167 scholars with him on his Egyptian conquest.Was Napoleon an idealist?
5. Napoleon and Champollion were drastically different, but both had great passion.How do you define passion and in what ways does it manifest?
6. Another La Rochefoucauld quote says,“It is easier to understand humanity in general than to understand a single human being.”Of Champollion and Napoleon, who do you understand more? What does Meyerson mean when he says of these men,“They are eternal types who have always existed and who always will”?
7. The decoded hieroglyphs seem like fables or fairy tales. Did you get a sense of what daily life in ancient Egypt was actually like from these ancient stories? How do you imagine that distant time and place?
8. This book tells a tale where learning and knowledge are the end result of varied historical elements (from madness and war to brilliance and bribery). What other human advances have been the accidental byproducts of historical conflict?
9. Who owns art? Is it appropriate that great works of ancient Egyptian art can be found in museums across the globefrom NewYork to Paris to Tokyo? Do these antiquities belong in Egypt?
10. Can you think of a modern equivalent of the Rosetta stone? What mysteries lie ahead, waiting to be solved?