Akhenaten. King of Egypt (titre français : Akhenaton - titolo italiano : Akhenaton. Il faraone del sole - en español : Akhenton Faraón de Egipto)
(Cyril Aldred)
in English : ISBN 0500276218 © 1968, 1991, Thames and Hudson
en français : ISBN 2020177846 © 1997, Éditions du Seuil
in italiano : ISBN 8881832828 © 1996, Grandi Tascabili Economici Newton
en español : ISBN 8476402996 © Edaf

Note from Francesca: ""Written by a notorious Egyptologist, this classic tells of Akhenaten and Nefertiti's life and family, the foundation of Amarna,and the conception of monotheism. One of the best books ever written on the subject, it is well researched and extremely informative, with many illustrations. Definitely recommended to anyone interested in learning more about this pharaoh.""
De alapage.com : "Le lecteur trouvera dans ce livre la synthèse la plus fouillée et la mieux informée sur le plus fascinant des pharaons égyptiens. Akhenaton offre en effet une autre figure que celle, hiératique et stéréotypée, des rois qui le précèdent : nous le voyons dans divers reliefs avec ses enfants, dans des situations où il semble faire preuve de tendresse paternelle ; ses représentations montrent d'étranges particularités physiques (caractères féminins, crâne allongé) qui sont peut-être symboliques, à moins qu'elles ne témoignent de quelque maladie hormonale; et surtout : on le crédite d'une révolution religieuse, qui aurait conduit à l'instauration d'un véritable monothéisme."

Tut-ankh-amun and his Friends
(Cyril Aldred)
ISBN 0883880598
© 1985, 1995, Bellerophon Books

L'ABCdaire de Ramsès II
(Christophe Barbotin & Elisabeth David)
ISBN 2080125540
© 1997, Flammarion

De electre.com : "La vie, l'époque et l'œuvre de ce grand pharaon égyptien qui régna de 1301 à 1235 avant J.-C."

Nefertary. Por la que brilla el sol
(Teresa Bedman)
ISBN 8488676581
© 1999, Alderabán Ediciones

Note from Francesca : "This book accurately portrays the life of Nefertary, Ramses II's Royal Wife. The author presents an updated history of her tomb in the Valley of the Queens and its hieroglyphic texts. Royal art of the 19th Dynasty is also discussed. This biographical work includes numerous photographs. Recommended for those interested in Nefertary and Ramses II."

King Tut-Ankh-Amen. His romantic history
(Archie Bell)
© 1923, St. Botolph Society

Akhenaton. Immagini dal profonda della cultura occidentale
(Nicola Benedettucci)
© 1997, La Ninfa Europea

Pharaon. Les secrets du pouvoir
(Marie-Ange Bonhême & Annie Forgeau)
ISBN 2200371209
© 1988, Armand Colin

From AEB : "Une étude de la royauté pharaonique, fondée sur la personnalité du souverain, roi-enfant et roi-dieu, mais aussi chef de guerre. Une analyse de l'idéologie pharaonique comparée à d'autres royautés asiatiques, indo-européennes ou africaines."

Tutankhamun and Ancient Egypt: An Interactive Guide to the Mystery of Tutankhamun
(Deni Bown)
ISBN 0789410052
© 1996, D. K. Publishing

Cleopatra
(Emile Bradford)
ISBN 014139014X
© 2000, Penguin Books

From Amazon.com : "Had Julius Ceasar not been murdered, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, might well have become the Empress of Rome and all the Mediterranean world, living to see it ruled by a Julian-Ptolemaic dynasty. The 'Queen of the Nile' was only 17 when she ascended the throne of Egypt in 51BC. This ambitious young woman - married to her younger brother and co-ruler Ptolomy XIII - watched the savage struggle between Ceasar and Pompey, hoping that Rome would destroy itself in the process. This astutue politician devoted her life to trying to save the Kingdom of Egypt from domination by the Romans. That she became the lover of both Ceasar and Mark Anthony was perhaps prompted by political considerations rather than passion. This text presents a biography of one of the world's most legendary women."

The Murder of Tutankhamen. A True Story (en español : El Asesinato de Tutankamon)
(Bob Brier)
in English : ISBN 0399143831 © 1998, G. P. Putnam's Sons
in English : ISBN 0425166899 © 1999, Berkley Publishing Group
en español : ISBN 8408027883 © 1999, Planeta

From the book cover : "Skillfully combining known historical events with evidence gathered by advanced technologies, [the author] has re-created the suspenseful story of religious upheaval and political intrigue that likely resulted in the murder of the teenage king Tutankhamen."

Kings and Queens of Ancient Egypt
(Winifred Brunton)
© 1926, Hodder and Stoughton

The Reign of Thutmose IV
(Betsy Bryan)
ISBN 0801842026 © 1991, Johns Hopkins University
ISBN 0783774591 © 1991, Books on Demand

Book of the Kings of Egypt - 2 volume set
(E. A. W. Budge)
ISBN 0404113095
© 2008, AMS Press

Alexander the Great and the Middle East
(A. Burn)
© 1973, Penguin

The Queens of Egypt
(Janet R. Buttles)
© 1908, A. Constable

Amenhotep III, le Magnifique
(Agnès Cabrol)
ISBN 2268035832
© 2000, Éditions du Rocher

De alapage.com : "Amenhotep III, neuvième pharaon de la XVIIIe dynastie, époux de la fameuse reine Tiyi et père du non moins célèbre Akhenaton (Amenhotep IV), fut parfois présenté comme un potentat oriental, consacrant pouvoir et richesses à l'exaltation de sa propre gloire. Il est vrai que ce règne particulièrement long du Nouvel Empire fut privilégié par une période de prospérité, de paix et de fécondité intellectuelle hors du commun. Mais ces facteurs suffisent-ils à expliquer la 'démesure' qui l'a caractérisé ?
"Véritable somme sur cet immense pharaon, [ce livre] explore tous les aspects de la biographie du roi et de son règne exceptionnel : la famille, les hauts fonctionnaires de son entourage (tel le sage Amenhotep, fils de Hapou), la politique intérieure et extérieure, la riche production artistique et architecturale... Faisant table rase des idées reçues sur le souverain, réunissant un ensemble impressionnant de sources écrites et archéologiques, dont certaines sont méconnues ou réinterprétées, Agnès Cabrol éclaire non seulement d'une lumière nouvelle le règne d'Amenhotep 111, mais initie également le public aux grandes questions et aux méthodes de l'égyptologie actuelle. Très richement illustré de documents souvent inédits, cet ouvrage fondamental se destine ainsi à tous, amateurs passionnés, étudiants ou chercheurs."

Tutankhamun
(Michael Carter)
© 1972, David McKay Company

Akhenaton e Nefertiti. Storia dell'eresia amarniana
(Franco Cimmino)
ISBN 8818701177
© 1995, Rusconi Libri

Hasepsowe e Tuthmosis II. Una regina ambiziosa e un grande faraone
(Franco Cimmino)
ISBN 8818700391
© 1994, Rusconi Libri

Ramesses II. Il grande
(Franco Cimmino)
© 1984, Rusconi Libri

Chronicle of the Pharaohs. The reign-by-reign record of the rulers and dynasties of ancient Egypt (titre français : Chronique des Pharaons)
(Peter Clayton)
in English : ISBN 0500050740 © 1995, Thames & Hudson
en français : ISBN 2203233044 © 2000, Casterman

From Amazon.com : "This richly illustrated book gives a chronological account of the kings and dynasties of ancient Egypt. Individual sketches are given of the reigns of the better known kings, along with archaeological details."
De alapage.com : "De Narmer à Cléopâtre, les biographies de chacun des quelque 190 pharaons connus : leur vie, les principaux événements de leur règne, les monuments qu'ils ont bâtis. Des documents de l'époque pour éclairer la personnalité des plus célèbres souverains - Djéser, Akhéntaon, - Toutankhamon, Ramsès II et - souveraines - Hatschepsout, Néfertiti. Des fiches signalétiques rappelant les informations clefs concernant chaque pharaon : titulature royale, emplacement de la sépulture, relation dynastique. Des cartouches avec les noms royaux en hiéroglyphes. Des arbres généalogiques et des encadrés sur les grands faits marquants. Une chronologie visuelle permettant d'évaluer, à l'échelle des trois mille ans de civilisation égyptienne, la longueur des règnes et le développement des dynasties."

Queen Nefertiti
(collective)
ISBN 0883881543
© 1992, Bellerophon Books

Ramses II. Magnificence on the Nile
(collective)
ISBN 0809490129
© 1994, Time Life - Lost Civilizations series

Ramses the Great
(collective)
ISBN 0883881489
© Bellerophon Books

Hatshepsut. La Primogenita del Dios Amon
(Begoña Del Casal Aretxabaleta)
ISBN 8488676484
© 1998, Alderabán Ediciones

Note from Francesca : "The fascinating world of Hatshepsut, a woman and a pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, brings the reader to the world of the 18th Dynasty. In 18 chapters, the author provides interesting details about New Kingdom society and Hatshepsut's reign. The book includes many black and white photographs as well as a short bibliography. Recommended for all persons interested in Hatshepsut."

Les Derniers Pharaons. Les turbulents Ptolémées d'Alexandre le Grand à Cléopâtre la Grande
(Madeleine Della Monica)
ISBN 2706812729
© 1997, Maisonneuve et Larose

From AEB : "Ce livre couvre l’histoire de l’Égypte d’Alexandre le Grand à Cléopatre VII, tout en décrivant la période ptolémaique et ses chefs d’état."

Ramsès II. La véritable histoire (English title : Great Pharaoh Ramses and his Time - in italiano : Ramsete II. Figlio del sole)
(Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt)
in italiano : ISBN 882002442X © 1997, Sperling & Kupfer Editori

De alapage.com : "Aucun pharaon n'a laissé autant d'écrits sur ce qu'il voulut être et accomplir, aucun n'a réalisé d'aussi nombreux monuments, permettant de saisir les mobiles de ses entreprises. Ainsi, tout en proposant une reconstitution de la cérémonie secrète du sacre de Ramsès II, Christiane Desroches Noblecourt n'entend pas pour autant évoquer une vie quotidienne de l'Egypte à une époque où l'imagination prend trop souvent le pas sur la vérité."

Toutankhamon. Vie et mort d'un pharaon (English title : Tutankhamen. Life and death of a pharaoh - en español : Vida y Muerte de un Faraón, Tutankhamen)
(Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt)
in English : ISBN 0140116656 © 1990, Viking Penguin
en español : © 1972, Editorial Noguer

From AEB : "This brilliant classic is the definitive examination of the pharaoh's life and impact as seen through the eyes of his riches. The author covers the story of the tomb's discovery and of the treasures found and relates their importance to the picture we have of ancient Egyptian culture."

Monarchs of the Nile
(Aidan Dodson)
ISBN 094869520X
© 1995, Rubicon Press

Note from Francesca : "This book provides a compact chronicle of the most significant Egyptian monarchs from the earliest times to the end of Nektanebo II's reign. The lives and achievements of these rulers (famous or lesser-known kings and queens) are clearly summarized and accurately detailed. Well illustrated in black and white, this book is mostly recommended for students."

Tutankhamon. His tomb and its treasures
(I. E. S. Edwards)
© 1977, Alfred Knopf

Ptolemy of Egypt
(Walter M. Ellis)
ISBN 0415100208
© 1993, Routledge

Note from Francesca : "This study provides great details on this ancient ruler's life. Although he lived part of it in the shadow of Alexander the Great, much is owed to Ptolemy I Soter : the birth of the Hellenistic state, the creation of the Museum, the addition of the Great Library and the Lighthouse to the city of Alexandria, as well as other extraordinary achievements both in and beyond Egypt. Alexandria, his capital, became known as an intellectual center. This book not only tells the story of a leader, but also of his satrapy, his kingship, his family, the wars he fought, and his role during Alexander the Great's reign. With several black and white pictures, it is a recommended biography of interest to students of Greek and Ptolemaic history."

Tutankhamen
(Christine El Mahdy)
ISBN 0747260001 © 2000, Headline
ISBN 0312262418 © 2000, St Martin's Press

Le Dernier Pharaon. Ramsès III ou le crépuscule d'une civilisation
(Francis Fèvre)
ISBN 2856166369
© 1992, Presses de la Renaissance

From AEB : "Écrit d’un style populaire, il s’agit ici d’une biographie brillante du destin romanesque d'un pharaon méconnu, Ramsès III, qui, 12 siècles avant notre ère, apporta à l'Egypte, ravagée par les ennemis de l'extérieur comme de l'intérieur, son ultime heure de gloire."

Cléopâtre. Vie et mort d'un pharaon (English title : Cleopatra. The life and death of a pharaoh)
(Edith Flamarion)
en français : ISBN 2070531929 © 1993, Gallimard-Jeunesse
in English : ISBN 0810928051 © 1997, Harry N. Abrams

From AEB : "La vie de cette femme au destin exceptionnel, née à Alexandrie en 69 av. J.-C., reine d'Egypte de 51 à 30, célèbre pour son charme, sa culture, son art politique, qui lui valurent les faveurs de César et d'Antoine."

Chronicle of a Pharaoh. The life of Amenhotep III
(Joann Fletcher)
ISBN 0195216601
© 2000, Oxford University Press

Cleopatra's Palace. In search of a legend
(Laura Foreman)
ISBN 0679462600
© 1999, Random House

Note from Francesca : "This book describes the life, the historical events, affairs and death of the greatest known character of Roman Egypt, Cleopatra. Accompanying a Discovery two-hour special, the author uses an easy writing style for this excellent biography of the most famous woman in history. With beautiful underwater photographs, this is a recommended book for those interested in Cleopatra and her mysteries."

Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs
(Jo Forty)
ISBN 1572152532 © 1998, World Publications
ISBN 1856484491 © Greenwich Editions

From the book cover : "God-kings of an enigmatic civilization spanning over three millenia, the pharaohs of ancient Egypt were the most fascinating, complex, and enduring of dynastic monarchies. Inspiring ownership from their subjects and bequeathing many myths and legends, their cryptic and time-shrouded legacies present historians with as many mysteries as they do answers.
"Illustrated with superb photography, this study charts the emergence and dominance of the monarchs of Egypt. As complete as archaeology allows, their lives, rituals, beliefs and societies provide a narrative as astonishing as their lasting, visible achievements."

The Search for Cleopatra
(Michael Foss)
ISBN 1854792822 © 1997, Michael O'Mara Books
ISBN 1559704225 © 1998, Arcade Publications

From Amazon.com : "Egypt's legendary queen (69-30 B.C.) comes to vibrant life in this colorful, readable biography. Historian Michael Foss combines careful scholarship with exciting storytelling to capture Cleopatra's complex personality within the context of the turbulent world-power politics of her day. Cunning, ruthless, nervy, unquenchably feminine yet imperiously regal, Cleopatra made her own rules. [The author] illuminates the statesmanship that gained Ptolemaic Egypt some measure of status and independence in the shadow of all-powerful Rome, as well as the sexual allure that captivated Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. [This book] is both good history and good fun."

The Face of Tutankhamun
(Christopher Frayling)
ISBN 0571168450
© 1992, Faber and Faber Limited

From the book cover : "The discovery seventy years ago of the tomb of King Tut, with its staggering wealth and its mysterious curse, captured the popular imagination like no other archaeological find this century. In his anthology of this fascinating chapter in modern cultural history, Christopher Frayling tells the story of the treasure, of the men who found it, and of the mania it inspired. [...] A TV special broadcasted by the Arts & Entertainment Network accompanied this book."

Le Livre des Rois d'Égypte - 3 vols
(H. Gauthier)
© 1907-1917, Cairo

Les Divines Épouses de la 18e Dynastie
(M. Gitton)
ISBN 2251603069
© 1984, Belles-Lettres

À la Recherche de Cléopatre
(Franck Goddio)
ISBN 2221081382
© 1996, Éditions Robert Laffont

De alapage.com : "Cléopâtre, sa beauté, ses amours, sa mort tragique... Le monde entier en est encore fasciné. Pourtant personne n'était jamais parvenu à situer les lieux exacts où s'est accomplie sa prodigieuse destinée..."

Problems concerning Amenophis III
(Hans Goedicke)
ISBN 0961380578
© 1992, Halgo

From AEB : "The author discusses problems concerning the reign and personality of Amenhotep III."

Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C. A historical biography
(Peter Green)
ISBN 0520071662
© 1991, University of California Press

From the publisher's website : "This biography begins not with one of the universally known incidents of Alexander's life, but with an account of his father, Philip of Macedonia, whose many-territoried empire was the first on the continent of Europe to have an effectively centralized government and military. What Philip and Macedonia had to offer, Alexander made his own, but Philip and Macedonia also made Alexander form an important context for understanding Alexander himself. Yet his origins and training do not fully explain the man. After he was named hegemon of the Hellenic League, many philosophers came to congratulate Alexander, but one was conspicuous by his absence: Diogenes the Cynic, an ascetic who lived in a clay tub. Piqued and curious, Alexander himself visited the philosopher, who, when asked if there was anything Alexander could do for him, made the famous reply, 'Don't stand between me and the sun.' Alexander's courtiers jeered, but Alexander silenced them: 'If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes.' This remark was as unexpected in Alexander as it would be in a modern leader.
"For the general reader, the book, redolent with gritty details and fully aware of Alexander's darker side, offers a gripping tale of Alexander's career. Full backnotes, fourteen maps, and chronological and genealogical tables serve readers with more specialized interests."

Bible Myth. The African origins of the Jewish people
(Gary Greenberg)
ISBN 0806519703
© 1998, Citadel Press / Carol Publishing Group

From Amazon.com : "Basing his theories on extensive research into Egyptian history, archeology, literature and mythology, [the author] makes several contentions that are certain to ignite major controversy among scholars, religious historians and lay readers. Among Greenberg's contentions are that the 12 tribes of Israel never existed, the first Israelites were Egyptians, and the founding patriarchs of the Hebrew people were actually characters from Egyptian mythology."

The Moses Mystery. The African origins of the Jewish people
(Gary Greenberg)
ISBN 1559723718
© 1996, Carol Publishing Group

From the book cover : "Sure to cause controversy in both academic and religious circles, [this book] examines the troubling question of why ancient Israel has no archaeological or documentary presence prior to and just after the Exodus from Egypt and challenges the conventional wisdom on the origins of the pre-Exodus bible stories.
"Marshaling an astounding amount of research in the fields of biblical archaeology and Egyptian history, literature, and mythology, [the renowned Biblical scholar] shows that the history of Israel before the Exodus is based almost entirely on Egyptian mythology."