When we think of ancient Egypt, we think of the gods, the pharaohs and
the pyramids. However, life for the average Egyptian was very different
from this glorious perception and was not so unrecognisable from the
lives we live today. This book tells the history of the ordinary
population of ancient Egypt, using the stories of real people - often
strange, at times amusing and ultimately very recognisable. Booth
introduces us to a number of fascinating people, including Taimhotep,
who married a man twice her age and turned to the god Imhotep to help
her to conceive a son; Naunakhte, who disinherited her children for
neglecting her in her old age; Kenhirkhopshef, a man seemingly obsessed
with making lists; and Paneb, the 'bad boy' of Deir el-Medina. History
is made up of people and personalities, and each of these characters has
a story to tell.