Overview

The riveting story of a true-life female Indiana Jones: an archaeologist who survived the Nazis and then saved Egypt’s ancient temples. In the 1960s, the world’s attention was focused on a nail-biting race against time: fifty countries had contributed nearly a billion dollars to save a dozen ancient Egyptian temples from drowning in the floodwaters of the gigantic new Aswan High Dam. It was a project of unimaginable size and complexity that required the fragile sandstone temples to be dismantled, stone by stone, and rebuilt on higher ground. But the massive press coverage of this unprecedented rescue effort completely overlooked the gutsy French archaeologist who made it all happen. Without the intervention of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, the temples would now be at the bottom of a gigantic reservoir. Desroches-Noblecourt refused to be cowed by anyone or anything. As a brave member of the French Resistance in World War II, she had survived imprisonment by the Nazis. Now, in her fight to save the temples, she had to face down two of the most daunting leaders of the postwar world: Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and French president Charles de Gaulle. After a century and a half of Western plunder of Egypt’s ancient monuments, Desroches-Noblecourt helped preserve a crucial part of its cultural heritage, and, just as importantly, made sure it remained in its homeland.

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9781911344261

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'The subject of Lynne Olson's excellent biography, Empress of the Nile, isn't, as you might think, Cleopatra, but rather the daredevil archaeologist Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, best known for helping save massive ancient temples from destruction. Olson, whose many previous books spotlight unsung heroes and heroines of that war, is here at her best ... Empress of the Nile tells her story well, embedding it in the history of modern Egyptian archaeology. Empress of the Nile is a welcome and needed work of both rescue and reclamation.' * The Washington Post * 'Lynne Olson's many fans know her gift for storytelling and bringing to life heroes who may not be well known but demand - indeed, rivet - our attention. Who else but Olson could have found Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, a beautiful and brave French resistance fighter who is brazen enough to tell her Gestapo interrogators to stand up when a woman enters the room? Who also happens to be a kind of female Indiana Jones working behind the scenes - alongside Jackie Kennedy! - to save the ancient temples of Egypt? Readers will devour this wonderful book.' -- Evan Thomas, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>First: Sandra Day O'Connor</i> 'An exhilarating, in-depth look at a woman whose courage never faltered, whether facing Nazi interrogators, back-stabbing archeologist colleagues, or the imminent destruction of the Egyptian monuments and artefacts she held most dear. Olson's richly detailed biography takes the reader for a magnificent ride in this heart-stopping read.' -- Fiona Davis, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Magnolia Palace</i> 'Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was one of the leading Egyptologists of the 20th century, yet her remarkable achievements have received little attention. Lynne Olson has done her justice with this comprehensive biography.' -- Toby Wilkinson, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt</i> and <i>Tutankhamun's Trumpet</i> 'Once again, Lynne Olson introduces us to a modern heroine who defied the odds and achieved historic results. Through sheer grit and an indomitable spirit that neither Nazis nor bureaucrats from Paris to Cairo could tame, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt rescued the Egyptian Temples of Nubia and other treasures from drowning. With her signature deep research and compassion for quirky characters, Olsen spins an inspiring tale with a sometimes surprising cast, including First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Empress of the Nile is a tonic for our times and a reminder that one unstoppable woman can bend history to her will.' -- Kati Marton, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Chancellor</i> 'From facing down Nazis, to fighting to save Egyptian artefacts, to rehabilitating the reputation of Hapshetsut, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt's remarkable career reads like something out of fiction - but Lynne Olson's compelling biography makes clear that every word is pure fact. Empress of the Nile is the best sort of micro history: both an intimate portrait of a groundbreaking woman and a whirlwind tour through the major events and personalities of the twentieth century. To anyone who ever tossed a coin into the waters around the Temple of Dendur - you must read this book.' -- Lauren Willig, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Band of Sisters</i> 'Lynne Olson has found yet another fascinating, unsung heroine: a French archaeologist with the moxie to take on the Egyptians, the Americans and the French to save historic Egyptian temples.' -- Meryl Gordon, author of three biographies including <i>Bunny Mellon: the life of an American style legend</i> 'A well-documented and sensitive portrait of a remarkable woman who shared her passion for Egypt and inspired so many others to find their calling, myself included, while at the same time helping to reinvigorate the Louvre.' -- Henri Loyrette, honorary president and director of the Louvre Museum 'Bestseller Olson follows up Madame Fourcade's Secret War with another scintillating biography of a woman who spearheaded the greatest single example of international cultural cooperation the world has ever known, a campaign in the 1950s and '60s to save Nubian temples and other antiquities from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt ... Enriched by fascinating digressions into Egyptian history, museum rivalries, the plundering of archaeological sites, the 1956 Suez Crisis, and more, this is a captivating portrait of a pathbreaking woman. Readers will be enthralled.' -- <i>Publishers Weekly</i>, starred review 'Olson provides a gripping account of an extraordinary life.' -- <i>Booklist</i>, starred review 'The life of an archaeologist who deserves to be better known ... The author provides a fine account of Desroches-Noblecourt's long, distinguished career. An expert biography of the most prestigious Egyptologist of her time.' * Kirkus Reviews * 'Fast-paced, highly entertaining ... Olson's narrative gathers steam in the tense days before the Nazis invaded Poland ... The highlight of Olson's book is her thrilling account of the rescue of the giant statues of Rameses II and the Abu Simbel temples from inundation by the Aswan High Dam ... Meticulous detail.' -- Joshua Hammer * The New York Times * 'Follows Desroches-Noblecourt every step along the way. And I mean every step. Deeply researched, it contains in its many detours and side trips a certain amount of historical TMI.' * Air Mail * 'Egyptologists are certainly familiar with her legacy, but since not all of her many books are translated into English, author Lynne Olson has written an engrossing biography that makes Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt's life and work accessible to a broader audience ... [Empress of the Nile] at times reads like a suspenseful political thriller.' -- Laura McCallum * The Canberra Times * Not enough people will have heard of the subject of this fascinating book - the French archaeologist Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt who became one of the world's foremost experts on ancient Egypt. In Empress of the Nile, Lynne Olson details how Desroches - small in stature and a woman to boot - was willing to take on any number of powerful men in her field.' -- Sally Pryor * The Canberra Times * 'Empress of the Nile is an absorbing portrait of an amazing woman.' -- Steven Carroll * The Sydney Morning Herald * 'Assured ... The book follows a welcome trend to recover pioneering women in the social sciences.' -- Sara Wheeler * The Daily Telegraph * 'A vivid reminder of a remarkable individual and an intriguing recreation of the strange times in which she lived.' -- Robin McKie * The Observer *

'Lynne Olson's many fans know her gift for storytelling and bringing to life heroes who may not be well known but demand - indeed, rivet - our attention. Who else but Olson could have found Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, a beautiful and brave French resistance fighter who is brazen enough to tell her Gestapo interrogators to stand up when a woman enters the room? Who also happens to be a kind of female Indiana Jones working behind the scenes - alongside Jackie Kennedy! - to save the ancient temples of Egypt? Readers will devour this wonderful book.' -- Evan Thomas, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>First: Sandra Day O'Connor</i> 'An exhilarating, in-depth look at a woman whose courage never faltered, whether facing Nazi interrogators, back-stabbing archeologist colleagues, or the imminent destruction of the Egyptian monuments and artefacts she held most dear. Olson's richly detailed biography takes the reader for a magnificent ride in this heart-stopping read.' -- Fiona Davis, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Magnolia Palace</i> 'Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was one of the leading Egyptologists of the 20th century, yet her remarkable achievements have received little attention. Lynne Olson has done her justice with this comprehensive biography.' -- Toby Wilkinson, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt</i> and <i>Tutankhamun's Trumpet</i> 'Once again, Lynne Olson introduces us to a modern heroine who defied the odds and achieved historic results. Through sheer grit and an indomitable spirit that neither Nazis nor bureaucrats from Paris to Cairo could tame, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt rescued the Egyptian Temples of Nubia and other treasures from drowning. With her signature deep research and compassion for quirky characters, Olsen spins an inspiring tale with a sometimes surprising cast, including First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Empress of the Nile is a tonic for our times and a reminder that one unstoppable woman can bend history to her will.' -- Kati Marton, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Chancellor</i> 'From facing down Nazis, to fighting to save Egyptian artefacts, to rehabilitating the reputation of Hapshetsut, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt's remarkable career reads like something out of fiction - but Lynne Olson's compelling biography makes clear that every word is pure fact. Empress of the Nile is the best sort of micro history: both an intimate portrait of a groundbreaking woman and a whirlwind tour through the major events and personalities of the twentieth century. To anyone who ever tossed a coin into the waters around the Temple of Dendur - you must read this book.' -- Lauren Willig, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Band of Sisters</i> 'Lynne Olson has found yet another fascinating, unsung heroine: a French archaeologist with the moxie to take on the Egyptians, the Americans and the French to save historic Egyptian temples.' -- Meryl Gordon, author of three biographies including <i>Bunny Mellon: the life of an American style legend</i> 'A well-documented and sensitive portrait of a remarkable woman who shared her passion for Egypt and inspired so many others to find their calling, myself included, while at the same time helping to reinvigorate the Louvre.' -- Henri Loyrette, honorary president and director of the Louvre Museum 'Bestseller Olson follows up Madame Fourcade's Secret War with another scintillating biography of a woman who spearheaded the greatest single example of international cultural cooperation the world has ever known, a campaign in the 1950s and '60s to save Nubian temples and other antiquities from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt ... Enriched by fascinating digressions into Egyptian history, museum rivalries, the plundering of archaeological sites, the 1956 Suez Crisis, and more, this is a captivating portrait of a pathbreaking woman. Readers will be enthralled.' -- <i>Publishers Weekly</i>, starred review

Author Information

Lynne Olson is the New York Times bestselling author of Last Hope Island: Britain, occupied Europe, and the brotherhood that helped turn the tide of war; Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America’s fight over World War II, 1939–1941; and Citizens of London: the Americans who stood with Britain in its darkest, finest hour. Among her five other books is Troublesome Young Men: the rebels who brought Churchill to power and helped save England. She lives with her husband in Washington, D.C.

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