Overview

"Canadians leading an archaeological dig in Egypt's Western Desert are at the forefront of an amazing scientific detective story as they uncover 400,000 years of human history and examine the fragile balance between humankind and our environment. Award-winning author and journalist Harry Thurston combines elements of adventure travelogue, scientific detective story, and environmental chronicle to offer a uniquely modern, ecological perspective on the story of humanity, entwining it with a fascinating portrait of Egypt from prehistory, through ancient times, to the present. Island of the Blessed follows the footsteps of a Canadian-led international team of archaeologists as they penetrate the Sahara to unlock the secrets of Egypt's ""everlasting oasis"" -- Dakhleh. This fertile island in a sea of sand has been home to humans for almost half a million years. Archaeologists are using high-tech methods to decipher humankind's prehistory and have unearthed a perfect Old Kingdom town, replete with palaces and temples from the Golden Age of ancient Egypt, a stunning cache of mummies, a Roman-era archive of 10,000 papyri, and the world's two oldest books. As well, they are excavating an entire Roman city -- a ""desert Pompeii"" buried by the inexorable march of the Sahara. What we can learn from Dakhleh is nothing less than the whole history of our species and its ambivalent relationship with our planet. Island of the Blessed is that rare book about the past that sheds light upon the present day."

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9780385259705

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Reviews

Thurston . . . has created quite the page-turner in Island of the Blessed . . . He's got mummies, myth and mysticism, all wrapped up in a timely concern about the welfare of the planet itself, and uses those gifts well. -- The Toronto Star <br> Even as [Thurston] sculpts a rich chronological account of the multi-layered history of Dakhleh, the 'oldest continuously inhabited community on the planet, ' he crafts a sobering environmental parable that could change the way you look at a simple glass of water. -- The Vancouver Sun <br> This is a story of 'the drying up of the Sahara, the birth of our own species, the invention of agriculture, and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations.' And it makes for a jolly good read. -- The Globe and Mail <br> Superbly researched, Thurston's scholarly offering takes us on a surprising exploration of a forgotten corner of the ancient world. -- Heather Pringle, author of The Mummy Congress <br> Harry Thurston's meticulous recreation of the long history of the Dakhleh Oasis is fascinating. He is particularly good on tracing the effects of the desert environment on human development, and on humankind's carelessness with our natural heritage. His final chapter is a warning cry to us all. -- Marc de Villiers, author of Water and Sahara <br> Combines the most winning elements of the travelogue and archeological mystery while working in a timely environmental warning. -- Quill & Quire

"""Thurston . . . has created quite the page-turner in Island of the Blessed . . . He's got mummies, myth and mysticism, all wrapped up in a timely concern about the welfare of the planet itself, and uses those gifts well."" -- The Toronto Star ""Even as [Thurston] sculpts a rich chronological account of the multi-layered history of Dakhleh, the 'oldest continuously inhabited community on the planet, ' he crafts a sobering environmental parable that could change the way you look at a simple glass of water."" -- The Vancouver Sun ""This is a story of 'the drying up of the Sahara, the birth of our own species, the invention of agriculture, and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations.' And it makes for a jolly good read."" -- The Globe and Mail ""Superbly researched, Thurston's scholarly offering takes us on a surprising exploration of a forgotten corner of the ancient world."" -- Heather Pringle, author of The Mummy Congress ""Harry Thurston's meticulous recreation of the long history of the Dakhleh Oasis is fascinating. He is particularly good on tracing the effects of the desert environment on human development, and on humankind's carelessness with our natural heritage. His final chapter is a warning cry to us all."" -- Marc de Villiers, author of Water and Sahara ""Combines the most winning elements of the travelogue and archeological mystery while working in a timely environmental warning."" -- Quill & Quire"

Thurston . . . has created quite the page-turner in Island of the Blessed . . . He's got mummies, myth and mysticism, all wrapped up in a timely concern about the welfare of the planet itself, and uses those gifts well. -- The Toronto Star Even as [Thurston] sculpts a rich chronological account of the multi-layered history of Dakhleh, the 'oldest continuously inhabited community on the planet, ' he crafts a sobering environmental parable that could change the way you look at a simple glass of water. -- The Vancouver Sun This is a story of 'the drying up of the Sahara, the birth of our own species, the invention of agriculture, and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations.' And it makes for a jolly good read. -- The Globe and Mail Superbly researched, Thurston's scholarly offering takes us on a surprising exploration of a forgotten corner of the ancient world. -- Heather Pringle, author of The Mummy Congress Harry Thurston's meticulous recreation of the long history of the Dakhleh Oasis is fascinating. He is particularly good on tracing the effects of the desert environment on human development, and on humankind's carelessness with our natural heritage. His final chapter is a warning cry to us all. -- Marc de Villiers, author of Water and Sahara Combines the most winning elements of the travelogue and archeological mystery while working in a timely environmental warning. -- Quill & Quire

Thurston . . . has created quite the page-turner in Island of the Blessed . . . He's got mummies, myth and mysticism, all wrapped up in a timely concern about the welfare of the planet itself, and uses those gifts well. -- The Toronto Star Even as [Thurston] sculpts a rich chronological account of the multi-layered history of Dakhleh, the 'oldest continuously inhabited community on the planet, ' he crafts a sobering environmental parable that could change the way you look at a simple glass of water. -- The Vancouver Sun This is a story of 'the drying up of the Sahara, the birth of our own species, the invention of agriculture, and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations.' And it makes for a jolly good read. -- The Globe and Mail Superbly researched, Thurston's scholarly offering takes us on a surprising exploration of a forgotten corner of the ancient world. -- Heather Pringle, author of The Mummy Congress Harry Thurston's meticulous recreation of the long history of the Dakhleh Oasis is fascinating. He is particularly good on tracing the effects of the desert environment on human development, and on humankind's carelessness with our natural heritage. His final chapter is a warning cry to us all. -- Marc de Villiers, author of Water and Sahara Combines the most winning elements of the travelogue and archeological mystery while working in a timely environmental warning. -- Quill & Quire

Author Information

Harry Thurston is among Canada's most widely published freelance journalists, having written twelve books and feature articles for more than thirty of North America's leading magazines, including Audubon, Equinox, and National Geographic. These articles have garnered six national journalism awards. He lives in Nova Scotia.

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