Tales Mummies Tell <small><br>by Patricia Lauber </small>

bookcover of TALES MUMMIES TELL by Patricia Lauber

WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION TO A FASCINATING SUBJECT

What an informative, interesting and well done work this is! First though, please note that Amazon seems to have mixed their books up just a bit with this title. I note that when I typed in the title of the book I was taken to a work of only 32 pages which seems to be some sort of teachers guide to the actually book being reviewed here. The one I have is 117 pages and the text is supplemented with some very nice black and white photographs. If you order this book, take care that you are ordering the correct one. Now, that being said...

This book, while geared for the younger reader, i.e. the young adult, it is actually quite an interesting read for anyone interested in mummies, and let's face it, who isn't? Kids flock to books of this subject and I know many adults who have quite extensive libraries covering such matters. This work is quite appropriate for the adult reader who has a curiosity concerning the subject but does not want to get bogged down in an 800 page book on the history of Egypt. No, the information here is pretty basic but on the other hand I have seldom seen a youth reader that is packed with more accurate information that this little volume.

The author has addressed the burial practices of several ancient civilizations with the emphasis placed on the mummification of the remains after death. Of course Egypt plays a prominent role in this work, but the author has also given us a fascinating look at ancient South American cultures, the Bog People of Europe and Native Americans of the Southwest. Ms. Lauber even addresses "shrunken heads; how they are made and why. Knowing a bit about this subject (the mummification process, not shrinking heads), I can attest to the fact that the author has done a wonderful job on her research and has accomplished an amazing task in separating fact from fiction and legend.

The text of this work is very nicely done and is easy to read while at the same time not being one bit condescending toward her younger readers. Facts are given, accurate facts, in a nonacademic way which will be quite appealing to all who take the time to read it. The author has supplied a large number of quality black and white photographs of various mummies from around the world and from different eras and cultures. I was gratified that the emphasis was placed on scientific research and not on a bunch of tall tales usually associated with this subject. Great emphasis is places on the analysis of the data received through the study of these ancient bodies. How did the people live, what was their diet, how did they die, what methods were used to preserve the human body for thousands of years and why was this process done? I was also gratified that the author has taken several unflattering shots at grave robbers throughout history and amateur archeologists who have rather mucked things up for the past several hundred years. Tomb raiders are not on this author's popularity list...with no insult to Laura Croft, I am sure.

For those young people who are into the study of ancient civilizations this work is a wonderful supplement to any reading or study program. I have to admit that I picked up some pretty nifty bits of trivia here and there and received a bit of an education myself.

An interesting read and I do recommend this one highly.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Tales Mummies Tell