Photo thanks to AXP Photography.
Thank you to everyone who attended our April discussion about Lynne Olson's book Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction. We had much to discuss about Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt's life and work, the remarkable effort to preserve the Louvre's collection during WWII, the history of Egypt, and beyond.
Below are announcements, info to explore from our April book, and details for our May discussion.
Announcements:
Due to a change in opening hours at Books Inc. Opera Plaza, we will be shifting our start time from 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. starting next month.
In Bay Area literary news, the schedule is live for the Bay Area Book Festival in downtown Berkeley on June 1-2: baybookfest.org
Links and notes for exploration (many thanks to our member Ingrid for many of these links!):
“Egypt scraps plan to restore cladding on one of three great pyramids of Giza,” The Guardian (Feb 16, 2024)
Documentary film, in French: Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, une passion égyptienne
News segment, in French, from France TV (2022): Histoire: portrait de Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, la premiere femme egyptologue
Footage from Egypt, with Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt: from Hors-série 2: Egypte, 1973, dans les pas des égyptologues (from inédit de Pierre Nelson)
San Francisco Public Library has a few of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt's many books. Most are for in-library use only, except for Tutankhamen, Life and Death of a Pharaoh.
Check out the items in the Louvre's collection credited to Christiane Desroche-Noblecourt.
Author Lynne Olson was interviewed by the National WII Museum: YouTube recording
In our own backyard, San Jose is home to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.
The De Young Museum recently hosted the exhibition Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs. The exhibit website is still up, with videos, photos, and more background.
The Monuments Men and Women Foundation tells the story of the effort to save, rescue, and reconnect art.
May's Discussion: Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
About the book:
"Amid daily reports of violence, Cushla lives a quiet life with her mother in a small town near Belfast, teaching at a parochial school and moonlighting at her family’s pub. There she meets Michael Agnew, a Protestant barrister who’s made a name for himself defending IRA members. Against her better judgment, Cushla lets herself get drawn in by him and his sophisticated world, and an affair ignites. Then the father of a student is savagely beaten, setting in motion a chain reaction that will threaten everything, and everyone, Cushla most wants to protect." (more)
Join the conversation!
Sunday, May 26
11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. {note new start time of 11:15 a.m.!}
Books Inc. Opera Plaza, 601 Van Ness, San Francisco
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