Mirage: Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt

A thoroughly engrossing, thoroughly fascinating account account of Napoleon's disastrous and ill-conceived campaign to conquer Egypt,and pre-empt British influence in the area. What set this invasion apart was Napoleon's decision to bring some 250 'savants', or scholars in various fields with the invading force,to document the wonders of Egypt from its flora and fauna to its monuments and geography. The stories of these amazing men,and their dedication and accomplishments are truly inspiring. The French discovery of the Rosetta stone, and its subsequent forced relinquishment to the British, and the story of the subsequent ravaging of Egypt's treasures are additional pieces of history well-covered, that you don't want to miss. A masterful book that I could not put down!

Extraordinary account of the incredible and profoundly evocative adventures of the savants. With an insight into Bonaparte our American history lessons exclude.

I'm interested in the archaeological side of Napoleon's expedition and having seen copies of the Description de l'Egypt I was interested in the men behind that. Nina's book was wonderfully interesting to read - though in fact not a lot about the archaeology and site visits themselves. Fascinating to read behinds the scenes and what these artists and scientists coped with on their visit. Am looking forward to reading some of the books in her bibliography.

Although his expedition was not successful, Napoleon brought artists and scientists with him ( like Alexander before him) to document what was seen and found. A good overview of the campaign but once again the British won out in the end. The Rosetta Stone is in London not Paris!!

I am a science and history lover and this book was a great read. I learned a lot about Egypt in 1798 and about Napoleon. I especially loved the writing bringing the culture of Egypt alive and the science. I highly recommend the book.

Very well researched and written. Excellent reading for the ordinary reader as well as for historians interested in that particular subject

Interesting book.Several reviewers have panned this work.I'm not hung up on the absolute historical correctness of all the boo-boo's Napoleon made in Egypt.I like the emphasis on the characters the big N. took with him.Since there is no test at the end of the book or a professor to please this makes for an easy,interesting, casual read.I can't vouch for all the negative review points being made and really don't care.T 'savants' he took are an interesting and are about what one would expect of 'scientist types' from that era.Worth reading if you don't want a text book version of the Invasion of Egypt.

I was excited to read this because it’s an absolutely fantastic story. Essentially all of the great minds of Napoleonic France traveled to Egypt in an effort to unlock the fabled secrets of Ancient Egypt. What’s not to like? Unfortunately, the story is told so dryly, it’s just a slog. A profound disappointment. Hopefully someone else can tell this story.

Praise to this author for her thorough research, and for turning what could have been a very dry topic into an un-put-downable read. She has portrayed characters and events with great skill; for example, describing the conflicts between military and the scientific cadre who participated in Napoleon’s failed venture to colonise Egypt; weaving the multiple setbacks the invasion faced into a complex tale and yet capturing the atmosphere and essence of Egypt at that time.I hope to read more books by this author

I enjoyed this book. You suffer along with the scientists as they uncover the mysteries of Egypt and their triumphs and tragedies become yours. Although I'm happy I can take a quick ride on the tube to see the Rosetta stone whenever I want, it's hard not to feel a little frustrated when the British "steal" it away. After all the French went through you can't help but hope they'll come away from this mission with something memorable. It's well worth a read if you love history, archaeology, and science. I picked this book up because I was most interested in the story of the stone and Nina Burleigh devotes a whole chapter to it towards the end of the book. But I was pleasantly surprised to read this wonderful tale of adventure and discovery, culminating in the monumental book "The Description of Egypt." Definitely recommended.

Thanks