The fascination nineteenth-century travelers felt for Egypt would be difficult to overestimate. Drawn by notions taken from the Bible and tales of the timelessness of the pyramids and the lasting beauty of Egyptian architecture, many made their way to the ancient world’s most famous oasis. From the eyes of a novelist, Warner illustrates the drama and romance of a voyage to the Middle East when it was still largely unknown. Particularly attracted to the Muslim life and practice in Egypt, and the monuments of the ancient empires, Warner takes the reader through Cairo, its bazaar and the surrounding desert. The journey down the Nile is narrated with a sense of discovery and wonder, including a description of the author’s Christmas on the Nile. Thebes and Karnak are visited on the river trek down into Ethiopia and tropical Africa. Warner takes the time to discuss the history of the concepts such as life after death for the ancient Egyptians that he encountered on his travels. A reflective journey back down the great river concludes the travelogue and takes the author to the brink of his journey following the tracks of the Israelites on the exodus from Egypt.

Charles Dudley Warner (1824-1900) was an American essayist and novelist. He attended Hamilton College in Clinton, New York and studied law at the University of Pennsylvania. After practicing law, he moved into a career as an editor, eventually coming onto the staff of Harpers. He served as the first president of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and was also president of the American Social Science Association.