This is by far one of the best books ever published about Akhenaten and the Amarna period. Unlike many other publications, it is not full of sensational hypotheses that make claims about the life of this remarkable man without first doing even a little research to establish whether they are true. Aldred presents the facts, balanced arguments, and rational discussion. It is clear that a great deal of time and research went into writing this wonderful book!
It is a very comprehensive overview of this period in Egyptian history, with numerous illustrations of the most important works of art and monuments. In addition to Akhenaten’s life and beliefs, the book discusses key issues such as the mystery surrounding KV55, the possibility of co-regencies, and the excavation of Amarna in modern times.
I love the honesty of this book—the fact that Aldred discusses what is “very likely” or “possible” based on the evidence available to us, rather than formulating a theory and then presenting it as fact. That is a common offence among many more recent authors and “experts” on this subject, but Aldred avoids it!
A must-have if you are interested in this period of history.