Cleopatra's Needle

King, James, Vicar of St. Mary‘s, Berwick-upon-TweProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 168K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Cleopatra's Needle by Berwick-upon-Tweed Vicar of St. Mary's James KingAuthor: King, James, Vicar of St. Mary's, Berwick-upon-Tweed,Language: English, Class: DT: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Africa, Release Date: Oct 18, 2011

Editor's review

This book is James King's (Vicar of Berwick-upon-Tweed, St Mary's) dedicated study of Cleopatra's Needle, falling under the category of general history and Africa. It focuses on the obelisk as a specific artifact, narrating its origins, form, inscriptions, and relocation, and is suited to readers interested in ancient Egyptian civilization, epigraphy, and the movement of cultural objects. As a public-domain e-book, the text is preserved as originally published; it is short and can serve as introductory material for focused reading or reference. Readers should approach it with a questioning mind: how the obelisk was named, how it was interpreted, and how it came to be connected with modern transport and display. The prose reflects the antiquarian interests of a nineteenth-century clergyman-scholar, combining research with commentary, and readers must distinguish historical fact from the assumptions of the era. Those preparing exhibitions, writing, or courses may read it alongside more modern histories of ancient Egypt to compensate for its limitations. Overall, this is a small, specialized work whose value lies in offering a focused historical thread centered on an artifact rather than a comprehensive history of Egypt.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in ancient Egyptian artifacts and the history of obelisks
History enthusiasts seeking public-domain English source material for focused reference
Museum and education professionals preparing exhibition, writing, or course materials
Readers who enjoy short antiquarian texts and can accept a nineteenth-century prose style

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic general history of ancient Egypt or a modern academic framework
Readers who prefer reading in Chinese and do not wish to consult the English original
Readers expecting numerous illustrations, maps, or archaeological site photographs

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and preface to identify which aspects of the obelisk the author discusses, then decide which chapters to read closely.
Keep an ancient Egyptian chronology and map at hand to check place names, figures, and dates.
Read the book's claims alongside modern Egyptological works, noting period biases and outdated information.
If using it only for reference, extract key points along three threads: inscriptions, relocation, and display.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a complete general history of ancient Egypt?

No. The book focuses on the obelisk known as Cleopatra's Needle and related topics; it is a specialized work, not a general history of ancient Egypt. For a systematic understanding of Egyptian history, choose a modern academic general history; this book is better suited as supplementary material on a specific artifact.

Can I read this book if my English is not good?

This is a public-domain English book written in a nineteenth-century style, and its vocabulary and sentence structure pose some difficulty for non-native readers. Those with weaker English are advised to read with a dictionary or a translation; if you only want to learn about the obelisk, you might first read relevant popular articles in Chinese before returning to the original.

Does the book contain illustrations or maps?

Based on available information, it cannot be confirmed whether the book contains illustrations or maps. The layout of public-domain e-books varies by edition, so it is advisable to inspect the file structure after downloading; if you need visual material, seek supplementary archaeological catalogs or museum publications.

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About the author

King, James, Vicar of St. Mary‘s, Berwick-upon-Twe Author · English

James King was an Anglican clergyman in England and served as Vicar of St. Mary's, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Public information about his birth and death dates, education, and clerical career is very limited; the library holds only one work by him, Cleopatra's Needle. Judging from the surviving bibliographic record, his subject matter relates to the ancient Egyptian obelisks and associated historical and archaeological topics, and his writing shows the clear, well-documented style of a clergyman-scholar. Because relevant sources are scarce, details of his life are difficult to establish, and readers can learn about him mainly through this work and scattered references in church history.