Amelia B Edwards: The ‘Queen of Egyptology’

REVIEW BY HILARY FORREST Most Egyptology enthusiasts will be familiar with the name of Amelia B Edwards. This new biography sets out to reveal aspects of her life that have, although sometimes hinted at, hitherto been kept private. As the author explains, ‘until recently Amelia’s story was promoted within Egyptology as a conventional tale of a girl raised on reading who went on to have several accomplished and multi-talented careers’. While this picture in general terms is true, the current volume, based on thorough and recent research, presents a very different view. The only child of older parents, she had a large family of cousins and was able to develop a wide range of talent