{"product_id":"empress-of-the-nile","title":"Empress of the Nile","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe fascinating story of the feisty French archaeologist who led the international effort to save ancient Egyptian temples from the floodwaters of the Aswan Dam.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the 1960s, the world's attention was focused on a nail-biting race against time: fifty countries contributed nearly a billion dollars to save a dozen ancient Egyptian temples from drowning in the floodwaters of the gigantic new Aswan High Dam. But the massive press coverage of this unprecedented rescue effort completely overlooked the gutsy French archaeologist who made it all happen. Without the intervention of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, the temples would now be at the bottom of a gigantic reservoir. It was a project of unimaginable size and complexity that required the fragile sandstone temples to be dismantled, stone by stone, and rebuilt on higher ground.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDesroches-Noblecourt refused to be cowed by anyone or anything. As a brave member of the French Resistance in World War II, she had survived imprisonment by the Nazis; in her fight to save the temples, she had to face down two of the most daunting leaders of the postwar world, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and French president Charles de Gaulle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter a century and a half of Western plunder of Egypt's ancient monuments, Desroches-Noblecourt helped preserve a crucial part of its cultural heritage, and, just as importantly, made sure it remained in its homeland.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Fast-paced, highly entertaining ... Olson's narrative gathers steam in the tense days before the Nazis invaded Poland ... The highlight of Olson's book is her thrilling account of the rescue of the giant statues of Rameses II and the Abu Simbel temples from inundation by the Aswan High Dam ... Meticulous detail..'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e-Joshua Hammer, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'The subject of Lynne Olson's excellent biography, \u003ci\u003eEmpress of the Nile\u003c\/i\u003e, isn't, as you might think, Cleopatra, but rather the \"daredevil archaeologist\" Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, best known for helping save massive ancient temples from destruction. Olson, whose many previous books spotlight unsung heroes and heroines of that war, is here at her best ... \u003ci\u003eEmpress of the Nile\u003c\/i\u003e tells her story well, embedding it in the history of modern Egyptian archaeology. \u003ci\u003eEmpress of the Nile\u003c\/i\u003e is a welcome and needed work of both rescue and reclamation.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e-\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Once again, Lynne Olson introduces us to a modern heroine who defied the odds and achieved historic results. Through sheer grit and an indomitable spirit that neither Nazis nor bureaucrats from Paris to Cairo could tame, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt rescued the Egyptian Temples of Nubia and other treasures from drowning. With her signature deep research and compassion for quirky characters, Olsen spins an inspiring tale with a sometimes surprising cast, including First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. \u003ci\u003eEmpress of the Nile\u003c\/i\u003e is a tonic for our times and a reminder that one unstoppable woman can bend history to her will.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e-Kati Marton, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Chancellor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Lynne Olson","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43516752363581,"sku":null,"price":35.14,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0597\/7689\/2989\/files\/9781922585998.jpg?v=1787572011","url":"https:\/\/www.palmleaf.com.au\/products\/empress-of-the-nile","provider":"Palmleaf","version":"1.0","type":"link"}