Tutankhamun: Sand, Silence, and Surprise tell the complete life cycle of history’s most famous yet least understood pharaoh. Written in lively, accessible prose, the book begins with his fragile birth amid the radical sun-worship of Akhenaten. It follows him through a childhood of shifting gods, a teenage reign spent mending a fractured empire, and an early death likely sparked by accident and illness. A hurried, almost makeshift burial in a minor tomb sets the stage for three millennia of oblivion, during which his name is chipped from monuments and his staircase is smothered by builders’ debris. The narrative then pivots to 1922, where Howard Carter’s dogged excavation pierces the forgotten seal, revealing rooms packed with gilded beds, chariots, and the iconic gold mask. The final chapters explore the media storm, the “curse” legend, and the continuing scientific revelations—from CT scans to DNA—that peel back myth to reveal the vulnerable human beneath. Throughout, compassion and clarity drive the story, turning a museum icon into a relatable figure and using his tale to examine themes of memory, power, and rediscovery.
