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Title: Don't buy this book!
Review: This book was written by a "trained geologist", and purports to teach the basics of ancient Egyptian and Mayan hieroglyphs. I can't comment on the Mayan section (which is very small), but the Egyptian section is woeful.As a trained Egyptologist, I have often thought the Teach Yourself series should have a volume on Egyptian HIEROGLYPHS (NOT hieroglyphics!), so I grabbed this when I saw it. It is hopeless. The author has not realised that Egyptian hieroglyphs can be read from left to right OR from right to left, depending on which way the signs face. Therefore he has transliterated all his examples backwards.DUH! BASIC mistake.There are other mistakes in the book. If you want to learn to read Egyptian hieroglyphs, read Collier & Manley's How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide To Teach Yourself.Teach Yourself Books did not do themselves a favour by publishing Ron Bonewitz's book.
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