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The Woman Who Would be King
The Woman Who Would be King | Kara Cooney
Hatshepsut, the daughter of a general who took Egypt's throne without status as a kings son and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty, was born into a privileged position of the royal household. Married to her brother, she was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her fathers family. Her failure to produce a male heir was ultimately the twist of fate that paved the way for her inconceivable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just twenty, Hatshepsut ascended to the rank of king in an elaborate coronation ceremony that set the tone for her spectacular twenty-two year reign as co-regent with Thutmose III, the infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays with the veil of piety and sexual expression. Just as women today face obstacles from a society that equates authority with masculinity, Hatshepsut had to shrewdly operate the levers of a patriarchal system to emerge as Egypt's second female pharaoh.
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Singout
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#ReadingAfrica update: 10 countries, with a mix of history, mystery, human rights, colonization issues, feminism, family.

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Singout
Bailedbailed

This was my #Egypt book for #ReadingAfrica2022: I gave it a good try, and it is well written, but too complex as an audiobook. It describes the rise to power of Haphepshut, a consort and regent in patriarchal ancient Egypt, who unusually became Pharoah, navigating complex gender and family roles and power conflicts. I found the core issues intriguing, as well as reading about an unfamiliar history.
#Nonfiction2022 #Rulebreaker
#Booked2022 #Royal

Librarybelle It sounds like it would be a complex audiobook 2y
Cinfhen Too bad because the content sounds fascinating!!! Glad you gave it a try 2y
11 likes2 comments
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Grrlbrarian
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I‘m calling my #bookspinbingo for the month, though I hope to also finish the tagged book today. A couple of bingos as well as my #Bookspin and #Doublespin, though I was hoping to knock out a few more But next: It‘s #Spooktober, my fave reading month of the year. List to follow soon! 🎃

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Great month!!! 3y
16 likes1 comment
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TheSpineView
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#WindsofMarch @Eggs
Prompt: International Women's Day

Eggs Cover Love ❤️ Great choice! 4y
66 likes1 comment
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ImperfectCJ
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In response to @ljuliel 's query about historical book preferences, I don't seek out historical fiction/NF history in particular (I like to read books written during the time period rather than modern books looking back), but I do have some individual books that I love. The tagged book, Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels about Gettysburg, and Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower are a few favorites.

#KeepLitsyActive #historybooks

ljuliel I like reading about the Civil War too. Thanks for posting. 5y
rubyslippersreads All three of these sound fascinating. 5y
Crazeedi The tagged book sounds great, the authors you mentioned are excellent 5y
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ValerieAndBooks I recently came across a list of recommendations for historical fiction set in the Revolutionary War, and Jeff Shaara was recommended, so I‘m keeping an eye out. Philbrick is a history author I like, too! 5y
ImperfectCJ @ValerieAndBooks The only thing I've read by Philbrick is the Mayflower book, which I read in part because we were living in Massachusetts at the time. Are there other titles by him that you particularly like? 5y
ValerieAndBooks @ImperfectCJ I read Mayflower because I‘m a Mayflower descendant 😊. But I also liked this one 5y
ValerieAndBooks Not really history, but I also enjoyed this tagged book. And have a couple others of his TBR 5y
ImperfectCJ @Crazeedi @rubyslippersreads I did really like these three. Cooney's book in particular provided an intriguing picture of the period along with a lot of information about the limitations of historical research and how the biases of historians influence how our stories about the past are crafted. She also has a book of shorter profiles of a collection of ancient rulers (tagged) that my daughter really likes. 5y
ImperfectCJ @ljuliel Killer Angels isn't something I would have picked up on my own, but the book club I was in at the time selected it one month. Score one for book clubs! 5y
ImperfectCJ @ValerieAndBooks Ooh! I might be taking a trip to Montreal and the Lake Champlain area next year, and Valiant Ambition sounds like it might be a good accompaniment for that trip. Thanks! 5y
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Insightsintobooks
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bell7
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Mehso-so

It's not entirely author Kara Cooney's fault, but there's really not enough here for a full book. The historical record on Hapshepsut, the woman king of Egypt who ruled alongside her nephew (her brother/husband's son with another woman) is slim, so Cooney does a lot of "might have" and "could have" educated guesswork to attempt to bring this ancient ruler out of obscurity. Fascinating stuff, but frustrating reading experience.

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ssravp
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Pickpick

Super fascinating. Really enjoyed this. 🎧

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iread2much
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Pickpick

This was a good read and I learned a lot. I appreciate that the author is honest about a lot of the book being conjecture, and while it‘s really slow in parts, I like that the author takes time to point out the facts, the assumptions, the guesses, and her conjectures. It‘s a fascinating and saddening tale of how difficult it was (and is) for women to hold power, and provides an interesting look at Egyptian history and historical record. 3.8/5

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BookishTrish
CouronneDhiver Oh that would be SO COOL but I don‘t have social media accounts to make an entry. Thanks for thinking of me! 6y
34 likes1 comment
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BookishTrish
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Another generous #giveaway This one to celebrate @Wanderingwithwords milestone. #wwwmilestonega To enter post the top three books on your TBR.

Sophoclessweetheart Good luck 7y
66 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BarbaraJean
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Mehso-so

This wasn‘t as good as I‘d hoped. I enjoyed learning about how Hatchepsut became Pharaoh & it was fascinating to read about her vast building projects & how she gradually masculinized her image to legitimize her position. But I was frustrated with repetitive writing & poor organization. The author repeatedly undercut her arguments with “perhaps” & “maybe,” presenting an interpretation & backpedaling, effectively saying nothing five different ways!

esanderson I mentioned the same thing in my review: the continual qualifications of all her assertions. I mean, I know you're just piecing this together from an incompletely record, but at least try to make us believe that you believe what you're writing. 7y
39 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
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Annnnnd, now that I‘m caught up on my Litsy-ing, maybe I can catch up and get 60 pages of this one finished today! So far, I‘ve found this biography of Hatshepsut interesting but a little repetitive. Also: holy incest, Batman!!

tpixie Speaking of incest. This week isome female was arrested for having married her daughter. She previously was arrested for marrying her son!!! https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.local10.com/news/national/mom-who-once-married-... 7y
BarbaraJean @tpixie 😳🤭😖Yikes!!! 7y
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BarbaraJean
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This is my library‘s book club pick for March, pictured here with my husband‘s Egypt books and my awesome button from the British Museum.

The librarian said this was a last-minute substitution... she suddenly realized March was Women‘s History month and her initial pick for March featured a serial killer who targeted women. 🔪👱🏼‍♀️🚫😂 Good call on picking a different book!

I‘m interested to read this one instead... has anyone else read it?

RealLifeReading Love that button! 7y
49 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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thereadingcafe

Hey! we're Espresso Patronum and Tea-Riffic. I, Tea-Riffic, and currently reading this book and it's really good. Please check out our blog at www.thereadngcafe.blogspot.com

DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy! 🎉📚👍😀Hope you enjoy it here! 7y
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Brie
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I enjoyed this biography of ancient Egypt's female Pharoah Hatshepsut. There's little information about her, but this book was engaging nonetheless. #setinthemiddleeast #maybookflowers

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MsBlueSox
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Panpan

It took me a really long time to listen to this book. I had picked it up because I am a fan of Wilbur Smith, Pauline Gedge, Michelle Moran, etc. I got a really academic read, which is likely my fault. Throughout the book, the author repeats herself A LOT, which got irritating after a while. All in all, maybe a better pick for someone seeking a drier read.

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irregularreader
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Pickpick

New #bookreview at www.theirregularreaderblog.wordpress.com! The Woman Who Would be King details the rise of Hapsetshut, ancient Egypt's only female Pharoah!

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WhatDeeReads
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"Hatshepsut has the misfortune to be antiquity's female leader who did everything right, a woman who could attach her wit and energy to a task so seamlessly that she made no waves of discontent that have been recorded.
For Hatshepsut, all that endured were the remnants of her success, props for later kings who never had to give her the credit she deserved"

#RiotGrams #BlackHistory

Donna_sBookMinute Oh wow. This book is a doorstop! I know the story of Queen Hatshepsut. I'll see about adding this one. 8y
WhatDeeReads @Donna_sBookMinute It was a little repetitive to me, but I learned tons about her. I knew almost nothing about her before reading this. 8y
Donna_sBookMinute 👍🏽 8y
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B.Reader
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At first I didn't think that I would have anything for today's #readjanuary. That'll teach me to underestimate my collection! Didn't even have space for metaphorical #royals or royal-adjacent. 💕📚💕

CrowCAH Yay for all the "royals" in your collection! ?? 8y
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WhatDeeReads
Mehso-so

This book did that thing where at the end you're like, "wait, tell me more about that!" It had its ups and downs. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I weren't rushing to finish #ReadHarder.

Hatshepsut was an impressive woman. She had all the skills, did all the right things, said all the right things, paid all the right people and it did her no good at all. Judging by recent events, the world has learned no lessons in the +2000 years since.

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WhatDeeReads

Don't biographies usually end at the death of the person? Why are there still two hours left in this audiobook?

EvieBee Haha! 8y
MicheleinPhilly 😂😂😂😂😂 8y
8little_paws Maybe she comes back as a ghost 👻 8y
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TrishB Lol 😀😀 8y
WhatDeeReads @EvieBee84 @MicheleinPhilly @8little_paws @TrishB It's about how King Tut proceeded to immediately erase her from history. He didn't want her setting a precedent and empowering any other royal women. 😒 8y
8little_paws @Lucky_Ladee that sounds pretty interesting 8y
TrishB @Lucky_Ladee always a bad precedent!! 8y
WhatDeeReads @8little_paws It has ups and downs. 8y
WhatDeeReads @TrishB can't have these women thinking they have authority or autonomy. 😱 8y
Donna_sBookMinute And then there's the epilogue . . . Those can drag. 8y
TrishB @Lucky_Ladee absolutely not 😀 where would the world be! 8y
LindsayReads I hate it when that happens! 8y
WhatDeeReads @LindsayReads I'm just extra annoyed right now because I have so much reading to do. I really could have used those extra minutes. 8y
16 likes1 stack add13 comments
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WhatDeeReads

I'm really struggling with this one. Non-fiction just really isn't my genre.

EvieBee Have you tried it in audio? That's almost the only way I can do it. 8y
WhatDeeReads @EvieBee84 I'm listening to the audiobook. Still suffering. I even have a hard time getting through memoirs. It's just something about non-fiction. 8y
EvieBee Oh! Yes I feel you. I'm trying to think of some juicy memoirs that read like straight fiction. 8y
7 likes1 stack add3 comments
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WhatDeeReads
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Hatshepsut is plotting to take over the ancient world and I'm just here drinking tea and writing a to do list.

Happy Sunday all!

LindsayReads 💗💗💗💗 8y
15 likes1 comment
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WhatDeeReads
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"For Hatshepsut, all that endured were the remnants of her success, props for later kings who never had to give her the credit she deserved"

I thought reading about ancient Egypt would be escapism. I. Was. Wrong. There's no escaping this nightmare.

#NonfictionNovember

BookishFeminist 💙💙 8y
MicheleinPhilly 😞❤️ 8y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Repeating history is especially depressing at times like today! 8y
19 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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WhatDeeReads
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#BookMail Ordered this last week.

It's my #ReadHarder biography and my #BustleReads non-western history and, of course, #NonfictionNovember.

I do have some reservations, but I'm optimistic.

BooksTeasAndBookishThings I LOVE Kara Cooney! I follow her on FB and she is so great 🙌 8y
LindsayReads I have a feeling this is moving up my TBR after I finish Cleopatra. 😄 8y
WhatDeeReads @BooksTeasAndBookishThings I'm looking forward to it. I've heard good things. 8y
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WhatDeeReads @lindsayreads I had a lot of reasons to move it up. I'm very excited about it. 8y
TheBookbabeblog84 This has been sitting on my shelf for weeks ❤️ 8y
WhatDeeReads @TheBookbabeblog84 I inherited an interest in ancient Egypt from my parents. I'm super excited this book exists. I just hope it's respectful and doesn't white wash the story. 8y
26 likes6 stack adds6 comments
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mrsmarch
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I just got this travel coffee mug from #fabfitfun and when you're 30 wks pregnant with #2, you need an every-day reminder that you might feel like a 🐳, but you're still #gorgeous! Nothing beats a pre-dawn wakeup to squeeze some reading in. #butfirstcoffee

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bochord
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Just starred reading the Woman who would be King by Kara Cooney. great read for any one interested in reading about a woman pharo in ancient Egypt.

MrBook Welcome to @Litsy ! We hope you enjoy your stay, I think you'll like it here 😎👍🏻. 8y
1 like1 stack add1 comment
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mrsmarch

"In Egypt, creation was an ongoing process, not a single origin story that happened once at the beginning of history..."

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Sarrie
Pickpick

I am super cautious about my nonfiction, but this was a win for me! It had a few repetitive sections, but that seemed to be a stylistic choice. Otherwise it was fascinating! You don't often hear about female kings/queens without scandal or failure. Definitely pick this up!

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Seonjoon
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Bailedbailed

I'm bailing, finally. I've kept it on my Kindle as a quick e-read to pick up here & there,but...I'm interested but not gripped, curious but not quite satisfied, liking but not loving it. With a busy work schedule and compacted reading life, I'm going to give priority to other books.

Seonjoon I'm working today. I work most Saturdays on my *other* job translating, or--as is the case today--on homework for CPE and organizational planning. With time this tight, I want to focus on the books that move me or excite me. This book, alas, didn't quite do either of those. 8y
Notafraidofwords I think the same way. If it doesn't grab me then I move on. I work 40 hours a week and have limited reading time. 8y
Seonjoon @Notabigreader Yeah, I feel that. I work 40-70 hours per week (usually closer to the high end) and I'm getting choosier as time goes by. 8y
prowlix I tend to be a big mood reader especially with non fiction. If you're not feeling it there are so many intriguing options out there! Better luck with the next one! 8y
annahenke I'm fascinated by all things ancient Egypt, and I wanted to like this one but ended up bailing too. 8y
11 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Baileythebookworm
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Good morning!

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Baileythebookworm
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I am loving this book immensely. I started it months ago and then lent it to my mom when my dad went in for surgery and she needed something to keep her busy. It's nice to dig back in

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prowlix
Pickpick

This biography gave such detail into the ancient Egyptian world! A fascinating look at a successful (and most likely very smart) woman in power without turning her into a seductress or conniving bitch. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the ancient world. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BooksTeasAndBookishThings I love Kara Kooney! I follow her on FB and she is so intelligent and witty. I must read this! 8y
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InLibrisVeritas
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Pickpick

I really love learning about ancient Egypt, and Hatshepsut in all her enigmatic and mysterious glory is one of the highlights. You get all the awesome info you want, plus more, without getting super bogged down in technical drudgery. It's actually quite a fun nonfiction title to read.

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triskeleseeker
Pickpick

In middle school I had a pet goldfish named after Hatshepsut, so I've always been interested in this fascinating Pharaoh. I enjoyed getting a deeper perspective on her story in this book. Recommended.

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prowlix
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I can't find a single section less than 300 characters to quote but this entire paragraph is amazing! The authors preface is already blowing me away 💗

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Seonjoon
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I love discussions of the uses of symbolism and power--especially when they're being used subversively.

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Seonjoon
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Reading this for my Women's Lives Book Club, and it's pretty good so far (about 1/5 in). While some folks have been put off by the author's constant hedging of things with "We can't know for certain," I appreciate the difficulty of seeking narrative when you don't have much history to help you.

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Jackie
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Mehso-so

Read for Rachel Syme's WLClub. Hatshepsut came alive in this book. Dr.Cooney told her story with grace and a deep knowledge of her subjects, even though she was quite repetitive at times.

AlexandraGriffin Agreed. 8y
1 like1 comment
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Jackie

If a woman does not renounce ambition for ambition's sake, she will be viewed as two faced or selfish, her actions fueled by ulterior motives.