Cracking the Egyptian Code: The Revolutionary Life of Jean-Francois Champollion

An updated edition of this acclaimed book, now with a new preface and published to tie in with the bicentenary of Champollion's breakthrough in 1822.

Cracking the Egyptian Code is the first biography in English of Jean-Francois Champollion, the impoverished, arrogant and brilliant child of the French Revolution who made the vital breakthrough in deciphering the Egyptian hieroglyphs. This account charts Champollion's dramatic life and achievements: by turns a teenage professor, a supporter of Napoleon, an exile, a fanatical decipherer and a curator at the Louvre, he lived life to the full but drove himself into an early grave. Andrew Robinson's full-blooded account brings the man, his setbacks and his ultimate triumphs vividly to life.

Review: '[Champollion's story] is brought out by Robinson with verve, elegance and perception' - The Financial Times
'An entertaining, highly readable and authoritative biography of the greatest decipherer of all time' - Michael D. Coe
'A convincing and warm-hearted portrait of Champollion ... an important book' - The Independent
'Utterly compelling' - Current Archaeology
'Evocative and compelling ... a story of discovery, ego, resentment and a cultural struggle for survival - an illuminating addition to any historian's library' - History Today
'A life more revolutionary than previously appreciated ... a great story' - Timeless Travels
'Robinson tells the story of Young and Champollion's rivalry with a flair for the dramatic ... [he] elucidates the complex subject of hieroglyphics with verve and scholarly enthusiasm' - Fortean Times
'Thoroughly researched' - Ancient Egypt Magazine