Publishers Weekly
11/12/2018
Cooney, an Egyptologist at UCLA, profiles six women who rose to power in ancient Egypt. The women most closely connected to the king played a central role and could, when circumstances demanded, become kings themselves. Some of the names (Nefertiti, Cleopatra) are familiar, but this book breaks from trends in studies of ancient Egypt by not focusing exclusively on death rites and funerary architecture. Cooney discusses the women’s leadership (“Merneith and Neferusobek selflessly took up authority only to mitigate disaster,” but the power-hungry Hatshepsut was the only one who “managed to transcend the crisis had inherited and leave Egypt in better shape”) and speculates about what they must have experienced, including the habits and perspectives of the elite (Nefertiti was early in life “exposed to ancient Egyptian submission to authoritarian rule. She knew when to keep her mouth shut”). Attempting to draw parallels between the pharaohs and contemporary rock stars and politicians, Cooney occasionally asks too much of her narrative. But her stories of these remarkable women, who in flashes displayed “true, successful female power that tapped into the emotions of people, that embraced multiple perspectives, that reached out in a spirit of reconciliation to those who had been expelled or cast out,” will enchant those wishing to imagine what ancient Egyptian court life was like. Illus. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
An accessible spin through the corridors of power in ancient Egypt, corridors that converged on thrones on which women reigned…Cooney provides welcome insights into pharaonic politics while bringing numerous little-known Egyptian women to the fore.” –Kirkus
“Although Cooney occasionally flirts with gender essentialism, this book shines as an introduction to ancient Egyptian society and beliefs centered around elite women's experiences.” –Booklist
“…this book breaks from trends in studies of ancient Egypt…Cooney discusses the women’s leadership…and speculates about what they must have experienced…her stories of these remarkable women…will enchant those wishing to imagine what ancient Egyptian court life was like.”
–Publishers Weekly
"Not since Leonard Cottrell’s Lady of the Two Lands (1966) has such an engrossing, well-researched collective study of Egyptian power queens been available. Definitively recommended for anyone with an interest in ancient Egyptian civilization or women’s studies." –Library Journal
“When Women Ruled the World (or at least the Egyptian part of it) draws the reader into many less known aspects of ancient history with an informal prose and style for the general reader.”
–NY Journal of Books
“To this very day, a majority of countries have never elected or appointed a female leader, and yet one of the oldest civilizations in the world, the ancient Egyptians, had several women take the role of pharaoh during their long history…Dr. Cooney breaks down the lessons our modern world might take from their examples.” –Houston Public Media
“Cleopatra may have ruled more than two thousand years ago, but her reign is still teaching Kara Cooney about the relationship between women and power today.” –Daily Bruin
“…full of shadowy stories of murder, incest, political power plays and enough intrigue to satisfy even the most jaded reader.” –HoustonPress
"I loved the lens through which this book viewed these women, studying their reigns and characteristics to see why women don't rule the world more and pointing out reasons why they should. I loved that this book used both historical and current context when discussing the theme." - Ms. Nose in a Book
“This is a truly fascinating look at 6 queens of Egypt…Their stories are rich and it’s important that they not be forgotten. This book assures that a new generation will learn about them and keep their memories alive.” –Broken Teepee
“I believe the takeaway for us today is that women have ruled before, and women will rule again. It is only a matter of time.” –Literary Quicksand
“I was absolutely entranced by this book.” –A Chick Who Reads
School Library Journal
03/01/2019
In ancient Egypt, where authoritarian god kings dominated, a few women rose to positions of political power. Cooney traces the history of six women who ruled one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world, from Merneith, a mysterious and little-known first dynasty queen, to more familiar figures like Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra VII. The author paints an evocative picture of female power in ancient Egypt. Her descriptions of archaeological evidence and her conclusions about these women's lives are fascinating and will appeal to a broad audience, while still remaining grounded in her extensive research. The book condenses a wealth of specific information into a readable, engrossing format. Cooney creates an effective narrative of political machinations, incest, murder, and deception that will intrigue adults and teenagers, especially given the young age of the queens represented. However, the work's attempt to compare female power in ancient Egypt to contemporary politics is less successful. Cooney engages in regressive gender essentialism, arguing about the so-called "biological predisposition[s]" that inform male and female leadership, and the connections she makes between ancient leaders and modern figures such as Hillary Clinton and Angela Merkel lack nuance and context. VERDICT Overall, Cooney's compelling writing about the ancient world outweighs her overly simplistic use of contemporary politics. Recommended for large high school and public library collections that feature ancient history and women's studies titles.—Molly Saunders, Homewood Public Library, AL
Kirkus Reviews
2018-09-17
An accessible spin through the corridors of power in ancient Egypt, corridors that converged on thrones on which women reigned.
You wouldn't know it to read the standard survey texts, but the history of ancient Egypt is punctuated by periods of rule by women—and more of them than just Nefertiti and Cleopatra. Cooney (Egyptology/UCLA; The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt, 2014) digs into the tombs, papyri, and literature to look at the past of a polity that, though "no less cruel and oppressive to women than every other complex society on Earth," was not programmatically opposed to the notion that women could rule. Most of these women were on the throne for relatively short periods, often because they stood in when male heirs to the throne were too young or otherwise unable to assume it. One, Merneith, ruled without formal title as regent for one such too-young son; we know little about her largely because "the Egyptians, it seems, never wanted to directly state that the king's mother was calling the shots." When her son hit 16 or 17, she continued to advise him behind the scenes. As Cooney notes, it was the last such unacknowledged rule; other women who followed on the throne bore the title "king." One regent, Hatshepsut, connected to the venerable and powerful bloodline of the 18th Dynasty, was herself only 16 when she ascended the throne, having outlived a number of unlucky brothers (and avoided being married off to one of them, which would have made her queen). The author makes it clear that these female kings could be as tough, and sometimes as sanguinary, as their male counterparts; if forgotten, most were also skillful. The most famous, Cleopatra, was an exception, for Cooney reckons her a failure, having tied her fortunes too closely to a man, if one whose record has also been tarnished by "the Roman misinformation and propaganda campaign against her."
Cooney provides welcome insights into pharaonic politics while bringing numerous little-known Egyptian women to the fore.
