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The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day Paperback – August 1, 2000

by Raymond Faulkner (Author), Ogden Goelet (Author), Carol Andrews (Author),

4.7 131 ratings

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The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by DayThe Complete Papyrus of Ani Featuring Integrated Text and Full-Color Images
$23.26
(3,509)
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For millennia, the culture and philosophy of the ancient Egyptians have fascinated artists, historians, and spiritual seekers throughout the world. Now, with this deluxe edition, the legendary 3,500-year-old Papyrus of Anithe most beautiful of the ornately illustrated Egyptian funerary scrolls ever discoveredhas been restored in its original sequences of text and artwork, using the latest advances in computer-imaging technology. Four exquisitely illustrated gatefold spreads and an acclaimed translation by two noted Egyptologists showcase the Papyrus's elaborately bordered images and convey its intended sense of motion and meaning in a way that other books on the subject cannot begin to match. For both lay readers and scholars interested in a wide range of topicsfrom mysticism and philosophy to anthropology and astronomythis sumptuous and accessible new volume will be an essential acquisition.

Print length

174 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Chronicle Books
Publication date

August 1, 2000
Grade level

8 and up
Reading age

13 years and up
Dimensions

9.63 x 0.63 x 14 inches
ISBN-10

0811807673
ISBN-13

978-0811807678
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Book of the Dead is a collection of writings that were placed in tombs as a means of guiding the ancient Egyptian soul on its journey to the afterlife. The Papyrus of Ani, which is reproduced here, is one of the most important and beautiful of the surviving papyri. Damage in the 19th century seriously confused its sequencing and the relationship between text and illustrations. Here for the first time the scroll is presented in its proper sequence and in its entirety. The English text is placed immediately underneath the corresponding hieroglyphs, and the reproductions are faithful to the originals in all their glowing color. A critical purchase for any serious collection of materials on ancient Egypt.
Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

-- NAPRA Trade Journal, Fall 1994
This magnificent book is the first complete presentation of the Papyrus of Ani, featuring graphics that reveal beautifully the texture of the original papyrus, coupled with the translated text. The original papyrus, on its discovery, was cut into sections for transport. The careless cutting of uneducated workers left the manuscscipt almost indecipherable, and to date only sections of it have been made available to the public. Computer imaging allowed the papyrus to be pieced into its original state, and a faithful translation was then possible. This document is precious not only for its historic significance, but also for its glimpse into the ancient Egyptian religion and its teachings about the passage from life to death. Commentaries and other notes make this work even more accessible. A spectacularly beautiful work of devotion.

-- Publishers Weekly, August 1994
The Papyrus of Ani -- The Book of Going Forth by Day, created around 1250 B.C.E., is the best surviving example of some 200 texts comprising the funerary scrolls that accompanied deceased Egyptians into the afterlife. The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day presents the complete papyrus, photographed from an 1890 facsimile edition, with an English translation by the late Raymond O. Faulkner.

-- Library Journal, November 1994
The Book of the Dead is a collection of writings that were placed in tombs as a means of guiding the ancient Egyptian soul on its journey to the afterlife. The Papyrus of Ani, which is reproduced here, is one of the most important and beautiful of the surviving papyri. Damage in the 19th century seriously confused its sequencing and the relationship between text and illustrations. Here for the first time the scroll is presented in its proper sequence and in its entirety. The English text is placed immediately underneath the corresponding hieroglyphs, and the reproductions are faithful to the originals in all their glowing color. A critical purchase for any serious collection of materials on ancient Egypt.

-- Robert S. Bianchi, Archaeology March/April 1995
The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a remarkable volume. It is based on the Papyrus of Ani, which, with the exception of the Rosetta Stone, is the most famous Egyptian object in the collections of the British Museum. Its fame is due in no small part to the quality of the illustrated vignettes that rank among the masterpieces of ancient Egyptian painting...

...I, for one, would hope that readers will henceforth refrain from relying on Budge's outdated editions and turn to this volume instead. The price, under $25 dollars paperback; the quality of the large-format plates, several of which include foldouts; the authoritative translation based on that of R.O. Faulkner, which is considered in the opinion of many experts to be one of the best translations, and commentary by Ogden Goelet make this book a must for all libraries.

A critical purchase for any serious collection of materials on ancient Egypt. Library Journal

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chronicle Books; 2nd edition (August 1, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 174 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0811807673
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0811807678
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.39 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.63 x 0.63 x 14 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,227,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #72 in Egyptian Book of the Dead
- #1,047 in Ancient Egyptians History
- #3,983 in Native American History (Books)

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4.7 131 ratings

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James Wasserman

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James Wasserman is a lifelong student of religion and spiritual development. His writings and editorial efforts maintain a focus on spirituality, creative mythology, secret societies, history, religion, and politics. He is a passionate advocate of individual liberty. An admirer of the teachings of Aleister Crowley, he has played a key role in numerous seminal publications of the Crowley literary corpus. A book designer by trade, Jim is the owner of Studio 31. He is married with two children.

He has recently provided a window into the creation of his benchmark edition of the Papyrus of Ani—The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day. Please visit the link below for A Treasure of Antiquity Reborn:

http://jameswassermanbooks.com/bookofdead-genesis.html

In 2009, he participated in an address to the National Press Club with Brother Akram Elias. The occasion was the publication of Dan Brown's book The Lost Symbol. Jim's portion of the talk may be found on Youtube. In it, he expresses both the truths of esoteric symbolism and the beauty of America's Masonic heritage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QDMK_CUeP8

For more information on the author, please visit Jim's website:

www.jameswassermanbooks.com

Our Facebook page is:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Wasserman/285958821416078

Studio 31 book design and production is located at:

www.studio31.com

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Ornith

A gorgeous book suitable for any Egypt, poetry, art, or mythology enthusiast

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2007

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While this book is written so as to be useful to scholars, it's a wonderful book even if you aren't one. The reproductions of the original papyrus are beautiful in their own right, and the translation is quite poetic. Even if you don't understand all the obscure mythological or cultural references (and who does?), it's fascinating reading/looking. It makes a great coffee table book, which is a good thing considering that it's too tall to fit in many bookshelves. As I understand it, this translation is far superior to the older ones, in a wonderful presentation, save that such a large and lavishly illustrated book really ought to have been published in hardcover.

Most of the chapters are actually meant as spells to be recited by the spirit of the deceased, enabling it to pass through the dangerous parts of the underworld to become immortal, and then revisit the world of the living in spirit form (i.e. "go forth by day"). It's worth reading even the more scholarly non-illustrated sections of the book derived from other versions of the papyrus; there are some real hidden gems back there, such as the existence of a Chapter For Remembering All The Other Chapters.

9 people found this helpful

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gilly8

New computer enhanced version of the Book of the Dead

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2007

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The ancient Egyptian bible, everyone who could afford one was buried with one. This is a new version, and has English translations on each page with color images. It is a guidebook for the deceased person to follow to find his way to the afterlife to live on forever. The Egyptians were not obsessed with death but with obtaining the perfect afterlife. Sound familiar?

By the way I do agree with the excellent reviews already here. But, to make it accessable to Western eyes, I think NOT to refer to it as a sort of "Bible" is a bit confusing I think. The ancient Egyptians studied it, tried to memorize it, and took it with them in their sarcophagus if they could afford to, in order to have access to it when they awoke and needed to start their journey to the West (afterlife). It held all they needed to know to get there safely.

This version, I understand, is the best new one ever and most accurate translation. Fascinating just to go through, the art is wonderful.

6 people found this helpful

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Alfy S. Sourial, M.D.

"PRIMITIVE" Polytheism.

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2010

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

It is Primitive Polytheism with a flare.

All clearly "Hypothetical" as shown by their composite structure of a human body with a borrowed head, representing a certain power or quality: Masterpieces of Symbolism.

No "Revelations" by an Almighty, but rather representations of "Role Models" to be emulated if we [humans] can.Treated as equals that go through the same tribulations in their quest for AN IMAGINARY "Everlasting Afterlife."

It reaches its peak in Morality and responsibility in the "Weighing of the Heart" Seremony.

The "Negative Confessions" may be the precursers of the Ten Commandments.

It matches the best in Greek, Persian, Hindu and Hebrew "Religious Literature," anytime.

Many thanks to the Honorable Jewish Publisher.

A Proud Egyptian American.
Alfy S. Sourial, M.D.

One person found this helpful

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Bonam Pak

Modern Translation With Some Lacking Overstanding and Obscure Structuring

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2007

Revised review: This book is even more difficult to rate than The Tibetan Book of the Dead: First Complete Translation (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) and The Ethiopian Book of Life (aka An Ethiopian Book of the Dead). As it isn't only the ancient book and the modern revised translation to be considered. Because the so-called Ani Papyrus is ancient, yes, yet a faulty, abridged and erratically composed pre-manufactured work. For example, it had been forgotten twice to include the name of the customer, this papyrus had been purchased for, into the blank space provided for this purpose. Even in the unabridged and correctly structured version of the "(The Chapters of) Going Forth by Day and Night... to the Place he Might Desire to Be", as the complete real title translates as, the author of the edition, James Wasserman, writes about: "Much of the book is frankly incromprehensible, even for experts. No amount of exegesis can explain many passages. Images and allusians follow one another with bewildering force and frequency, lacking thematic and logical connection." In this "Ani Papyrus" (Ani being the Western version of the name of the deceased this papyrus had been purchased for) the vignettes and/or chapter titles do not necessarily match the text beneath them.

This "Book of the Dead" isn't really the/a full theology of ancient Egypt, but PRESUPPOSING full knowledge about it. Which is simply not obtainable to the modern reader by merely enjoying this text as a supposedly funerary object. In reality it isn't, but an INITIATION ritual of the new/renewed pharao. For mystical approaches read Shamanic Wisdom in the Pyramid Texts: The Mystical Tradition of Ancient Egypt and Egyptian Yoga Vol. 1:: The Philosophy of Enlightenment .

As for the modern publication: The facsimile of the vignettes had been published originally in 1890 under the supervision of E. A. Wallis Budge and quality enhanced for this new edition. The translation is based on the 1972 version of Raymond Faulkner, and additional corrections have been included by other translators after that. The book was published first in 1994 and was then revised in 1998. The presentation of the papyrus is well done. However, the structure of the entire modern book leaves much to be desired. As I read from cover to cover as usual, afterwards, I wished I hadn't. I would have gotten more out of the book in a different approach: Glossary (at the very end of book), foreword-preface-introduction, commentary p.137-154, then in combination the individual Ani Papyrus plates + English translation with the explanations of those individual plates in the commentary p. 154-170, with the abridged chapters of the "Theben recension" p. 99-135 in between. It should be noted that the translation directly beneath the "Ani Papyrus" isn't a 100% match to the papyrus presented above, as some sections have been included or changed according to the "Theben recension". Sounds complicated? Exactly. And the book isn't really that easy to handle, for oversize also means overweight. What is missing is vignettes and most certainly comments of the "Theben recension". Be upwised that the "Ani Papyrus" is a mere fraction of the entire "Theben recension". In other words, to read the entire so-called (Egyptian) Book of the Dead, the "Ani Papyrus" qualifies as a trailer and this edition of the modern book makes for a major obstacle reading - which you find out only, after having read this book unsuspectingly for the first time.

Also considered has to be the content of the commentaries and introductions. Honestly, I wouldn't do without, no question. However, James Wasserman and his colleagues are orthodox egyptologists. For one thing, they are still working with the traditional Imes (time) frame for ancient Egypt, which is explainable in having worked on this book in the early 1990s. Sin-ce then, the Imes fakings of an early Berlin egyptologist have been exposed, who attempted to make the ancient Egyptian civilization appear to be much younger in order for less embarrassment for Europe in relation to that. The further you go back, the more additional Imes get accumulated. By the Imes of this specific Ani Papyrus, this is a bit more than a century of difference only, earlier it is about millennia. (Read more in When We Ruled: The Ancient and Medieval History of Black Civilisations .)

Next, the Western rendered names of ancient Egyptian names are used. Though currently, it isn't EXACTLY possible to produce the real pronouncation/Western transcription of names, much better approximations are possible and indeed used in more African centered books. (The Black African nature of the ancient Egyptian culture is attempted to get veiled by orthodox [= Euro centered] egyptologist. For example, there is no mention in the otherwise meticulous commentary of the various - and changing! - skin colors of the characters depicted in the vignettes. As is still the case in religious paintings of today's West Africans, some of the descendents of the ancient Egyptians, these colors do not always represent the real skin color, but religious meaning according to the respective function of the situation depicted.)

Last not least the book isn't only averring a purely polytheistic religion, but directly denying any mysticism and monotheism of the ancient Egyptians. Thereby, the direct ancestry of the Judo-Christian-Islamic culture is attempted to get severed from (Black) Africa. On first sight, ancient Egypt APPEARS to be polytheistic. Yet, in reality, all the gods were considered to be facets of a single one. Even more: Everything is One, not only the god(s). At the Imes, this book had been made, it may have been quite easy to sweep away any claims of monotheism (or actually pantheism) for ancient Egypt, without even taking the time to go into those claims and attempting to disprove them. Today that approach simply cannot be done anymore. Too many mystics and progressive and African-centered egyptologists have come forward. Read for example Egyptian Divinities: The All Who Are THE ONE or the books by Muata Ashby, such as The Mystical Journey from Jesus to Christ . The difficulty the author of this book experiences is that he doesn't know the mystic level of the Western religion, Christianity. By overstanding e.g. Master Eckhart of the 14th century, he would be capable of not blinding the monotheism of ancient Egypt better. Instead, James Wasserman says that it would sound hubris to us today that after death one becomes (a) god. Yet, mystic concepts all over the world - ancient or modern alike - suggest that we already are, but have forgotten that until we "die". One doesn't have to believe in this concept, but should consider it, when unlocking Egyptian religious art. Accordingly, Wasserman blinds "denial of death" and vocabulary such as "passing on" instead of "dying" as euphemisms of supposedly avoided dealings with the inevitable perishing quality of the death concept. That is, because he is caught in the myth and rites level of his branch of religion. Which makes it difficult to REALLY translate and comment ancient Egyptian religious texts, especially this one. The literal words may come closer and closer, but the meaning will remain sphinxed. For example he gives the translations of the "prime" god Atum as "He Who Is Entirety" or "The Undifferentiated One", but can't see that this is supposed to mean that EVERYTHING is meant with that, undifferentiated. Which includes ourselves, returning to the state of this knowledge after "death", i.e. finding back to God (Asar/Osiris in this case).

10 people found this helpful

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Mrs. Alice S. Franceschini

Great Egyptian Book of the Dead

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2008

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This book was on a tv show I was watching. It's a reproduction of a real ancient Egyptian's expensive book of the dead. The plan was that once he was dead, he would then help the other members of his family get to heaven. This guy paid a fortune for this and it was suppose to be buried with him but grave robbers took it. I sure hope this man and his family isn't in Egyptian limbo someplace. All that time and effort and money only to have thieves steal it from you when you are dead.
Guess that old adage is true, you can't take it with you.
This book has a beautiful presentation.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

James Squires

All Good

Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2016

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All Good

ScoobyDoo1989

Beautiful book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2012

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I bought this book after having read Normandi Ellis's Awakening Osiris - which are poetic interpretations of the translations of Chapters from the Egyptian Book of The Dead. I wanted to compare Ellis's intepretations with what are considered to be the best known translations of the same Chapters by R O Faulkner (now deceased), contributor of the translations in this book. The book was brought together beautifully by James Wasserman and Dr Ogden Goelet, with a preface by Carol Andrews. It took many years in the making and is obviously a labour of love. What I don't understand is if James Wasserman had the original idea for the book, and worked for years bringing that together into the volume, why hasn't he credited himself as an author? I don't know the man - but reading his Forward to the book shows that he was instrumental in it's creation.

The papyri are presented along the top of the page, with the translation below. In this way one can should be able see how the translator has interpreted the heiroglyphics from the original language. This is as far as I know the first time such a comparison has been made available and the first time that the papyri are collated correctly, in the right order, without being cut up into bits. This makes it possible to read them in the way they were meant to be read without pieces being transposed or missing.

The book is in quite a large format, but then it needs to be to allow for the foldouts of some of the papyri. A stunning volume. Highly recommended for scholars or for anyone who has an interest in the ancient Egyptian language, art and culture. There are some provisos to matching the text to the heiroglyphics. They are not always a good match, possibly because Faulkner's translation is based on a combination from several versions of the original papyri, not specifically the one shown above.

As for a comparison with Ellis's book, this is difficult since Ellis has a rare and wonderful poetic interpretation of the translations that is beautiful in it's own right. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? They are both stand alone works.

4 people found this helpful

George B

Recommended thought-provoking and digestible book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2014

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This book challenges and unpacks several key fallacies underlying much of politicians' and journalists' normal commentary on trade balance, deficits, currency rates, and the inter-causality with economic growth and employment. Very suitable for non-economists to read, and I agree with the author's hope that more policy-makers should inform themselves with the incontrovertible evidence provided here to debunk the "trade myths".