Egypt: Valley of the Nile

Although Luxor is actually the site of the ancient city of Thebes in Egypt, the similarities to Las Vegas (host of the beautiful Egyptian themed Luxor hotel) are rather uncanny: each is a desert oasis chock-full of exotic and mysterious wonders, countless bronze Sun Gods and Goddesses, and the Valley of the Kings (albeit Elvis impersonators in L.V.'s case). As part of World Almanac Video's new Geographical Odysseys series, Egypt: Valley of the Nile follows the fertile history of life along the longest river in the world. Viewers will learn a bit about the Pharaohs, including the first woman pharaoh Hatshepsut (you go girl!), the building of the pyramids, and the cultural obsession with life after death, as well as get a glimpse of modern day Egypt with its thriving tourism. Featuring nicely filmed landscapes (including many shots of Egypt's striking monuments) and packed with information about the region, Egypt is strongly recommended, particularly for teachers looking for short country bio-vids. A helpful four page guidebook offering supplemental information and additional resources (i.e. websites and a bibliography) is also included. The other titles in the series are: Peru: Land of the Incas, Ancient Tibetan Kingdoms, Jordan: Kingdom of the Desert, India: Splendor of Rajasthan, and Turkey: The Enchanted Land of Cappadocia. Aud: J, H, P. (N. Plympton)