Marcello Bertinetti

This is a great coffee-table sized book, filled with wonderful maps and illustrations.

The book covers the history of the Nile/Egypt from ancient times up until the 19th century, when all the really great discoveries re tombs, etc., began to be made.

The maps and illustrations really bring the whole thing into a perspective which is hard to imagine, I think. For example, the Nile flows from south to north. I know that is a "known fact", but it's hard to visualize in the mind sometimes when trying to imagine what happened where and when. With a great map, it becomes easier.

This book, incidentally, is a great companion for anyone who enjoys the Amelia Peabody series, or anyone who reads a lot of Egyptian history, or anyone who has had the good fortune to visit Egypt and see the monuments in person. It really gives a perspective of the tremendous work involved.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the history of Egypt, and as mentioned, and Peabody books.… (more)

Marcello Bertinetti has published several excellent books of photographs, including those of the "From the Air" genre. This book, done with Angela White Bertinetti, contains some fine photographs of Paris that do well to capture the charm and elegance of this most extraordinary of cities. The book groups the photos into six chapters, entitled "Paris", "Old Paris", "The Parisians", "Modern Paris", "The Streets of Paris", and "City of Light". Some of the photos are panoramic shots that take up a two, and even a four page spread. Others focus on single edifices -- the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower, but also other sites of historical and architectural interest. Still others show people in street scenes, cafes, and other public spaces. What emerges is a tourist's view of the high points of the city. The accompanying text by Kirk and DeFabianus is somewhat trite, and even dated, given its preoccupation with the "new" Beaubourg (of 1977). However, those who know Paris and those who do not will find this book a fine evocation of the grandeur and charm of a city thought to be the world's most enchanting.… (more)