Tyldesley, by painstakingly analysing the myths and therefore the beliefs, of the ancient population, endeavours to get under the skin of Egyptian life ... befuddling myth-stories are clarified

Required reading for Egypt's imaginative tour guides

her great strength is her story-telling

Armstrong shows a reverent curiosity and a generosity of spirit, refreshing the understanding of what one knows and providing a clear introduction to the unfamiliar

Witty, informative and contemplative: Ms Armstrong can simplify complex ideas, but she is never simplistic

Only those who think they know it all will fail to be fascinated by Armstrong's search for God

Highly readable, and ought to be read

Armstrong's book has great merits. An ex-nun, this formidably intelligent woman knows enough about both Judaism and Islam to be appreciated by Jewish and Muslim scholars... Whenever she deals with Christian mysticims, agnosticism and heterodoxy, Armstrong offers valuable insights

An enormously intellectually challenging book. A fascinating way of approaching the subject

Thoroughly engaging and excellently written . . . While [Aslan] might claim to be a mere scholar of the Islamic Reformation, he is also one of its most articulate advocates

A revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried, denied and corrupted by generations of men ... Muslim keepers of the latter will rage against Reza Aslan as his careful scholarship and precise language dismantles their false claims and commands ... Aslan is acutely perceptive

A rather beautiful account of the birth and evolution of Islam ... Lucid and illuminating ... Fascinating

Aslan is an engaging writer, his strength lies ... as an observer of contemporary challenges facing Islam ... Sensitive and generous

Enthralling. A book of tremendous clarity and generosity of spirit