Mummies, pyramids, the treasure of King Tut-all these are part of the history of ancient Egypt, which captivates the imaginations of young and old. Resources to study ancient Egypt abound. You might think that a series of lectures presented by a college professor with an occasional visual aid would be less interesting than a video that shows you actual archaeological digs in Egypt. You'd be wrong. The typical teenage boy, represented by my thirteen-year-old son, would disagree. "My guy," as he calls Professor Brier, "is interesting. I never get bored." He did not have an equivalent good report of a History Channel video we watched. My son especially likes the moments when Professor Brier gets excited. Passion is contagious. Professor Brier hopes that the course will, "turn out 'junior Egyptologists." His passion makes that a greater certainty.

In this series of 48 lectures, Professor Brier approaches the history of ancient Egypt chronologically. He provides a broad picture of events and the people behind the events, but also includes details that give a sense of what daily life was like. Professor Brier also delves into some material from a language-oriented perspective, explaining the different types of Egyptian writing, and an art history perspective.

This is a secular course. When Professor Brier comments on religion it is from a secular philosophical outlook, but he does so without being derogatory of other viewpoints. He is candid throughout to explain where he is presenting his opinion.

This course is available in video or audio format with accompanying guidebooks. The guidebooks include an outline of each lecture, additional reading suggestions, and questions. Each lecture is one-half hour. The introductory lecture covers the scope of the course during which Professor Brier makes suggestions for getting the most from the course. The video lectures include occasional visual aides that enhance the lecture, but are not essential to understanding the material.

The lectures thoroughly cover the topics promised in the course scope. Professor Brier has a great breadth of knowledge about the history of ancient Egypt, and his many personal anecdotes will appeal to future Egyptologists. He is very personable and leaves you with the desire to visit the sites he describes with him as your incredibly knowledgeable tour guide. Students will walk away with a better understanding of ancient Egyptian history than they would get from reading a book.

This course is meant for those that are self-motivated. It is designed for adults, but can be easily used with junior and senior high school age students. It does require a student with a sense of independence and a desire to learn. You can't plop an unmotivated or disinterested teen in front of the TV and expect him to be transformed. Although teens new to homeschooling may be weaned from a public school mentality by Professor Brier's engaging style. If boredom is at the heart of a teen's disaffection with learning, these lectures could help restore that lost love.

Ideally a parent should watch or listen to these lectures with their child. Shared viewing allows opportunity for discussion. Questions included in the guidebook could be used to cement the child's understanding of the lecture or as essay test questions. The course will also prepare students for the typical lecture /essay paper/ essay test format of college courses. No tests are provided. The transcript books available for an additional $45.00 are a nice addition if you choose not to sit down and watch the lecture with your child. They include the material found in the guidebooks in addition to a complete transcript of each lecture.

This course when sale priced at $129.95 is a great addition to your homeschool history curriculum. There are few resources as costly that I recommend, but this course is worth the price.