In the introduction to Tales from Ancient Egypt Joyce Tyldesley recreates the picture of an ancient Egyptian family sitting round a fire, enjoying a sweet beer, listening to a local storyteller `spin his yarns'. In this anthology Tyledesley retells, rather than merely translates, sixteen stories that have been committed to papyrus and stone. The result is a fluent series of tales of gods (myths), of men (more conventional tales of heroes visiting strange lands, of battles and courageous feats), true stories and a single hymn. Each tale is followed by a commentary which sets it in context. This book is the first to be published by Rutherford Press, an Egyptological publisher dedicated to supporting original research and fieldwork in Egypt, and it is a million miles from the often stale and literal translations of ancient texts. These stories are lively and well (re)written, making them a joy to read.