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The Green Sahara
New Book out in 2
The Green Sahara
Ecologist and author of PAPYRUS and THE PHARAOH’S TREASURE John Gaudet's THE GREEN SAHARA, explaining how the Sahara Desert can be returned to its former glory as a green paradise while actively combating climate change. Rowman & Littlefield publication in fall 2025
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Available Now
The Pharaoh's Treasure
A new book from Pegasus, The Pharaoh’s Treasure is a thought-provoking history of paper—from its origins in Egypt to its spread throughout the world—revealing how it helped usher in a new era of human history. (https://tinyurl.com/yd5ddzmf or https://amzn.to/2Nnpvug ) "An engaging journey to the distant past." Kirkus Reviews, 2018
Join the author, John Gaudet, an experienced lecturer, writer and biologist as he shows how the ancient Egyptians made paper. Experience with him the evolution of books from papyrus paper to volumes of parchment, and then to handmade pulp paper invented by the Chinese and used by Gutenberg to print his famous Bibles.
The Pharaoh's Treasure - UK Edition from Amberley Publishing
In THE PHARAOH’S TREASURE, John Gaudet looks at this pivotal transition to paper, which would become the most commonly used information medium in the world for more than 4,000 years. Far from fragile, papyrus paper is an especially durable writing surface; books and documents in ancient and medieval times had a usable life of hundreds of years, and this durability has allowed items like the famous Nag Hammadi codices from the third and fourth century to survive. The UK Ancient Egypt Magazine thought it was "...an engrossing and enlightening read." SJA Turney, popular British author of the Praetorian series, called it "...a fascinating piece of historical research. Recommended!" https://tinyurl.com/9srhvrkk
Papyrus the Plant that Changed the World (Pegasus,NY)
From ancient Pharaohs to 21st cent. water wars, papyrus is a unique plant; one of the fastest growing plant species on earth. It grows in enormous swamps that float on water-- its stems inspired the fluted columns of the ancient Greeks. In ancient Egypt, the papyrus bounty from the Nile provided not just paper for record keeping--instrumental to the development of civilization--but also food, fuel and boats.
(as we see on VOA https://tinyurl.com/y7yrfsp8 including a trip through a swamp )
Today, it is not just a curious relic of our ancient past, but a rescuing force for modern ecological and societal blight. Harvard University’s Belfer Center voted this book the Innovation Book of the Week .
See more about papyrus and the water world at
The Iron Snake (Brandylane)
It is 1897, during the last few years of Victoria’s reign at the height of the Empire, a period marked by unrest in Africa. The Kenya Colony is an exciting world of hate, passion, loyalty and violence. Stories abound about the wild nature of the railroad line’s shaky wooden trestle bridges over enormous chasms, man-eating lions pulling railway workers out of carriages at night, and back home the British Parliament is upset that construction of what the Africans call the Iron Snake will never return the enormous investment. The tabloid term, “Lunatic Express,” seems to fit. Buy it now at: https://tinyurl.com/y92bhwhb Republished as an e-book for Barnes & Noble’s Nook https://bit.ly/2NsfNH6 . The Iron Snake involves a host of fascinating, passionate characters who witness Africa’s first steps into the modern era, and in the process have their lives transformed.
The Pharaoh's Treasure Big News - appearance of Gaudet and Papyrus on Jeopardy
John Gaudet, Papyrus and Jeopardy
John and his book popped up on Jeopardy on Wed. night December 12
See if you know the correct answer. Check it out at: https://youtu.be/dcbJ602INkE.
TALK RADIO EUROPE INTERVIEW
John Gaudet interview on Talk Radio Europe Jan 30, 2019 on his new book The Pharaoh's Treasure (https://youtu.be/k_TYr3trAUI)
"I am a storyteller who writes in a historical framework. While I feel an almost compulsive obligation to keep faith with the facts, my main objective is to tell a story—as dramatically and suspensefully and entertainingly as I can."
In China - a best seller !
Published in Chinese in Beijing! 法老的宝藏 Translated by Chen Yang
Published by Social Sciences Academic Press in June last year, The reviews have been pouring in. The largest website in China (JD.com) listed the Chinese version of The Pharaoh's Treasure as having over 5,775 reviews with over 1027 comments on the text and 224 on the illustrations. , another popular site, (DangDang.com) listed 1,115 short positive reviews. Douban Bookstore (douban.com) China's largest online book outlet listed 96 reviews with 132 people having read it, and 881 who wanted to read the book ithttps://book.douban.com/subject/34991851/
Two editions - the first was a hand-crafted collectors' edition made of 32 large signature pages folded then left uncut. Original copies are now worth over $100 each. The second edition was the machine-made, low cost, commercial printing available in China.
Launch in Beijing the title of the video "It's A Wrap!"
About John Gaudet
John Gaudet
John Gaudet
The Washington Post's Neely Tucker said "He looks and sounds like he could have walked right out of a Graham Greene novel..."
John Gaudet
John Gaudet
John Gaudet
An experienced writer, lecturer and scientist John, spent years wading in African swamps in the '80's when they were used as body dumps by a local dictator, Idi Amin. Funny thing, he'll tell you, the swamps were dominated by the Papyrus plant, the same plant used by ancient Egyptians to make paper, which convinced him to become an expert
An experienced writer, lecturer and scientist John, spent years wading in African swamps in the '80's when they were used as body dumps by a local dictator, Idi Amin. Funny thing, he'll tell you, the swamps were dominated by the Papyrus plant, the same plant used by ancient Egyptians to make paper, which convinced him to become an expert on the plant and ancient paper. That way he'd stand out at social functions as he did in the swamps along the Nile where local people nicknamed him “Bwana Papyrus."
A Fulbright Scholar to both India and Malaya, his research on tropical plants funded by a grant from The National Geographic Society took him to many lush, wild places. His early work has been discussed in Nature, and by Peter Moore on the BBC show Science Now, and later in an article by Alan Cowell in The New York Times. He also worked in the US Government's overseas aid program and later as a consultant in environmental assessment. Check him out at The Washington Post (https://tinyurl.com/ychccsdp), Salon (http://tinyurl.com/SalonBoats), and Huffington Post. (see more below in "Portfolio" and "Talks, Signings and Events")
Portfolio (recent articles, reviews, etc.)
Magazine Articles
Ancient Egypt Magazine (Feb/March issue 2019)
The Pharaoh's Treasure - When Papyrus Ruled the World
Near Eastern Archaeology Journal (December, 2019)
Vol. 82 Issue 4
Papyrus and the Pharaoh’s Treasure–an Ecological Perspective
Op-Ed Pieces
History News Network (HNN 2/24/19)
Columbian College of Ats & Sciences - George Washington University, Wash. DC.
Blogs
History is Now Magazine Blog -
The first world of paper is the period during which papyrus paper was the standard medium for writing in the Western world. (3,700 likes)
Did History Stand Still During the First World of Paper? - Ancient Egypt and Papyrus Paper
Reviews
The Spectator - review by Dennis Duncan (Feb 7 2019)
Treasures from Ancient Egypt's Wastepaper Baskets
Review in All About History Magazine (March 2019)
History and The Pharaoh's Treasure
"The Pharaoh's Treasure is an entertaining read and Gaudet's enthusiasm for his subject is infectious.”
Great review in Joshua Provan's blog page "Adventures In History"
(March 2019) Josh is a book reviewer, history writer and blogger. The founder of an award winning blog he contributes regularly to the Britannia Magazine on Facebook. https://tinyurl.com/y6nxl5ag
Media
NPR St. Louis - Paper Has A Long And Fascinating History
Story by Nancy Kranzberg (03/07/19) who said "What a fascinating read!"
The Pharaoh's Treasure and National Public Radio
TV Channels 9 & 10 in Northern Michigan. News staff pick for March 2019 "...a good read for anyone who is interested in the history of industry, the history of paper, and anyone who likes niche historical narratives.”
TV news staff discovers The Pharaoh's Treasure
Simon and Schuster
On the book publisher's site (Simon & Schuster distributes books for Pegasus):
Minerva Magazine
Great review of The Pharaoh's Treasure by Diana Bentley in July/August issue of Minerva Magazine! She says: "Today, electronic notebooks don't even need ink, but will their place in history persist to produce anything as extraordinary and entertaining as the tales contained in The Pharaoh's Treasure?"