A review by eric_conrad
The Buried: An Archaeology of the Egyptian Revolution by Peter Hessler

informative slow-paced

4.0

If this was my introduction to Peter Hessler, I doubt that I would seek out another book of his. I loved River Town and Oracle Bones, so I  was excited to read his impressions of Egypt. Yes, there was the usual mix of local human interest stories and history, but for me and from what other reviews have said, the political sections dragged. Everything felt slow and sluggish.

The core difference for me is that in River Town, the struggle was for Peter to acclimate, whereas Buried is more about his observing others trying to acclimate. The book feels less personal. This doesn't diminish his ability to relate to people who come from different cultures, but the overall tone changed from his previous books.