The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney is a biography of Hatshepsut, who was the longest-reigning female pharoah in ancient Egypt. It was interesting seeing Hatshepsut’s political strategy and how she ascended to the throne. I really liked Cooney’s writing style; I felt like I was in a fascinating anthropology class as the author described Hatshepsut’s life and the culture of ancient Egpyt. For example, I loved reading about how Hatshepsut learned how to write in hieroglyphics, and the set of photos featuring monuments of pharoahs and ancient Egyptian relics was also a nice touch. The book has an “easy to read” feel, and at times it was reminiscent of reading a newspaper. Cooney includes so many details about Hatshepsut’s reign. The Woman Who Would Be King is a page-turner, and I learned a lot of vital information along the way!

You can find the book here.