Visual explanation of how Egyptians living nearly 4500 years ago were able to construct such large and magnificent structures. Shows the construction from conception by the Pharaoh's architect, to clearing and leveling the site, transporting the stones, tediously dragging them up and placing them to create the 124 layers of the pyramid, and finally chipping them down the form the distinctive triangular sides of the pyramid. Of course Macaulay goes further to show construction of the underground tombs, and nearby temples.

This book is not quite as interestsing as Mr. Macaulay's City book, but the subject matter was not as interesting either. Drawing men hauling stones up ramps doesn't compare to the richness of the Roman architecture and bustling city life.

Following in the tradition of other terrific books about complex construction projects using simple technology - such as Castle and Cathedral - Macaulay introduces children to the pyramids of ancient Egypt. And once again he hits a homerun, with a storyline that's just informative enough to create context but simple enough for young children to follow. Oh, did I mention the outstanding illustrations? This is a terrific book for kids and children alike. I bought it for my four-year-old son but I ended up learning quite a bit myself.

What a consummate waste of money this book is! It reads like it was written by a 14 year old to be read by 8 year olds. David Macaulay should be ashamed to have written it; and Amazon should be ashamed to be marketing it to literate adults! I resent that Amazon and Mr. Macaulay actually accept money for this worthless publication.

With exquisitely detailed black-line drawings, this book shows how the pyramids in Egypt may have been constructed. A two-page introduction gives some background of life in Egypt, including an overview of Egyptian spiritual beliefs and practices, especially those related to death and dying. The introduction makes clear that this book is based on an imaginary pharaoh and an imaginary pyramid and that there are differences of opinion about the construction process the Egyptians used.

After the brief introduction, the illustrations dominate, comprising as much as 80% of the pages. Almost like time-lapse photography, readers can see the pyramid grow in vast landscapes, giving children a good sense of the scale of the pyramids, where people are just specks dotting the sides of the massive structure. In addition to these landscapes, Macaulay includes background on the people who designed and built their pyramids and their techniques with illustrations of the different workers and their tools, as well as architectural floor plans and cutaway diagrams.

The text is difficult and presents challenges with its vocabulary and syntax as well as its concepts. A one-page glossary of Egyptian and architectural terms provides some assistance. However, the account of how the priest uses the stars to locate true north is a difficult concept to comprehend; the textual and pictorial explanations may not be sufficient for any but advanced readers.

Though the text and many of the concepts are demanding, young readers will be carried along by the drawings that truly offer a step-by-step guide to how the pyramids were built. The distant and perhaps "quaint"-seeming aspects of Egyptian beliefs and practices are nicely contrasted with their highly advanced, ingenious construction techniques. Children familiar with some aspects of ancient Egypt will perhaps be able to see the "bigger picture" and gain insight and appreciation into the culture of the ancient Egyptians. Younger children will enjoy following the process and watching the pyramid grow from page to page, while older children interested in the "how's" behind history will appreciate this novel approach to learning about ancient Egypt.

Though this was written nearly thirty years ago, this is still one of the best introductions to the building of the pyramids out there, as he distills the basics down to the bare minimum without sacrificing much detail. The drawings, too, are superb, though the one page showing the various bald-headed workers made me think of Blue Man Group.

I do have some minor reservations, however, which are not necessarily Macaulay's fault (I am not going to go into alternative theories about how the pyramids were built, or speculation about the "real" purpose of the pyramids). One, to have built a pyramid of 2 million blocks in 30 years (working 5 months of the year) would have required that over 400 blocks be cut, finished, transported, and set into place EVERY DAY. Two, he doesn't state how the ramps were built so they could withstand the weight of so many tons of blocks day in and day out. And third, how was this enormous operation made to run so smoothly despite accidents and other problems that had to have occurred?

Despite my reservations, this is still a wonderful book to teach people, especially children, how such a massive undertaking was accomplished.

My friend checked this book out from the library and lent it to me, and I really enjoyed it. Communicating through words and drawings, Mr. Macaulay makes us feel like we're there in Egypt watching the pyramids being built through the decades. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a book they can really sink their teeth into.

Who hasn't wondered how the Great Pyramids came to be? In this stunningly illustrated, richly detailed book, David Macaulay skillfully shows one way they could have been built. I had ordered the book for our family's study of ancient Egypt, based on a recommendation in The Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Egypt, which raved about it. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was stunned at the detail and care of the drawings and fascinated by the accounts. Although the long descriptions were daunting for my then-first grader, the illustrations caught her eye, and her older siblings dug into it with enthusiasm.

Who hasn't wondered how the Great Pyramids came to be? In this stunningly illustrated, richly detailed book, David Macaulay skillfully shows one way they could have built. I had ordered the book for our family's study of ancient Egypt, based on a recommendation in The Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Egypt, which raved about it. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was stunned at the detail and care of the drawings and fascinated by the accounts. Although the long descriptions were daunting for my then-first grader, the illustrations caught her eye, and her older siblings dug into it with enthusiasm.

David MacAulty's book discusses and illustrates "one method" by which the pyramids of Egypt may have been built, and follows the construction step by step. His pen and ink drawings are excellent. The book may have been written for children (ages 9 and older) but, I enjoyed the book. I highly recommend it for adults and children with an interest in the pyramids. My eight year old son was fascinated by the book. Hopefully, his interest in Egyptology has been sparked by this fine book. I tend to disagree with the author when he refers to the pyramids as tombs. No bodies have been found within the pyramids. Its more likely the pyramids were used as structures for initiation ceremonies. Although, not specifically stated the entire book, except for a brief discussion of the Queen's pyramid and the mummification process, is devoted to the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The brief discussion of the mummification process is just the right amount of information for a child's book.

David MacAulay's book illustrartes "one" method by which the pyramids of Egypt may have been built, and follows the construction step by step with text and drawings. His pen and ink drawings are excellent! The book may have been written for children, ages 9 and older, but I enjoyed the book! My eight year old son was fascinated by the book. Hopefully, his interest in Egyptology has been sparked by this fine book. I tend to disagree with the author when he refers to the pyramid as a tomb. Although, not specifically stated, the entire book except a brief discussion of the Queen's Pyramid and mumification are devoted to the building of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The brief discussion of the mummification process is just the right amount of information for a child.

My children love this book. It is well-illustrated, with schematic plans, re-creations, et cetera. A very good book for illustrating the accepted method of pyramid construction.

One of a series of books about the engineering and technical aspects of the great buildings and marvels of history, Pyramid is a worthy effort, but not as interesting, compelling and funny as City and Cathedral, two of the other books in the series.

Though just as well illustrated by the dazzling drawings found in the entire series, the text is not as appealing as it could be and the attention of younger readers may be lost in a short time after some of the major questions about pyramid construction are answered.

Not verbose or over-written, the text is understandable and concise. As with the other offerings in this series, the reader is taken from the very beginning of development to the completion of a project, in this case a massive Egyptian Pyramid within the pages of the book.

Though not the very best in the series, Pyramid does instruct and would be a very valuable asset in any classroom or home library.

This is a fabulous book for anyone looking to learn more about the pyramids of Ancient Egypt without the burden of scholar-like vocabulary and disturbing depth. But at the same time the book conveys the mysteries of the pyramids with a keen intellect of the topic. The author knows his topic but writes his book so anyone can enjoy the knowledge and enlightenment a deeper understanding of the past can provide.

Who built the pyramids of the Giza Plateau...and why? How were the two million massive stone blocks quarried and set into place? David MacAulay answers these questions and more in a most historically accurate and logically developed book. Written for children, MacAulay takes the reader through each intricate step of the pyramid's construction from its conception on papyrus to its final completion. Leaving no stone unturned, PYRAMID also provides intriguing information on the daily lives of the Ancient Egyptians: how they viewed life and death, and what God and the afterlife meant to them. Each page is filled with sprawling pen and ink drawings which clearly illustrate their clever engineering techniques. PYRAMID is a simply written but vastly informative and enjoyable book.