Praise for Black Spark, White Fire

My book Black Spark, White Fire has been taking quite a beating lately — especially over at the Gene Expression (GnXp.com) blog site (which is otherwise one of my favorite Web destinations). See “The Black Spark Wars” (Parts I and II).

I was pleasantly surprised and much gratified, for that reason, to read these kind words by Gene Expression blogger Jason Soon, who says he is “currently reading” Black Spark. Jason offers this preliminary assessment:

This fascinating book argues that the ancient Egyptians were of at least part African descent and certainly part of African culture… and were extremely influential in shaping Greek culture. …

[T]he book strikes me as being well-researched and Richard of all people (a Jewish-Hispanic conservative who writes for FrontPage magazine) would seem to have no particular ideological axe to grind in writing this book.

The book has certainly convinced me if I wasn’t already convinced that the ancient Egyptians were at least partly African and the later influx of ‘Caucasians’ from elsewhere into Egypt did not add any particular advance to their civilisation so that it was already sophisticated from the start.

[hyperlinks added by your faithful correspondent, for explanatory purposes. RP]

Jason is a regular Gene Expression blogger, but elected to post his mini-review of Black Spark, White Fire at his personal blog site, Catallaxyfiles.blogspot.com.

No doubt, my critics will point scornfully to the fact that Jason is a mere economist, rather than a specialist holding multiple degrees in archaeogenetics; bioanthropology; historical linguistics; Greek, Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Nubian archaeology; classical literature; folklore studies; history of religion and science; and so forth and so on. However, I respect Jason’s opinion, even if my critics may choose to dismiss it. Thank you, Jason!

Actually, come to think of it, Jason’s training as an economist should qualify him — even in the eyes of my harshest critics — to comment on my assertion that tin prospecting generated a dramatic upsurge in seagoing exploration during the Bronze Age. If that is not a question for an economist, I don’t know what is. Archaeologists, for some reason, opine very confidently (and often wrongheadedly) on issues of trade and commerce, even though they are not economists. I would be fascinated to hear Jason’s thoughts on the “Bronze Lords.”

And, speaking of commerce, don’t forget to buy your copy of the reggae hit “Black Spark White Fire” by Amadi!