Book: “Red Nile – A Biography of the World’s Greatest River”
Posted By RichC on May 18, 2024
Earlier this year I started reading Robert Twigger’s 2013 book “Red Nile: A Biography of the World’s Greatest River” and found it super interesting. I don’t recall where the recommendation came from (maybe a National Geographic magazine article?) … but after checking the ebook out from the library to read while traveling … and decided I needed to 
order it hardback as a “used” book in order to finish it.
What was most intriguing was the blending of millions of years of geography — the shifting of plates and movement of continents — and the biblical and theorized history of mankind. The books doesn’t attempt to prove theories or records, but it does create enough thought provoking insight for readers to fit pieces together in their minds.
I enjoyed learning that the Nile River is a “young” river comparatively speaking and was shocked to realize how it has changed over time. The shifting of tectonic plates millions of years ago, lifted the mountains of Ethiopia and created both an eastern watershed and prevented the waters and swamps from Africa’s interior from flowing east. Adding the Bahr El-Gazal, White, Blue, Sobat and Atbara Rivers all together … minus evaporation … the Nile River is enormous.
The evidence of ancient humans is significant and has been documented upstream and well into Africa. It is easy to see how movement along the Nile River towards Egypt fits with what fits with many of our cradle of civilization studies and ancient documents record. All in all the book is a most interesting read and I can recommend it as one of my favorites this year.
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