Marie Benedict is back with her latest work of historical fiction, DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, a sweeping tale of a young woman who unearths the truth about a forgotten pharaoh --- rewriting both of their legacies forever. As a child, Marie always looked forward to spending Saturday mornings with her mother at the library, where a treasure trove of books awaited her.
Saturday mornings. First one through the library door the minute it opened. Racing to the circulation desk. Hands outstretched to receive the stack of books carefully selected for me. My mother hard on my heels.
This weekend ritual was one organized by my mom. As a wildly precocious reader who also was the oldest of six children, I was a voracious consumer of books, and it was no easy task for my parents to keep me in them. But with great diligence and care, my mother and our children’s librarian orchestrated this weekly rite.
Carrying that tall, teetering stack of books, my mom and I would return home on those Saturday mornings. There, on the kitchen table, I would fan out the expertly curated choices. I would stare down at a mystery or two, a history book, the next installment in a fantasy series, and at least one harrowing tale of adventure. My mom would ask, “Where will you begin?” And I would start to turn the pages.
