Rating: 
Summary: "Just So" Stories Claiming to be History
Review: The main idea of this book is that the ancient Greeks were thieves: they invented nothing--not science, not philosophy, not anything--but stole all of it from the Africans, that is, the Egyptians, thus beginning the anti-black racism that kept black people down for thousands of years. There is just one problem: it isn't true, as anybody with any knowledge of the ancient world knows. To start with, the book is full of factual mistakes. First of all, the ancient Egyptians weren't blacks. (Ancient Egypt was racially mixed, and in any case skin color meant about as much as eye color.) The "Egyptian mystery system" James describes in the book was actually invented in the 18th century by French mystics; it is related to Plato not because Plato stole it from the Egyptians, but because the 18th-century French relied on Plato. Aristotle and Plato never visited Egypt, let alone the library of Alexandria, which didn't actually exist until they were both long dead. Quite apart from all these factual mistakes, the main thesis of the book is ludicrous: it is one thing to say the greeks were influenced by the egyptians (obviously true, and as any scholar of history knows, this was never deined), or even that the greeks never invented anything and merely plagarized the egyptians (not true, but at least logically possible.) But James says that the egpytian legacy was literally STOLEN. That is, not only did the greek plagiarize them, but that miracolously, this plagiarism caused the egyptians to instantly forget all of the plagiarized material and not make any new records of it! How on earth was this supposed to happen? If you teach someboy something, or even if he copies an idea you've got, or even if he steals the book where the idea is written, as James claims Aristotle did, do you instantly forget it yourself and can no longer recreated it? Even if the Greeks copied everything from the Egyptians, would that make the egyptians somehow forget their own original teachings? Of course not! The very idea is silly. This book is, in sum, simply fiction: a ludicrous thesis "supported" by numerous historically inaccurate claims.
Rating: 
Summary: Challenging the Norm
Review: George James should be commended for his brave and enlightening work. Stolen Legacy challenges us to reconsider many of the theories and ideologies that have been impressed upon us through the American education system. We are constantly told that the ancient Greeks were the originators of philosophy, science, and many mathematical theories, but we aren't given an adequate explanation of how they developed these ideas. In fact, James offers a completely different explanation for the origins of philosophy. He claims that what has been passed of as Greek philosophy, is actually stolen Egypt philosophy and was passed down through the Egyptian Mystery System. Little has been told about the Egyptian Mystery System, but James tries to explain the basics of this system and how it spread throughout the Mediteranean world. While I do think the book could have been written more clearly, it still offers new information and challenges the norm. Regardless of whether or not you believe the many facts that James offers, we must still acknowledge the many questions that he has posed. For instance, is it possible for Aristotle to have written over 1,000 books on so many different topics? He points out that all of our present scholars focus on one, maybe two topics, while Aristotle is heralded for being an expert in practically every branch of science. Another interesting thing that is pointed out in the book is that fact that very little is known of the scholars that we give so much credence to. Of course, some of this is obviously due to lack of records, but even the people who claim to be experts on these scholars, tend to radically disagree on their lives and works. James is also able to draw many clear comparisons between ancient greek philosophers and information that the Egyptians had for thousands of years prior. Again, even if you disagree with the author's findings, this book encourages us to question the authorities that we adhere to. Without questioning the norm, we can never grow or expand as a society.
Rating: 
Summary: Unknown history
Review: This is a must read. It gives another perspective to the idea that the Greeks created Philosophy. The author analyzes several known Greeks including Pythagorus, Aristole and Plato and their doctrines to show how they are actually Egyptian in nature. He even goes so far as to making some strong recommendations on how we as people of humanity, Blacks in particular, can help change the misconception of crediting Greeks for accomplishments they learned from Africans. (Egypt always has been and always will be an African nation.)
Rating:
Summary: Laughable!
Review: It is clear from the first page of this book that the author is out to prove something that didn't exist. Mr. James is not a classicist or a philosopher (he doesn't even know the origin of the word Philosophia, which he says is Egyptian instead of Greek!)and he can't bring something new to the discipline, so he set down to write a fictional account about the Greeks stealing Egyptian philosophy. It would be dumb for anyone not to think that the Greeks were somehow influenced by the Egyptians (and the Egyptians, of course, were influenced by the Sumerians) in the archaic art and architecture, but the Egyptians offered nothing to the Greeks in the field of philosophy. The Egyptians were emersed in mysticism and religion, not in scientific inquiery. If the Egyptians were supposedly so smart and philosophic, why didn't they write down their ideas? Answer: Because they didn't have philosophy in the sense we know it. Philosophy means "love of wisdom" and it was a Greek creation. I suggest to the readers of this book to read the Cambridge History of Greek Philosophy and Bruce Thornton's The Greek Ways: How the Greeks created Western Civilization. Read them and find out for yourself!
Rating: 
Summary: Good book with some historical flaws
Review: I read this book because of the debate with lefotwitz mentioned this book in here book. During this time I was really not that educated with the culture and history of the ancient egyptains.Most Americans really have no ideal what ancient egypt truly was except for a few specials on the discovery channel and some books written on the subject by biased egyptologist.
I read the book with an open mind,because believe it or notmuch of history has been rather distored by 19th century egoism of europeans seeking to prove the dynamic race and try their hardest to not admit the ancient egyptains were africans,and if they were africans they were not black in their views. Pusedo anthropology has for eons held these beliefs about ancient egypt and many people still honestly believe this to be the case.
White supremist have web sites dedicated to proving egyptains were white people,and while mainstream archeology and egyptology does not even use modern day egyptains to play the role of egyptain people,which is a disgrace.
The greeks however were influenced by the ancient kemetians,and I would not go so far as to say aristotle stole his wroks fromthe library of alexzandria,but there was definatley a type of intellectual sharing in ancient kmt between the greeks and kemetians.
Greeks even admitted in many of their books that ancient egyptains taught them much. Pythagoras,thales,anaxgoras,and many others went to egypt and learned from the egyptains. The solid concrete evidence is that many yers before the so called pythgoras theroem the ancient egyptains knew it on the rhind papyrus. Thales the person who was half phonecian came up wioth the first scienitifc princicples came to egypt and learned from the egyptains.
Leftowitz who has attacked this book might be right onb many accounts,but she does not explain how european scholars have worked around many ways to rewrite history themselves. Socrates probally never went to egypt,nor did plato untill it was alexzandria,but you can cleary see that plato had a great admiration for egypt,and their customs. In laws plato calls greeks pigs and talks about how egyptain children learn their alphabet through a game.
What many people don't realize is it is true the ancient egyptains were amung the first philsophers,and did leave with them a philsophical tradition. The instructions of ptahhotepis amun the oldest books in the world. scholars have chosen to label these as quote wisdom texts and ignore the fact that they contain ethnics of how to live in scoeity alomost 4,000 years before the greeks existed.
So read the book with an open mind,and yes there are blunders that james makes,likethe aristotle part.
Rating:
Summary: Study and show thyself approved!
Review: This book is actual and factual. People who don't believe
it, should study first, before accusing the author of being jealous of the greeks. Read what the bible says about the egyptians, and look at all the statues and busts with the negro
features. The greeks have nothing for anyone to be jealous of
in the first place. It is written in european documents, that
these great greek philosophers went to egypt and ethiopia
to be educated. Also, in THEIR OWN DOCUMENTS they have many ethiopians listed to have had a great inpact on europe, many
blacks who had high rank have lead them into battle, and THEY have documents and statues of these Black men to prove it!!!
Like one reader said, the truth will shine through,
(As long as racist people don't destroy the ancient writings
and statues!)If it's a lie, THE GREEKS WROTE IT!! NOT THE AUTHOR!
THEY SHOULD HAVE KEPT IT HIDDEN (Like everything else we discovered)IF THEY DIDN"T WANT US TO KNOW!
Rating:
Summary: Nonsense
Review: Why are people so jealouse of the Greeks?
Rating:
Summary: DESPERATELY SEEKING ROOTS
Review: Read this book if you have NO HERITAGE and are DETERMINED to learn how to STEAL others'. A guideline of sorts on how much easier it is to THEORIZE rather than reading up on centuries' worth of FACTS. A shame of the literary community...
Then again 'authors' like these come and go ... HISTORIC FACTS AND HISTORIC TRUTH SHINE THROUGH THE EONS
Rating:
Summary: Very Informative, Well Documented Work
Review: George James presents his case of how Greek philosophy is actually Egyptian in origin, without bias or condemnation. His approach is logical and balanced, totally void of unnecessary anger toward previous historians and their erroneous/racist conclusions. Although the writing lacks depth in some areas, and is repetative in others, there is enough viable, documented information to make it a very enjoyable and informative read. I definetly recommend it be added to one's library.
Rating:
Summary: Good book,but really does not do africanist justice
Review: I read this book and thought some of the thoughts in it was thought provoking,but at times the book was shallow. I know the racial identification in America among scholars has been very racist in the past. There are people before George james that sugested the egyptains came from sub saharan african,probally somali.Punt,was the name of anicent somali and it is offened refered to as the land of the ancestors. I recommed everybody reading this book,please pick up a book by ea wallis budge. I would also like to mention that many greek writers mostly wrote about nubians. One of the greatest heroes in the trojan war was an ethiopian by the name of memnon. Greeks probally was not racist and neither was the egyptains. The egyptains bitterly hated the asiatics hitties and nubians. nARMER THE ONE WHO FOUNDED THE PRE DYNASTIC ERA CAME FROM THE SOUTH. I have been to egypt and seen many shades of colors there. If you go to the villages around abydos you will see darker people than in the northern area. I am proud of my lineage to,and i happen to be a white man. You also check out richard poe's book. THe other crucial point is there is pyramids in greece,and even pyramids in rome. The people of the ancient world if they was around today would be ashamed on how they are deplicted. Located in today's southern Egypt and northern Sudan was most probably the oldest cultural complex in Africa. Known as Nubia, "The Land of Gold," to Egypt, the people of this land first called their civilization Ta-Seti, "Land of the Bow." Named so for its famous archers, Ta-Seti was a land of natural wealth, of gold mines, ebony, ivory and incense which she traded heavily with her neighbors. CHRONOLOGY OF NUBIA 3800-3100BC Ta-Seti 2300-1550BC Wawat 2000-1550BC Kerma 1950-1100BC Under Egyptian Rule 747-200BC Naptan Kush (Nubian rule of Egypt) 200BC-300AD Meroitic Nubia 350-300AD The Noubadian Kingdom 550-1400AD Christian Nubia I. REEVALUTATING KUSH Nubia is probably one of the most underreported cultural complexes of antiquity. In the ongoing attempt to minimize the African involvement in such regions, even the inhabitants of Nubia sometimes fall prey to the Mediterranen Race Myth. (See Egypt page for more on Hamitic Hypothesis). When this is not the case, Nubia is minimized within the Nile Valley as a purely Egyptian cultural invention. This has been the case so much so that some researchers have come to call Nubia, "the other Nile Valley kingdom." Often the myth portrays Egyptians as "superior whites" ruling over the more "primitive Blacks" to the south. In reality however, while Nubia and Egypt did war with each other, there were more years of peace than battle. These conflicts were usually territorial or economic and never racially motivated as certain Egyptians and Nubians obviously shared similar physical features. The victors were more often the larger kingdom of the Egyptians but sometimes the Nubians as well. A closer look at Nubia reveals startling information. Below are some revelations which have come from reevaluating Kush. Egypt's Dynastic rulership may have originated in Ta-Seti, thus signaling the first such form of government known to mankind. The idea of a pharaoh (king) may have come down the Nile from Nubia to Egypt (and) that would make Nubian civilization the ancestor of Egypt's... Dr. Bruce Williams, Archaeologist Egypt referred to its southern regions as Upper Egypt denoting its affinity with Kush. The Southern Kingdom, Upper Egypt, was clearly conceived as the dominant of the two regions. It was from the south that the most enduring influences in Egyptian society came and without doubt most of its greatest leaders were southerners too. Through her long history Egypt constantly needed to return to the south to refresh herself and to restore her institutions, even perhaps her soul, when the weight of years or of external pressures laid too heavily upon her. Micheal Rice, Historian Egypt was believed to have been a colony of Kush in antiquity. They (the Ethiopians) say also that the Egyptians are colonists sent out by the Ethiopians, Osiris having been the leader of the colony... And the larger part of the customs of the Egyptians are, they hold, Ethiopian... Diodorus Siculus, Ancient Greek Historian If anyone wants to talk seriously about ancient kmt with out race or politics and talk about kmt as the egyptains saw themselves please email me. I am a white man with an interest in African culture. You would be shocked to know that there is african scholars and i can name a few,such as Zera Yacub<ethiopian philosopher> Al-Jahiz<african slave turned scholar in the abbasaid dynasty in iraq> THomas fuller<african slave brought to america that was a human calculator> Ahmed baba<wrote over 1500 books in timbooktu> Hypotia<egyptain mathematician during the ptolomey era> I have a few more,but they slip my mind. rahuubaat
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