The Code-Breaker's Secret Diaries: The Perilous Expedition through plague ridden Egypt to uncover the Ancient Mysteries of the Hieroglyphs, J. F. Champollion (Gibson Square Books, 2009) 208pp., paperback, £8.99, ISBN 978 1 903933 83 1.

This book is the result of the labours of several people - Dr. Joyce Tyldesley provides a preface, Peter Clayton editorial notes, Richard Lebears the introduction and Martin Rynger the translation.

Chiefly of course it is the record by Jean-Francois Champollion (1790-1831), the founder of modern Egyptology, of his extended expedition in 1829.  Champollion in a secret diary journal chronicled the dangers he faced in visiting Egypt, then part of the Ottoman Empire.  He vividly chronicled his adventures, conveying his enthusiasm which he had had from his childhood for Egypt and making significant discoveries.  Champollion survived his triumphant deciphering of the Rosetta Stone by only ten years, dying at 41 from a multitude of causes.  He had made major linguistic studies of a wide variety of languages and his great deciphering of was no accident.

The letters given here and televised by the BBC reveal a little of the personality of the man about whom there has been scant information.  End-notes are given by the editor and are the result of much scholarly study.