He took a handful of fadeaway jumpers on the block that barely drew iron, forced some guarded pull ups, and rushed a handful of put back opportunities. Possessing a big frame, and a fine blend of strength, athleticism, and skill, Thompsons ability to score in a variety of ways didnt always help him here, as he tossed up some very questionable shots over the course of the week. His 19.0 points per game was amongst the top marks posted here, but while he was highly productive, he showed some of the same raw decision-making he showed at this event last year. Coming into the week facing lofty expectations, Thompson didnt disappoint. Samuel Pfister is the collections manager at the Badè Museum in California's East Bay.One of the most intriguing prospects in attendance, Thompson came into this years Summer League fresh off of a very impressive rookie season where he instantly became one of the top offensive rebounds in the NBA. It is that appreciation, that enthusiasm, which has kept Egypt in the imagination of people around the world for millennia, now more so than ever before. But Wonderful Things is written from a place of both attentiveness to the problematics of the past and with sincere appreciation for the study of ancient Egypt. Thompson wrote this series with a critical eye towards many of the dubious practices of past Egyptologists-indeed not all archaeologists played nice with one another nor excavated according to standards that would be acceptable today. Yet, it never sacrifices depth for breadth, often weaving chronological developments in the field with deeply empathetic narratives.

In its comprehensiveness, this series is an accomplishment and a fantastic first step for anyone interested in the history of Egyptology.

Beginning with how the ancient Egyptians reconciled their own past through colonialism and two world wars, Wonderful Things is encyclopedic in its biography of many of the field’s practitioners from around the world. Wonderful Things: A History of Egyptology is a 3-volume history of the study of ancient Egypt from ancient times to the present. However, as Jason Thompson’s recent trilogy shows, the history of Egyptology is full of such “Wonderful Things.” When asked what he saw after reverently peering into the freshly opened tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, Egyptologist Howard Carter could only find the words the say “Wonderful Things.” These words have become legend in Egyptology whether they were actually spoken by Carter or were ascribed to him after the events took place in order to embellish the moment is moot the discovery and opening of King Tut’s tomb is notorious within and without Egyptology.

Wonderful Things by Jason Thompson