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Moustafa Gadalla is an Egyptian-American independent Egyptologist, who was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1944. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Cairo University.
Gadalla is the author of eleven internationally acclaimed books about the various aspects of the Ancient Egyptian history and civilization and its influences worldwide. He is the chairman of the Tehuti Research Foundation—an international, U.S.-based, non-profit organization, dedicated to Ancient Egyptian studies.
From his early childhood, Gadalla pursued his Ancient Egyptian roots with passion, through continuous study and research. Since 1990, he has dedicated and concentrated all his time to researching and writing.
M.G.: I live now in North Carolina. I was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1944. I immigrated to USA in 1971. So, you can see I came from the most ancient civilization, and now live in one of the youngest countries in history. The sense of place between the ancient and the new, clarified in my mind the accuracy of the wise saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same". As a result, I can communicate ancient Egypt to the public, in terms that apply to our daily living in the USA and elsewhere.
Amazon.com: When and why did you begin writing? When did you first consider yourself a writer?
M.G.: I am a graduate and practicing professional engineer. Throughout my engineering career, my reports were always admired for their clarity, completeness, conciseness, readability, etc. So, three years ago, I put this God-given talent to writing books about ancient Egypt, and how valuable their knowledge and wisdom are to our daily lives nowadays.
Amazon.com: Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way? What books have most influenced your life?
M.G.: - No one really influenced my writing. Writing is a mode of communication, and is not an end result by itself. So, it is really the organized thought process that is the underlying cause of a successful communication.
- Believe it or not, it is the organized thought process of the ancient Egyptians that influenced me the most. They were, and still are, the masters of communicating knowledge and wisdom.
- No book influenced me. It shows that one should not be intimidated with the majority. Call it as you see it. I do that in my writing.
Amazon.com: What is the most romantic book you've ever read? The scariest? The funniest?
M.G.: The most romantic story that I read and continue to read, is the story of Isis and Osiris. I am not into reading scary books, but I like to watch a good suspense movie now and then, like Hitchcock movies. The same for funny books. I like to watch imaginative comic TV shows and movies.
Amazon.com: What music, if any, most inspires you to write? What do you like to listen to while writing?
M.G.: I love music, but it is not part of my writing process. It distracts me to listen. I am very well internally focused when I write.
Amazon.com: What are you reading now? What CD is currently in your stereo?
M.G.: I am currently reading about the history and societies of West and Central Africa, which is needed for my next book.
Amazon.com: What are you working on?
M.G.: 1) I am managing the translation of some of my books into other languages.
2) Keeping a complete information center on the internet, for ancient Egypt, in multi-languages.
3) Moderate an Internet discussion group (Ma-at Sophist Fellowship).
4) Writing my next book, "**The Exiled Egyptians: Tears of Blood", showing how many Egyptians escaped the Christian and Moslem oppression, and fled into Africa.
** Note: This book was written and published in 1999, with the title of Exiled Egyptians: The Heart of Africa.
Amazon.com: Use this space to write about whatever you wish.
M.G.: I didn't intend to focus on Ancient Egypt, just because I'm Egyptian. It was only after I began reading existing books about the subject, that I discovered how MUCH they knew, and how AWARE they were of the universe, in every action of their daily lives. Yet this information is suppressed in almost all of today's references and textbooks. I have made it my life's mission to get the TRUE image of the ancient Egyptians out to the world, for those who are ready to hear it