Winner of the Literary Titan Award meant an interview. In it you will discover about the inspiration for the very British book!
The Tutankhamen Friendship weaves a tale of friendship, perseverance, and discovery as archaeologists navigate the challenges and triumphs of unearthing one of history’s greatest archaeological treasures. What inspired you to write this story?
Like many people, I have been fascinated by Tutankhamen since childhood. I initially wrote a book about him. No one knows how the teenage king died, although academics have a variety of theories about his demise. One day, when I was trying to choose Tutankhamen’s death scene, the idea of writing about his discoverers arose.
How did you balance historical accuracy with fictional storytelling when reimagining the personal dynamics between Carter and Carnarvon?
There is a lot of public information about Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter. It was easy to balance the knowledge of history with fiction, in part because the discovery reads like a novel.
Indiana Jones was a fictional character synonymous with archaeology. However, the immensely wealthy English aristocrat, Lord Carnarvon and the driven archaeologist, Howard Carter, were real people. Toss in a beautiful unattainable woman (Lord Carnarvon’s daughter) and you have a recipe for unrequited love. Add Egyptians, French, and Americans, with a dash of Muslim and Christian interaction, and one is headed for something interesting. When it is combined with the threat of an Egyptian revolution and world press attention, it is very easy for a writer to make one small step from historical fact to fiction!
The novel vividly captures the atmosphere of early 20th-century Egypt. What kind of research went into recreating this setting?
I have visited Egypt several times since childhood. Egyptian customs and the way of life have not changed in many parts since Carter and Carnarvon’s time. This assisted me in the depiction of the Egyptian characters, one of whom is a leading character in the story.
It is also possible to walk in the footsteps of Carter and Carnarvon. There are places where the duo frequented, such as the Winter Palace, Castle Carter, and Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, all of which are helpful to a novelist’s creation.
How do you hope readers will connect with the themes of perseverance and friendship in the context of such a monumental historical event?
In every close friendship, there are times when people agree and others when they are at loggerheads. It is easy for readers to connect with Carter and Carnarvon because they had a real friendship.
The famous duo spent years excavating together. They often lived together during those periods of excavation. This proximity to one another created a bond, but it also led to arguments.
Carnarvon’s letter to Carter after a deep rift, possibly over Carter’s feelings for Lady Evelyn, is very touching because he asks for forgiveness. In those days it was unheard of, not simply because Carnarvon was Carter’s employer, but because he was upper class.
With their bond of friendship, these men crossed the social barriers of their time and culture and their communication probably went some way towards making the Tutankhamen discovery. They could have given up several times, but because they were friends, they persevered together to produce a result that staggers us even today.
