In the world of the ancient Egyptians, magic permeated every aspect of life. Today the splendours of the pharaohs are reduced to ruins, their tombs robbed, their power forgotten... but the magic of those far-off times lives on, a vibrant force amongst the people of the Nile. Christian Jacq, author of the best-selling sequence of novels, Ramses, believes that the civilisation of ancient Egypt can only be fully understood in the context of the living tradition, as he found when he accepted the hospitality of a family of Egyptian snake-charmers. From his knowledge of the ancient texts is was clear that this family was still following rules dating back to the dawn of time. In this enthralling book he takes us on a journey into a secret world where magic was an exact science, its mysteries closely guarded by the temple priests. Now, through the insights of modern practice, we can grasp the full meaning of rituals that were designed to ensure health and happiness, preserve life and smooth the moments of 'passage' - birth, marriage, death, the ending of the old year and the beginning of the new. "In the study of magic," says the author, "we reach for the spark from which all creation sprang." Fully illustrated with drawings from temple and tomb paintings and from hieroglyphic texts, this wonderfully readable book opens our eyes and shows us that the magician-priests bequeathed us a legacy from which we can learn much.