Abbreviations: pb: available in a paper bound edition

• Collier, Mark and Bill Manley. How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Univ. of California Press, 1998.
  • Step-by-by step course in reading inscriptions. Highly recommended.
• Davies, W.V. Egyptian Hieroglyphs. University of California, 1987. pb.
  • Excellent information about the ancient writing system. (Not a reading course).
• Faulkner, R. O. A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. The Griffith Institute, 1962.
  • An essential tool for anyone studying the ancient language.
• Fischer, H. Ancient Egyptian Calligraphy: A BeginnerŐs Guide to Writing Hieroglyphs. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1979.
  • Wonderful book that shows you how hieroglyphs SHOULD be drawn.
• Forman, Werner and Stephen Quirke Hieroglyphs and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. University of California, 1996.
  • Very interesting and well-research discussion of funerary literature and the role of literature in religion.
• Foster, John. Hymns, Prayers and Songs: An Anthology of Ancient Egyptian Lyric Poetry. Scholars Press, 1995.
• Gardiner, Alan. Egyptian Grammar. Griffith Institute, third edition, 1957.
  • Still the standard and indispensable source, but now rather our of date. Very tough for self study.
• Hoch, James. Middle Egyptian Grammar. SSEA (Toronto), 1995. (spiral bound)
  • This book is emerging as the new standard teaching grammar for English-speaking students.
• Lichtheim, Miriam. The Literature of Ancient Egypt. (3 vols) University of California 1973, 1976, 1980. pb.
  • The standard source for translations of a wide variety of texts.
• Murnane, William. Texts from the Amarna Period in Egypt. Scholars Press, 1995.
  • Excellent source material for the Amarna Period, with helpful commentary.
• Parkinson, Robert, Voices from Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Middle Kingdom Writings. University of Oklahoma Press, 1991. pb.
• Parkinson, Robert and Stephen Quirke, Papyrus. University of Texas Press, 1995. pb.
  • Excellent discussion of the nature and use of papyrus and written documents.
• Wente, Edward, Letters from Ancient Egypt. Scholar's Press, 1990.
  • New translations of all sorts of texts, from laundry lists to personal letters.
• Wilkinson, Richard, Reading Egyptian Art. Thames and Hudson, 1992.
  • Clear explanation of how hieroglyphs and symbols are incorporated into Egyptian art.
• Zauzich, K-T., Hieroglyphs without Mystery. Univ. of Texas, 1992. pb.
  • Excellent introduction to hieroglyphs with vocabulary lists and sample readings.