A fascinating dive into the decoding of the Rosetta Stone. The book centers on the two temperamentally-opposite academics at the front of the race, Young and Champillion. This book is full of fun observations about language, cryptography, and other matters, but at the same time, it feels a little padded when it comes to the main narrative. It's kind of like a great meandering essay about Heiroglyphic writing mashed up with a traditional slow-paced history book; The combination doesn't always work.