Great Belzoni: The Circus Strongman who Discovered Egypt's Ancient Treasures Book

I read the edition from 1959.

Giovanni Battista Belzoni was a giant of a man, and in fear of being conscripted to Napoleon's army he went from his home in Padua to England, where he became famous at fairs with different feats of strength. Interested in hydraulics, he built water games for the theater, and as he travelled he became aware that the pasha in Egypt was in search for engineers who could drag the country in the modern world. Always restless, he travelled down the Nile and was able to lift with his technical knowledge colossal pieces of statues and architecture nobody else could move.

Mostly by his side was Sarah, his wife who was a great help to him, without which he wouldn't have been able to do what he did, and who collected chameleons which isn't important but I can't get the picture of a pet on her shoulder out of my head.

Everywhere difficulties, applying for permittances or puzzling out to be paid. Intrigues in different cities, places that were war-torn and where the people suffered from illnesses like Bubonic Plague.

I liked this book and will surely read more aber Belzoni and Sarah. Who needs Indiana Jones when there are real accounts of travels to be had?