Geoffrey McSkimming
When Geoffrey McSkimming was a boy he found an old motion-picture projector and a tin containing a dusty home movie in his Grandmother's attic. He screened the film and was transfixed by the flickering image of a man in a jaunty pith helmet, baggy Sahara shorts and special desert sun-spectacles. The man had an imposing macaw and a clever-looking camel, and Geoffrey McSkimming was mesmerized by their activities in black-and-white Egypt, Peru, Greece, Mexico, Sumatra, Turkey and other exotic locations.
Years later he discovered the identities of the trio, and he has spent much of his time since then retracing their footsteps, interviewing surviving members of the Old Relics Society, and gradually reconstructing the lost true tales of that well-known archaeologist and little-known poet, Cairo Jim -- which have become the enormously successful Cairo Jim chronicles and Jocelyn Osgood jaunts. All of these "mysteries of history" are published in Australia by Hodder Headline (and by other publishers in other countries), and none has ever gone out of print!
Geoffrey has had sunstroke in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt (while researching Cairo Jim and Doris in Search of Martenarten and Cairo Jim and the Sunken Sarcophagus of Sekheret); ventured into the depths of the pyramids at Giza in Egypt (for Cairo Jim and the Secret Sepulchre of the Sphinx); trekked through the Andes mountains to reach the abandoned city of Machu Picchu and camped in the cloud forests of Peru (for Cairo Jim on the Trail to ChaCha Muchos); visited many Greek temples over 4,000 years old (for Cairo Jim and the Alabastron of Forgotten Gods); climbed the immense Mexican pyramids (for Cairo Jim and the Quest for the Quetzal Queen); safaried through the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania and sweltered on Zanzibar island (for Xylophones Above Zarundi); sniffed around ruined cities like Ephesus and underground cities like KaymaklI in Turkey (for Cairo Jim Amidst the Petticoats of Artemis), marveled at the ancient history of Italy while sorting out one of Cairo Jim's escapades (for Cairo Jim and the Tyrannical Bauble of Tiberius), to name a few memorable experiences, and just a few of the books he has written.
His hobbies, when not writing the Cairo Jim and Jocelyn Osgood chronicles, are archaeology, traveling, old books and recreating the past.
Reviews
Cairo Jim and the Tyrannical Bauble of Tiberius
Geoffrey McSkimming
Strange things are happening in Rome, time seems mad and many people are confused by the events. All who are affected by the time glitch also have their watch stop at the same time, broken beyond repair. Cairo Jim, Doris and Brenda the Wonder Camel all are perplexed by the happenings because it sounds like the work of Captain Neptune Bone - but he's in jail! What is going on? Trying to find answers, Jim, Doris and Brenda travel to Rome, wondering if the time glitch is caused by the disappearance of the Bauble of Tiberius, an ancient artifact which had never been revealed to the general public because it was believed to have the power to stop time. They know that no great harm could be done with the bauble alone but if it meets a missing part that was lost centuries ago, its power could grow hugely and create havoc! If the bauble and the bead are united, they can pull the horrors of history back into the future! They must find the bauble and the tail to keep it away from the likes of Bone, who, soon after they see him, escapes from prison! This is the thirteenth book in the Cairo Jim series and I enjoyed it as much as the others. I loved the running joke in the story (will Jim ever find out where the scent of roses is coming from?). This is a great story in a terrific series that has now been around for 10 years! It is really funny and I recommend reading this and the others of the series. I enjoy this series and my only complaint is that there hasn't been one about Jocelyn Osgood for a while! 2001, Hodder Headline, Ages 14 up, $11.95. Reviewer: Stephanie, Year 11 (Lollipops, Australia, November 2001)
ISBN: 0-7336-0581-8
Added 08/01/03
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