This work is actually a very complete sourcebook (though not well il-lustrated) for all the evidence that can be brought to bear on the topic of popular religion in ancient Egypt, complete with a level-headed assessment of that evidence. It could be argued that the more traditional temple and tomb texts and scenes, with their festivals, rituals, hymns, spells, offer-ing lists, and prayers, also have considerable bearing on our understanding of the popular religion, but the distinction between personal and public or official religion actually is both reasonable and generally accepted now, and the large number of topics covered here does much to support keeping these manifestations separate. 
Sadek's book is not the kind of popular work that can be recommended to anyone interested in learning something about Egyptian religion. On the other hand, it is indispensable for anyone seriously studying the social history, culture, and religion of Egypt. As a sourcebook divided into numerous topics, with each covered chronologically and presented on the basis of actual documents used as evidence, it is logical and thorough, but more important is the fact that Sadek's commentary is well balanced, clear, and appropriate. He is neither verbose nor pedantic but leads to his conclusions elegantly. He covers so much so well that it is a pity that such an important work in English could become "lost" by being included in a German series, even one as well known as the H.A.B. This is slightly weakened by frequent references to Theban material not yet discussed but aptly supports Sadek's first major conclusion that popular religion is widely attested earlier than the Ramesside period and much beyond the western Theban area. This material supports Sadek's conclusions about the similarity in the forms during the New Kingdom, the cornplementarity of personal and official religion, and the breath of the social classes involved with "popular" religion. This was not only the "religion of the poor."