It's not every week we start with an interview about ancient Egypt, but this is a rare treat: a book from maybe 4000 years ago, translated by a high school junior.

Michael Hoffen is the high school student, and he learned several years ago how to translate hieroglyphics. With the help of a pair of Egyptologists, he took a text written from an adult's viewpoint to a young man, and turned it around for today's young readers.

The result is Be a Scribe!: Working for a Better Life in Ancient Egypt. Think of it as a guide to the work of the exciting field of scribe(ing). We chat with Michael Hoffen about how he became a latter-day scribe.