In this new biography of Jaroslav Cerny the author reveals Cerny in a number of different lights. His most important role was as one of the world's leading Egyptologists. He became the most famous expert in hieratic texts of the New Kingdom. He was a devoted teacher, an altruistic and constant friend to Egyptologists around the world, as well as a loving husband and father. In England he was a Professor at both University College London and Oxford University. In Egypt, he participated in the excavations of the French. This biography is published on the 40th occasion of Cerny's death, in gratitude for all his help and advice to Czech Egyptology during his lengthy stay in England. In three major areas he has benefited his country : by his many gifts to the Czech Institute Library, by his constant support and advice to Zbynek Zàba, the director who was struggling to keep Czech Egyptology alive in Prague, and most importantly, by advising Czech Egyptologists to begin their excavations at Abusir.