Reviews (2)

spelbinding meeting
as a student of the archaeology department of the aristotele university of thessaloniki i had a cource called "an introduction to prehistorical civilization".all over the year i did not have a clue what prehistory because i paid no attention to the lessons given although evey friday morning i was inside the classroom. the exams were close,i had to do something urgentely. to tell the truth i didn`t expect to find such a book to give me the essential knowledge i needed to understand this part of history and to give the gourage to continue reading and learning on this subject.easy to read and to understand too. lovely and encouraging writing giving all sort of primary ( further more)information on the theme discussed. i honestly believe it was a spelbinding meeting with this book that i will never forget.

spelbinding meeting
as a student of the archaeology department of the aristotele university of thessaloniki i had a cource called "an introduction to prehistorical civilization".all over the year i did not have a clue what prehistory because i paid no attention to the lessons given although evey friday morning i was inside the classroom. the exams were close,i had to do something urgentely. to tell the truth i didn`t expect to find such a book to give me the essential knowledge i needed to understand this part of history and to give the gourage to continue reading and learning on this subject.easy to read and to understand too. lovely and encouraging writing giving all sort of primary ( further more)information on the theme discussed. i honestly believe it was a spelbinding meeting with this book that i will never forget. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Anthropology - General    3. Civilization, Ancient    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Prehistoric Anthropology    7. Prehistoric peoples    8. Social Science    9. Social Science / Anthropology / General    10. World history   

Reviews (50)

This is a great book
In a spare moment (have done my Greek for today!) I have just read my way through all the reviews of Athenaze and I feel compelled to add my voice to those who are thoroughly enjoying learning the language, reading the story of Dicaiopolis and translating the original snippets from the classical writers. As I'm only up to the Aorist, I am waiting for the grammar to get much tougher, so far it's been more of a memory exercise that conceptually difficult, time will tell.Anyway, to anyone out there who wants to learn Greek, I have found this book as useful and pleasant to use as I foundWheelock for learning Latin.

good for self-study
I think this text is great for self-study if you have the time to spend 30 minutes or an hour on it every day.Since you are supposed to learn the vocabulary and grammar by reading (they are presented to you seperately, of course, but no translation of the main text is given), you must read it over several times before you are ready to move on to the next chapter.However, once you have thoroughly learned a concept (especially a grammatical one), you will find it difficult to forget, since they keep re-using them in subsequent chapters while adding more onto it.
ATHENAZE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT GREEK BOOK 1
EXCELLENT I love it.Easy to read and understand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient Languages - Classical Greek    3. Ancient and Classical    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. Grammar    6. Greek language    7. Literary Criticism    8. Readers    9. Classical Studies | Classical Languages | Greek    10. Literary Criticism & Collections / Ancient & Classical   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Anthropology - General    3. Civilization, Ancient    4. History - General History    5. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    6. Prehistoric Anthropology    7. Prehistoric peoples    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Prehistory    11. Social Science / Anthropology / General    12. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Subjects:  1. Athens    2. Greece    3. Greek Literature    4. Greek drama    5. History    6. History and criticism    7. History: American    8. Literature - Classics / Criticism    9. Theater    10. Theater - History & Criticism    11. To 500    12. Ancient (Classical) Greek    13. Ancient Greece    14. Classical Studies | Literary Criticism    15. History / Ancient / Greece    16. Theatre, drama    17. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Reviews (24)

Making Schwaller de Lubicz understandable
If you prescibe to conventional views about Egyptology don't buy this book.However, if you believe that science does not have the story of our origins and Egypt quite right, then this book will open your eyes.
Confusing
The book is an attempt to make accessible to the layman the findings of Schwaller de Lubicz (1887-1961), a self-taught French Egyptologist with a strong mystical bend who claimed among other things that Egyptian civilization is much older than mainstream archeologist believe and that it was based on esotericism.
A nice book with some interesting theories, but not much more.
In John Anthony West's book: Serpent in the Sky: The High Wisdom of Ancient Egypt, he sets out to challenge conventional science's claim that the Sphinx was carved out of an outcropping during the reign of King Khafre around 2500 B.C.. In 1979, though, an amateur archaeologist named John Anthony West suggested that the Sphinx is far older than the pyramids and its severe erosion was the result of rain, not blowing sand. Therefore, concluded West, the Sphinx must have been built thousand of years earlier when the land was much wetter. Nobody gave West's theory much attention until West brought in a trained geologist from Boston University named Robert Schoch. Schoch examined the Sphinx and thinks some of the fissures in the rock were indeed created by running water or rain. His conclusion is that the front and side of the Sphinx dated from 5000 to 7000 BC and was remodeled during Khafre's era to give the likeness of the pharaoh. Other Egyptologists argue that the original estimate is still right and that the fissures found by Schoch were the result of wet sand being blown up from the Nile river, not rain. A nice book with some interesting theories, but not much more.
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - Egypt    2. Ancient Egypt - History    3. Civilization    4. Controversial Knowledge    5. Egypt    6. General    7. New Age    8. Occultism    9. Sociology    10. To 332 B.C    11. Ancient Egyptian religion    12. History / General    13. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness   

Reviews (1)

Lots of fun for the kids
My stepson Jacob loved this.I came home from work one day to find him dressed as a Pharaoh!He loves Egypt and says he wants to become an Egyptologist. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General    2. Activity programs    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Egypt    6. History - Ancient    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Social life and customs    10. Study and teaching    11. To 332 B.C    12. To 332 B.C.    13. African history: BCE to c 500 CE    14. Ancient Egypt    15. Ancient World    16. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Ancient   

Reviews (2)

Planning a medieval Party?
If you are planning a Medieval Celebration of any kind this is a great book to buy. My Fiancee and I have been looking for medieval books to plan our wedding by and I stumbled across this one its been very helpful and I'm sure it will get alot of use. It has many tradations recipes and lots of fun games a must have.

So-So Information for Event Planning
My fiance and I purchased this book as we are planning a medieval wedding. The title and description of this book implied that we would find lots of valuable information on that topic. Well, we found lots of valuable information for feast planning, or putting on a re-enactment (a la Society for Creative Anachronism), and very little concerning period wedding traditions. The most interesting parts were the recipes/redactions and the instructions for medieval dance steps. There are also several pages that contain sheet music for period songs. If you are looking to put on a reenactment or feast, this is the book for you. If you are looking for anything else, I suggest you look elsewhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Customs & Traditions    3. Europe - Great Britain - General    4. Festivals    5. History    6. History: World    7. Holidays (non religious)    8. Manners and customs    9. Medieval    10. Medieval, 500-1500    11. Medievalism    12. Social history    13. Sociology    14. World - General    15. Europe    16. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    17. United Kingdom, Great Britain    18. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Reviews (13)

Intriguing
I have to admit I have never read a book that covered the subject of measurements used by early civilizations that come to such incredible conclussions.If the authors are right, prehistoric people knew much more about astronomy than we give them credit for.These guys definately think outside the box.

simply a WOW
have read lots of book in this genre... hat's off to these guys... a masterwork that gives one pause to reconsider our place in history and how humankind perpetually thinks we are smarter than our ancestors... strong evidence for advanced and integrated thinkers long long ago... inspiring to say the least.

BO-RING!!!
I am an avid reader and love topics dealing with historic mysteries, as well as other various types of fiction and non-fiction.The writing in this book just plain sucks.It is laborious to read, and makes a fascinating subject matter completely uninteresting.
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Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Controversial Knowledge    3. History    4. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    5. History: World    6. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    7. Sociology Of Organizations    8. History / Civilization    9. History / World    10. Popular science    11. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes   

Reviews (18)

Which "Gospel of Judas" book to buy?
When I first looked to buy a book on the Gospel of Judas, I wasn't sure if I should buy this one, or the one entitled "The Lost Gospel: The Quest for the Gospel of Judas Iscariot".In reading the reviews of the two books, both with the National Geographic Society's backing, it was hinted that these two are companioon books, and that's exactly right: This book--"The Gospel of Judas"--focuses on how the Gospel of Judas was brought "to light", so to speak, from its discovery in Egypt to the restoration and publication of an almost completely disintegrated manuscript a few decades later.The second, much smaller book provides the translation of the gospel, and several essays on its meaning and role in early Christianity.
A new Judas perspective
This book provides a new perspective on how Judas acted in alliance with Jesus and not as a conspirator against. In that light, I see Judas as a reluctant 'traitor' whom followed orders from his boss thereby creating a pact that allowed Jesus to smoothly transition to his 'dying for all mankind' deed.
A book on how the Judas Gospel was found, researched, and published
If you are interested in learning about the wheeling and dealing that is part of this document's history, I recommend this book.If you're more interested in learning in detail about this gospel itself, you might want to try elsewhere.
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Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - General    3. Christianity - History - General    4. General    5. Gospel of Judas    6. History - General History    7. Judas Iscariot    8. Religion    9. Religion - Church History    10. Religion / Antiquities & Archaeology    11. World history   

Reviews (66)

One man's fiction is another man's fiction
Bart Ehrman's attack on Dan Brown's DaVinci Code raises as many questions as it answers, prompting a diligent student to write an attack on Ehrman's attack on Brown. Needless to say this might engender an infinite series of attacks on attacks, so caution is the best approach. Nonetheless, let's look at some of the errors that Ehrman commits while trying to give us the "truth and fiction" in the DaVinci Code. I'm focused on a single chapter (Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Marriage) to keep this review to a minimum.
Now a favorite
This is, perhaps, Dr. Ehrman's most entertaining popular work.Dr. Ehrman is not a Christian but does not let his own bias interfere with expressing the truth about the _Da Vinci Code_ theories. He clearly explains what we know and what we do not know about the early church, the formation of the canon, the marital status of Jesus, and virtually every other topic touched in _The Da Vinci Code_. Little is left for the "believers" of that entertaining but purely fictional story.A must read for those curious about the topic.Should be at the top of the reading list of Christians and non-Christians alike.

A concise introduction to the religious claims of "The Da Vinci Code"
Having read "The Da Vinci Code" some time ago, I wanted to read an unbiased book that addressed the religious issues that were brought up in that excellent novel.That automatically disqualifies any book written by someone seeking to prove the status quo in orthodox church teaching.Therefore, Bart Ehrman seemed to be one of the better choices left...expert in New Testament and Christian history, yet not a Christian seeking to prove Christianity is right and Dan Brown is wrong.
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Subjects:  1. 1964-    2. American - General    3. Ancient - General    4. Bible - Biography - New Testament    5. Brown, Dan,    6. Christian saints in literature    7. Christianity - History - General    8. Christianity - Literature    9. Christianity and literature    10. Christianity in literature    11. Constantine    12. Da Vinci code    13. Literature - Classics / Criticism    14. Regional, Ethnic, Genre, Specific Subject    15. Religion    16. Christianity    17. English    18. Novels, other prose & writers: from c 1900 -    19. Religion & Theology | Biblical Studies | New Testament    20. Religion / Church History    21. USA   

Reviews (32)

Very good book!
This is a nice book, not only about caesarian period. If you're interested in legions you MUST buy it!

Much more detailed account of Roman Legion daily life!
Goes beyond dry history books about generals and strategy to also tell how the common soldiers who made Rome great lived and died. Compellingly told, as if by an on the spot reporter. Based on classical texts, yet easy for today's reader to understand. Makes history exciting.

Great Read
Certainly reads like a novel, and hard to put down. I am no expert and can not vouch for any Historical accuracy or inaccuracy, but i have enjoyed every page of this book so Far, and feel like I have learned a lot. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Ancient Rome - History    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Military    6. Military - Other    7. Military History - Ancient    8. World - General    9. Ancient Rome    10. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    11. History / World   

Reviews (16)

Qualified Recommendation
To understand the background of Western Civilization, one would be well advised to read Dr. Carroll's "Founding of Christendom", but one must do so clearly understanding the author's unique perspective.The book undertakes to cover Christendom virtually from pre-historic times to the reign of Constantine, the Great in 324 A.D.And the work is delivered in a style that is both enjoyable and edifying.Truly, this is a history of our Civilization that reads like a novel.In particular, I was amazed at the description of the Church in the first couple of centures following the Resurrection, the time of the Martyrs.This section is absolutely great!
The anti-Davinci Code
Carroll's book is very influential. He argues that men, women, and God make an impact on history. We are even seing this today. There is no other tme in our life where the Church has been persecuted this bad (scandals, and now the Davinci Code) For many of you "DAVINCI LOVERS", this is a great book from an orthodox Christian point of view.I highly recommend it.

Not at all boring
I labored through several other church history books until I came across this gem of a series (four of six completed).Dr. Carroll has done thorough research and comes across with a balanced view -- and from an unashamedly Catholic perspective -- in very readable prose. Now that Dr. Carroll has retired, perhaps he will make time for book five in the series.I cannot wait! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - History - General    2. Civilization    3. History    4. Religion    5. Religion - Church History    6. Religion / History   

Reviews (1)

An Actual Book Review
The wholesale looting of the Baghdad Museum on Apr. 11-12, which U.S. troops did nothing to prevent, has lent a fresh plangency and interest to this remarkable new book about history, culture, museums, caretakers, theft, corruption and the dogfights between the West and Islam over antiquities vastly older than either culture.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Egypt    2. Antiquities    3. Archaeological museums and col    4. Archaeological museums and collections    5. Archaeology    6. Egypt    7. Egyptology    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Middle East - General    12. World - General    13. African history: BCE to c 500 CE    14. Cultural studies    15. Egyptian archaeology    16. History / General    17. Museums & Museology    18. Social & cultural anthropology    19. c 1800 to c 1900    20. c 1900 - c 1914   

Reviews (7)

The truth versus slanders about "Assassins"
By this detailed book Daftary submerges into 12th century politics. He carefully retells the history of islam and all of its various sects. The Assassins legends are carefully explained and the truth behind the slanders has been brought to light. The middle-age politics were made under the veil of islam in the middle-east back then. The sect's political ambition is to rise against foregin invasion(that is Selcuk rulers)No credit to tales about drugging men into sacrificing their lives for the promise of heaven. This group were made out of then-persian patriots defending their culture as a way of life.All in all a well-written book worth reading several times all over

Essential Reading on the Ismailis and "Assassins"
There's no question that Daftary's work -- like Bernard Lewis' -- is essential reading for anyone studying the Ismailis, or the various legends surrounding the so-called hasheeshians, or assassins. I came across Daftary's work and his Institutue of Ismaili Studies in London as I was preparing the first English translation of ALAMUT, Vladimir Bartol's novel of Hasan ibn Sabbah, the original so-called "assassin."
The expert's perspective
As the Head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications at the Institute of Islamic studies it is safe to say that Daftary is the foremost expert and scholar in Ismailism today. What makes this book so compelling is that it dares to defy the age old myths of the so called "Assassins". Few books, if any, have provided readers with this perspective, and Daftary pulls it off exceptionally. While the book may be heavy in names, dates and facts they serve to provide credibility and work to dispel the myths that many have worked hard to create. Finally, a piece that gives competing works a run for their money. Anyone who has read other, older and perhaps more popular works about the "Assassin Terrorist" are highly recommended to read Daftary's works as they make a much more convincing argument. The book also elucidates the origins of myth and folklore and how they develop into acceptable facts with time. With all the negativity surrounding Islam and Ismailism today The Assassin Legends gives an opportunity to step back and look the entire picture. Any real scholar would admit that there are two sides to every story, and to study the Assassins without consulting Daftary's works would be committing a sincere injustice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assassins (Ismailites)    2. Folklore & Mythology    3. Historiography    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Middle East - Iran    8. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500    9. Middle East    10. Myths & mythology   

Reviews (2)

Book about Romans, by Romans
This book (volume 2 of a 2 volume work) is an excellent selection of passages writen by Romans and their contemporaries about Romans and their religions. Each translation is preceded by a short description of the context of the passage, and references. Included are paragraphs from books, quotes from lost works, inscriptions from monuments, publicly posted legal announements, and grafitti.
Always Pleasing
Religions of Rome, volumes I &II by Doctors Beard, North and Price is an invaluable work that is a necessity for any student of Classical Civilization, as the Oxford Classical Dictionary and H.H. Scullard's Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic. Throughout my years of study in the university, I have come to rely upon the work as a base for any research that I would embark upon. In this vein, I have to state that the exhaustive Chicago footnotes and bibliography are of extreme help when one needs to seek further primary and secondary source materials. In terms of the book's writing, I declaim with confidence that this is one of the few works to be written by committee and is better off for its. The text reviews subject matter in detail while remaining concise with subject matter placed into collection via topic related to epoch. Again, this work is the basis of any Classicist library and shall serve one diligently thought out one's life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Christianity - Catholicism    3. History    4. Religion    5. Religion - Church History    6. Rome    7. History / Ancient / General    8. Italy    9. Rome--Religion    10. Spirituality    11. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Reviews (8)

The First Citizen
Kagan's Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy is an extremely well-written book on a remarkable statesman who lived nearly twenty-five hundred years ago. The historian Thucydides called him Athens's `first citizen'. During his thirty years of near dominance as that city-state's leader, Athens enjoyed great wealth, a democratic form of government, and gloried in the arts and building projects that reflected that city's heightened status. Kagan's defense of Pericles (though not without criticisms) and the form of government he helped implement are admirably and ably argued.
Getting to know Pericles
Donald Kagan of Yale university is perhaps the foremost authority on Periclean Athens in the world today.As such, it is only natural that he should write a treatise on the life of the great man known as Pericles.
The Churchill of the Ancient World
When I was just a youngster I remembered reading about the "Golden Age of Pericles". What was this "golden age"? Who was Pericles? What impact did he have on the world today?
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - Greece    2. Business/Economics    3. General    4. History - General History    5. Religion    6. History / General   

Editorial Review

In the last half-millennium, as the noted cultural critic and historian Jacques Barzun observes, great revolutions have swept the Western world. Each has brought profound change--for instance, the remaking of the commercial and social worlds wrought by the rise of Protestantism and by the decline of hereditary monarchies. And each, Barzun hints, is too little studied or appreciated today, in a time he does not hesitate to label as decadent.Read more

Reviews (143)

This Book Is 6384 Pages Long
After having read Jacques Barzun's suma seven times, I have concluded that this book is not really 912 pages long as it appears in the product details, but rather 6384 pages. Every time I read this masterpiece, I find new ideas and fresh material on every page. Seemingly, the book is an endless fount of intellect, culture, etiquette, morals, art, science, politics, and genius that serves as the capstone of the last era and the cornerstone for the next.
The greatest book of all time
With the tools of knowledge and wit, Jacques Barzun has created the most significant and culturally definitive works of all time. The Columbia professor shows his French ties (he was born there, 1907) through the un-proportional focus on that country in the book, yet is able to thoroughly describe every aspect of Western culture in the last 500 years.
750 pages out of 800 ain't bad.
Barzun’s From Dawn to Decadence is a vast, idiosyncratic 800-page history of the last five hundred years of Western cultural life. It is important to emphasise that this is a ‘cultural history’. Barzun explores the culture of the Modern Era by looking at examples from literature, music, theatre, painting, sculpture, philosophy, science, clothing, food, architecture, economics, etc. This is not a book for those seeking a comprehensive history of politics and war in the West. Barzun unifies his text by looking at recurring themes, which he defines as "not historical ‘forces’ or ‘causes’ but names for the desires, attitudes, purposes behind the events or movements, some embodied in lasting institutions.”
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Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Civilization, Western    3. Europe    4. Europe - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Intellectual life    9. Learning and scholarship    10. Western Europe - General    11. History / Europe / Western   

Reviews (9)

Rome Made Easy
On a subject that can quickly become very, VERY complicated,
Ye gods! What a fine book!
For those of us who have never heard of Caracalla and can't tell Nero from Nirva, this book is a godsend. In simple terms, it tells the story of the Roman Empire from its humble beginnings to it fabulous heights to its disintegration. I read this book prior to a trip to Rome and found it very helpful.
Great Summary of Rome
This book is very easy to read and clearly defines all the aspects of Rome - it's complex history, government, culture, engineering skills, etc. It is a great introduction to Roman history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Ancient Rome - History    3. Civilization    4. Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Rome    9. Ancient Rome    10. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    11. History / Ancient / General   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. History    3. Revolution, 1775-1783    4. United States   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient - Rome    3. Byzantine Empire    4. Europe - Greece    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. BCE to c 500 CE    9. BYZANTINE EMPIRE_HISTORY    10. History / Medieval    11. World history: BCE to c 500 CE    12. World history: c 500 to C 1500    13. c 1000 CE to c 1500    14. c 500 CE to c 1000 CE