Reviews (48)

The Western Team versus the Gang of Ruthless Men
My takeaway from this book is its development of the idea of an opposition between the "western team" against the "eternal gang of ruthless men."
A waste of perfectly good paper.
I had expected an insightful analysis of the motivations behind modern terrorism. Instead I got a diatribe against western liberalism. Lee Harris is the poster child for the modern John Birchers, people who believe our way is not only the best way, its the only way. In an increasingly global economic and political system, his view of the world can be said to be outmoded, at best quaint, at worst pathological for if we are truely to address the problems facing humanity over the next 100 years, we will need tolerance and inclusivness.

The Most Important Book of Political Philosophy This Century
The first thing to understand about the book is whom the title refers to. Too many readers think this is a book about 9/11, and that therefore the 'enemies' referred to in the title are Islamofascist terrorists. In fact, civilization's enemies are intellectuals. Not all of them; just those who fail to appreciate what a fine and rare thing civilization really is, those who are ignorant of what sustains and upholds civilization. Intellectuals won't destroy civilization themselves, directly. But they will, if allowed, remove civilization's ability to defend itself, so that it falls when faced with a person or group ruthless enough.
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Subjects:  1. 1950-    2. 21st century    3. Civilization    4. Civilization, Modern    5. General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Modern civilization    10. World politics    11. Philosophy / General    12. World history   

Reviews (68)

Salt of the earth
I wish I had been taught world history through a device such as this.Instead of learning the names of kings and battles and related dates, this kind of perspective really helps the reader understand the 'why' of so much behind what ultimately happened in western civilization. Once you can grasp that conceptual overview, all else follows with profound logic.

Great book for history and trivia junkies
While the book does not follow a "narrative" format, and occasionally changes places and times without warning, I none the less give it an unreserved recomendation!More wars, trades, and other history shaping events have happened because of salt than almost any other substance, and salt has been crtical in trade, and warfare, throughout history.I learned more about places and events I *thought* I was familiar with than I would have thought possible.
Horrendous mistake
One of the most fascinating aspects of salt is that it is hygroscopic.That is due to its chemical nature, it is slightly cooler than "room temperature".Consequently, water will form on the surface of salt from the atmosphere if it is even moderately humid (hence the reason why most of us put rice in our salt shakers - to absorb the water salt collects).You do not have to be a brain surgeon to understand the process.Imagine my surprise when I found in the very first chapter, Kurlansky waxing on whimsically about how he tried to "cook" all of the water out of his pet salt crystal so that water would not come out of it and dissolve the surface.I figure that he knows that salt is made up of NaCl (although I now have my doubts) and there is not much room for water in its crystal structure (almost zero water in it).Here is a guy that has written an entire book on the subject salt.I presumed when I purchased the book that he would be somewhat of an authority on the subject.To say the least, I have to question his abilities to write a book on salt based on the fact that he does not have the foggiest idea about one of the most interesting properties of his subject.Wow.This is a case of a good writer attempting to write on a subject he forgot to read about.By the way, a casual search of salt properties on the internet would have given him the correct information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geology    2. Economic Geology    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Mineralogy (Specific Aspects)    6. Rocks & Minerals    7. Salt    8. Salt industry and trade    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. World - General    12. History / Civilization   

Reviews (5)

Neglected History
For many of us in the West, Byzantium is an exotic mystery. Colin Wells opens up this mystery by outlining the crucial role of Byzantium in transmitting ancient Greek culture to three civilizations: the West, the Slavic East, and Islam. There is much in this history that is of relevance today as we reflect on the different roles played by these three civilizations that were shaped by Byzantium. Yes, the myriad of unfamiliar names and places are at times overwhelming; but Wells provides a list of major characters in his history to help the reader, along with a chronology and plenty of maps. For me and I suspect many others, this book opens up a previously neglected but crucial part of our history.

A Lot of History in a Small Book
While reading this book, I was overwhelmed by the density of names and events that grace almost every page of this scholarly work; it was rather confusing for me at times and required that I drastically slow down my reading pace in order to be able to follow what was happening and the sequence of events. This is most likely because of my nearly total lack of knowledge of detailed Byzantine history - religious, political, philosophical, social, cultural, literary and military - and its very numerous and important participants. Consequently, this book has much to teach people like me; I, for one, have learned much from it. This book appears to be a labor of love for the author who is obviously very well-versed in this branch of history. The writing style is quite clear and, despite the density of information, engaging. It would likely be of most interest to serious history buffs that have had previous exposure to, and an intense interest in, Byzantine history.

OUTSIDE IN
If you feel an unsatisfied curiosity about Byzantium, this book is actually a good place to start, precisely because it works from the outside, focussing on the external outreach whereby Byzantine language, culture, and literature reached Italy (sparking the Renaissance), the Muslim world, and the embryonic Slavic world. Underneath that story, the ebb and flow of Byzantium's fortunes, its dark age, and its periods of renaissant literature and religion are sketched lightly but vividly by Wells. This book offers a painless way to get your feet wet in this subject by placing it in a broader world context. After, you're ready for Cyril Mango's superb thematic intro "Byzantium" followed by the historical surveys of John Julius Norwich (short in one volume or long in two). Then, if you're still on board, you can dive into the deep waters of the great John Meyendorff ("Byzantine Theology" and others). Byzantium has been well studied since the 1950s; this book by Colin Wells will serve as your way in. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Byzantine Empire    3. Byzantine Empire - History    4. Byzantine influences    5. Civilization, Islamic    6. Civilization, Slavic    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    10. History: World    11. Medieval    12. World - General    13. History / Ancient / General   

Reviews (234)

A Well Presented Theory
I'm a big fan of ancient history. I remember when I went to a university open day toward the end of high school. I wandered over to the archaeology wing, and in a glass case they had a genuine Sumerian cuneiform, one of the oldest pieces of writing in known history. It was only a little one, but I remember being mesmerized by it. I'm also a big fan of alternative histories, because I do have a feeling there is more to prehistory than there appears, and have read quite a few of the "essential" reads.
Amazing Book
This was a serious and thought provoking look into facts that modern science wants no light shed on. Modern geography, anthropology, and especially Egyptology are turned completely on there heads by the undisputable evidence put forth in this book.
He did it again !
After Fingerprints of the Gods, I read Supernatural, Then reread Andrew Collins, From the Ashes of Angels, I would like to see these authors cowrite a book, because I have a feeling that now we are really getting close to the truth on Earths past history. Maybe the animal headed gods of egypt and other places were seen by the shamans, and reported on when they returned from thier Astral Journeys. I do know these Authors will produce some more great books !!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Astronomy - General    5. Controversial Knowledge    6. History: World    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Science / Astronomy   

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Civilization, Medieval    3. Europe    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    7. History Of Women (General)    8. History: World    9. Middle Ages, 500-1500    10. Renaissance    11. Science, Medieval    12. Women    13. World - General    14. History / World   

Reviews (18)

A Horrible Book
This book deals just with Ancient Greek Grammar.It can be used only as part of a University Course or as part of any teaching process involving a teacher.It is a book for ...professors of Ancient Greek!
Serious Introduction to Attic Greek
Mastronarde's book is an immensely useful and well-written introduction into Attic Greek.Now, Mastronarde does not bold-face important concepts or provide nice illustrations to guide the reader.However, if you are diligent enough to read the book thoroughly and do the exercises, you will have quite a thorough understanding of this language.
More praise, with some additions
I used Mastronarde's book to teach myself Attic Greek several years ago (and _before_ I knew Latin).I was adrift until I bought the ANSWER KEY.Nowadays, Mr. Mastronarde has a *(free) online website* which supplements this textbook, offering among other things versatile electronic flashcards keyed to the units (and is easily findable on Google). Of other textbooks I've seen, I also recommend Hanson and Quinn's "Intensive", which I think is a little stronger with respect to teaching the Subjunctive and the Optative Moods, but less good for solo learners.
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Subjects:  1. Ancient Languages - Classical Greek    2. Attic Greek dialect    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. Language    5. Ancient (Classical) Greek    6. History / Ancient / General    7. Language & Linguistics    8. Language learning: specific skills   

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. World - General    7. British & Irish history    8. British Isles    9. Europe    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)   

Reviews (15)

richcontent,easy to read
The Sumerians is a very interesting book about ancient Mesopotamia andSumerian civilisation.
The best source of information on Sumeria
This is one of the best books ever written on any ancient culture. One of the nicest things is extended passages from original source documents. Frequently books written on ancient civilizations only give very brief excerpts. I have given this book as a gift to friends and family and highly recommend it to everyone.

Please take caution with one of the reviews
Do not bother with the nazist review you will find below. L.A. Waddell was a crackpot with no formal training in Assiriology, and a typical old-fashioned german anti-semite, full of aryan theories and praise for ''the great white warriors''. It's very disturbing for a foreigner to see how anti-semitism has poured into almost all fields of learning - even Ancient Near-East studies. And his rather demented theories have been dead for decades, by the way. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. General    4. Sociology    5. Sumerians    6. Middle & Near Eastern archaeology    7. Travel / Essays & Travelogues    8. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Reviews (87)

A Positive Portrait of Genghis Khan
Nomads and non-European conquerors do not fare well at the hands of Western historians. Genghis Khan fares about the worst of all.Weatherford sets the record straight. Genghis and his Mongol conquests were enormous and pieces of the empire he established endured in one form or another for seven centuries, the final coup de grace being the English outster of the Moguls in India in the 19th century.Rather than being a simple-minded raider the author portrays Genghis as a man ahead of his time in many ways: the art and science of war, religous tolerance, the creation of a meritocracy, and the overthrow of aristocracy. That Genghis Khan was brutal and violent is also brought out although the Mongols could hardly have been more cruel than their contemporaries in Medieval Europe, the Crusaders.
Interesting,but with a surprising number of factual errors
For the most part, I enjoyed this book.I discovered a great deal about the Mongols and I believe that the author proves his basic case that the Mongol Empire provided an unprecedented flow of goods and ideas between East and West.
Humanizes Genghis Khan, while detailing the avarice & brutality
I first encountered stories about the Golden Horde and the 13th century Mongol domination of the Russian principalities during my graduate studies on Russian history.Reflecting on how Russia, China, Turkey, Persia and many of the nations of the Arab world reached the 20th century in an apparently underdeveloped, and authoritarian, state, relative to the nations of Western Europe, I often thought that this could be traced back to the unfortunate intercession of the Mongols in each of these nations history 700 years ago.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Historical - General    5. History    6. History: World    7. Kings and rulers    8. Medieval    9. Mongols    10. ASIA    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500    12. Biography: historical    13. History / Asia    14. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (9)

AP Euro Student
I took AP Euro as a Sophmore. This book was a major factor in me getting a 5 on the test.Its dull a times but with the right teacher this book will do you woneders on the AP test in May. Im takin AP Us now and my book is anecdotal and written in a narrative style. thus its almost impossible to take notes in. This book separated into chapters, some of which pertain to social themes of that particular time, otheres to political and economic. In short if you are looking to get 3 or above on the AP Euro test, this is the book for you.

Bit convoluted, but still useful
Although the text tends to skip around in regards to dates (one paragraph is on the 1300s, then the next section is back to the 1200s) it is overall a good tool for the European history scholar.

To Kagan!
Within my AP Euro class we affectionately referred to this book as Kagan (the first listed author, as compared to McKay our other textbook).I must say the opposite of another review talking comparing this textbook to Bailey's The American Pageant.The concensus I have found now that my grade is studying American is a nostalgia for Kagan as we find Baily to be pretensiously written.Kagan was filledwith memorable yet not onoxious writing.The sort of high quality writing that when you answered a question in class your answer would automatically use the same used as in the textbook without your notice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History Of Civilization And Culture (General)    6. History: World    7. Western Europe - General    8. Western Europe - History    9. History / General   

Reviews (44)

You've got to read this book!
I received this book as a gift. There are quite a few books on this subject on the market and this one is the best. I too could not put it down and finished it in 3 days. It's a huge book, a great resource that is well researched and written.. I have a few friends who've purchased this book and really loved it too. I can highly recommend this book.
Amazing book!
Randine Lewis has taken all the most valuable information for any woman trying to conceive and condensed it into this extremely comprehensible and succinct book.Offering woman and incredible oppurtunity to heal themselves by understanding in depth how the body works and what they can do to support their fertility journey.I would highly recommend anyone wanting to conceive read this book.

A Must have!
After having a miscarriage at 8 weeks, and having waited for that pregnancy to happen for 12 years, I found comfort in researching as much as possible about dealing with the pain of my loss. Finding this book has made me realize why I have had so much trouble getting pregnant to begin with. It is easy to read and has a step by step explanation on how to apply the Ancient Chinese Medicine and methods in your life-style to be successfully pregnant... naturally. I strongly recommend this book to anyone in search for the "infertility cure". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Therapies    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Infertility    6. Sterility And Fertility    7. Systems Of Medicine    8. Women's Health - General    9. Health & Fitness / Women's Health    10. Infertility & fertilization    11. Popular medicine   

Reviews (10)

No longer useful
I have taught mythology at the university level at various insitutions for the more than a decade now.Indeed, when I first began was when the first edition of Powell came out.At that time it was quite useful as his prose is modestly engaging, and the large swathes of original material and the occasional illustrations he includes is quite useful.
Doesnt deal with myths' deeper historical origins
I can only say, not being a classicist, but one who did study under the esteemed Prof. Edward O'Neil of Univ. of Southern California, that I find it curious that this author does not deal much with the theories of migrations (Achaeans, Dorians later) into Greece that explain origins and approximate dates of certain myths. For example the inclusion of chthonic deities/mother earthdeities being early myths of Minoan influences, the patriarchal - sky-god myths relating to Achaeans and their influence by migration on the Greek mainland. I find H.J. Rose better at this for sure, as is O'Neil's work on Library of Apollodorus. Man, Myth and Monument,is also an excellent guide for anyone who wants to follow this fascinating aspect of myth.

Great Composition
Powell has done it again in his fourth edition.Though there are minor changes whcih he made in the newest edition, this book offers great details about ancient gods and heroes - putting the reader's mind into the ancient mythical land.The books also has actual passages from various ancient writers and also included more background stories to help the readers understand the story in a better perspective.His writing is simple and honest.Its worth your money if you are an avid mythology reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient and Classical    2. Antiquities & Archaeology    3. Folklore & Mythology    4. General    5. Literary Criticism    6. Mythology    7. Mythology, Classical    8. Religion - Church History    9. Social Science    10. Hellenic languages    11. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    12. Literary studies: classical, early & medieval   

Reviews (6)

Genius!
As a former student, I am compelled to write a review drawn from personal experience. I was first introduced to Dr. Robert Eisenman by another professor who had highly recommended his class afterwhich, I thoroughly agree that he is the "Einstein of the Dead Sea Scrolls." His lectures are fascinating in that he recalls in detail countless sources which he has aquired over decades of study, thus I am highly satisfied with the outcome and depth of his latest book, 'The New Testament Code: The Cup of the Lord, the Damascus Covenant, and the Blood of Christ.' Truly this book blows whatever understandings one thought to have of James, the brother of Jesus, and the Dead Sea Scrolls out of the water. One cannot help but to follow the pieces Dr. Eisenman connects, which questions traditional thought and provokes the reader to explore the challenging truths portrayed in both books. The most originial, and challenging books I have ever read thusfar! A "must own," and "must read."

A Masterpiece of Historical/Scriptural Analysis
Professor Eisenman continues to raise the bar. This is another great masterpiece from the man who put everything on the altar to give the world access to the Scrolls. His analysis and presentation are impeccable. This is a book that every serious student of the First Century, and even those with just a curiosity about the beginnings of Christianity, should pick up and read. Whether a seasoned academic/scholar, or a person with a desire to simply immerse oneself into a captivating and stimulating topic, Professor Eisenman delivers a controversial and provocative argument with a language and style provided by only the very best of teachers. No one can ignore this work and claim to be well-informed about the First Century and the Jewish phenomenon later called Christianity.

Absolutely amazing - incredibly compelling new insights on 1st century Christians
After reading Eisenman's newest addition to `James the brother of Jesus' I find his ideas are significantly different from mainstream early church historians and those "in the know" of Judeo/Christian/Islamic studies.In the first place, Eisenman's work area is always massive and challenging, and I found this one to be particularly chllenging. There are so many new ideas in it, in a subject one might have thought was already dead, that it is hard to catch one's breath or count them all.
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Subjects:  1. Antiquities & Archaeology    2. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - New Testament    3. Christianity - History - General    4. Religion    5. Religion (Specific Aspects)    6. Religion - Church History    7. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    8. Religion / Antiquities & Archaeology    9. Religion / Church History    10. STUDY AIDS - SPARKCHARTS   

Reviews (30)

A rare glimpse into the Heian mindset and lifestyle
The Pillow Book and the Tale of Genji continue to amaze me--they are each a thousand (!) years old and yet continue to captivate generations not only in their native Japan but around the world.One can easily picture Sei Shonagon being secretly quite pleased by her Pillow Book's popularity, all the while blushingly pleading her embarrassment that her modest writings have seen the light of day.
in short
A lot of spirit is lost in translation. I would like to discribe the text anyway as, personal, very feminin, sometimes poetic, impressionistic and emotional.
Beautiful and Picturesque
Even though some people might find this book boring, as much of it I've read so far, I've found it to be beautiful.
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Historical - General    4. Literature: Classics    5. Personal Memoirs    6. Literary Criticism & Collections / Asian   

Reviews (16)

Interesting but uneven
Bart Ehrman's bibliography includes some thoughtful and accessible work on the diversity present in early Christianity, particularly his duel "Lost Christianities" and "Lost Scriptures."While these books made him popular, his critical work reviewing the many absurdities of Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" -- "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" -- launched him into a truly popular sensation.That is all to the good.Professor Ehrman's scholarship is generally excellent and he offers readers many helpful insights into an important topic.
I appreciate objective history
Peter, Paul, & Mary Magdalene is the fourth of Bart Ehrman's books that I've read.I have hungered a long time for a unbiased scholarly examination of Jesus and the early church.Dr. Ehrman seems to provide that in his books.Peter, Paul, & Mary Magdalene is a brilliant investigation of the lives of three of the Church's most prominent figures and the many, many rumors, and even doctrines that that have grown up around them.This book helps to clearify their lives.I highly recommend this book to all who want to know Church history written without a doctrinal agenda to support.

Historically Inaccurate, Highly Polemical Treatise
In his most recent attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the Da Vinci Code, Bart Ehrman presents Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene.Most of the Amazon reviewers of the book seem unaware that the book is a skillfully disguised anti-Christian polemic--in the Tubingen tradition--which is based upon a number of historically and philosophically flawed assumptions.I mention this at the outset because so many reviewers continue to praise Ehrman for his objective historical scholarship and lack of theological bias.This is laughable.He is about as theologically unbiased as John Gager, Elaine Pagels, and the other post-Protestant, anti-Christians of the PTS.
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Subjects:  1. Bible - Study - New Testament    2. Christianity - History - General    3. Mary Magdalene,    4. Paul,    5. Peter,    6. Religion    7. Religion - Church History    8. Saint    9. the Apostle, Saint    10. Christian theology    11. Myths & mythology    12. Religion & Theology | Biblical Studies | New Testament    13. Religion / Church History    14. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Reviews (7)

Photographs of a Land Familiar and Strange
This is a beautiful set of photographs from the Middle East. It professes that these are the locations where many of the stories in the bible take place. This book is a companion to the TV PBS miniseries that visits the locations where the familiar stories take place.
This book is not for christians perse
I think this is an Ok book, but did not enjoy seeing Jesus being called a prophet. The picture quality was fair but that may have been the print quality. Altogether I regret having bought it.
Perhaps not historically accurate, but a moving experience
The fact that a few of the facts are not quite right doesn't detract from the power of this photographic journey.Thousands of years after the events of the Bible nobody really knows the exact locations of some of the most famouse sites mentioned.But it's certain that the real places in the Bible must have been very much like those experienced by the early Jews and Christians.It's exciting to see these places and imagine what it might have been like. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities & Archaeology    2. Archaeology    3. Bible - Commentaries - Old Testament    4. Bible.    5. Biblical Archaeology    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Essays    8. Feiler, Bruce S.    9. Geography    10. Middle East    11. O.T.    12. Pentateuch    13. Photo Essays    14. Photography    15. Photography Of Specific Subjects    16. Pictorial works    17. Religion    18. Religious    19. Special Interest - Adventure    20. Travel    21. Religion / Bible / General   

Editorial Review

It's been 50 years since a Bedouin youth named Muhammed edh-Dhub went looking for a stray sheep and instead found the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the intervening decades, the scrolls have been enveloped in a storm of controversy and bitter conflict: the scholars entrusted with translating and editing the texts sat on many of them instead, creating suspicions that escalated to conspiracy theories about supposed cover-ups of sensitive, even damaging material. Geza Vermes, a former professor of Jewish studies at Oxford and a noted authority on the scrolls, marks the 50th anniversary of Muhammed edh-Dhub's find with his book Read more

Reviews (15)

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls In English
Unfortunately I have not had the time to really read through this book, but I needed it for a 2-week early Judaism course.What I have been able to read has been beneficial to my education regarding the history of the Jewish people and Jewish religion.

Rifts In Interpretation
Dissertations that devote themselves almost wholly and completely to discussing the Nag Hammadi and Gnostic Gospels, or the New Testament should probably be dismissed out of hand, as they are only marginally related to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls have nothing in common with any Gospels or New Testament works, except that the DSS are antecedent to them. The Gospels were to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Biblewhat New Age is to Quantum Physics. The Dead Sea Scrolls ended very close in time to when the first Gospels or New Testament works began to appear. Perhaps Jesus knew or visited the Essenes; perhaps He was a card carrying member. He certainly was a contemporary to Qumran's final few decades, minus about 30 years. But, the Essenes were not Christians.There are a good many DSS fragments that are antagonistic to men who proclaimed themselves to be the Sons of God, as it was conservative Jewish thinking then, and remains so today. Also, Vermes does not make any connection whatsoever between the Teacher of Righteousness, a completely different personality who lived somewhere earlier than about 130 B.C.E., to Jesus. Reviews that go on at length about that so-called connection are an indication that the reviewer has not read "The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls In English".
Literary Armageddon
Nearly all knowledgeable Biblical scholars realize there have been a wide range of writings attributed to Jesus and his Apostles..... and that some of these were selected for compilation into the book that became known as the Bible.....and that some books have been removed from some versions of the Bible and others have been re-discovered in modern times.
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Subjects:  1. Antiquities & Archaeology    2. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - General    3. Classics    4. Fiction    5. Judaism - Sacred Writings    6. Literary    7. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    8. Religion - Judaism    9. Judaism    10. Religion / Judaism / Sacred Writings    11. Sacred texts   

Reviews (10)

The Beauty of Beauty
I think that every person who lives in the Western Hemisphere needs to go to Peru or Bolivia and visit the ruins of one of the greatest civilazations that ever inhabited the earth at least once in there lifetime. There were the Egyptians, Athenians and the Incas. I visited Peru this past Xmas and this book made the trip 10 times more interesting. It opened my eyes to where I was standing, it opened my eyes to what I was looking at and it opened my eyes to the greatness of a people who were exploited in the latter years of there civilization later to be unsurped by the Spanish way of life.
Powerful, hard-hitting
John Hemming's "Conquest of the Incas" is a fascinating and detailed read of how Francisco Pizarro and his brotherhood of sixteenth century conquistadors wantonly crushed Peru's Inca Indian civilization. Citing from numerous first-hand accounts of the day, Hemming leaves no stone unturned.
The Definitive History
"Conquest of the Incas" is almost unquestionably the best book ever written about the 16th century Spanish conquest of the Inca empire in Peru and neighboring countries.It replaces Prescott's famous "Conquest of Peru," a brilliant piece of research and writing but one compiled at a Boston desk from archival materials. Hemming has much more personal familiarity with the subject and a much greater range of sources to draw on.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Latin America - South America   

Reviews (79)

Wonderful history book!
This is a "living book" for history at its best!Naturally it cannot contain EVERYTHING one might want in an ancient times history text, it does a WONDERFUL job of bringing history to life for children ages 6-12!I was unsure about this series at first, but once we got into the 1st book, we were hooked!We added some other resources into our study (to fill-in some gaps) and also used the activities book that is available.All-in-all, this is a nice, solid anicient history book for children and while it won't fit all families, it was exactly what we were looking for.:o)

I really, really wanted to love this book!
I really wanted to love this book.I was seeking an engaging survey of ancient history told in an accessible manner for young children.While it partially accomplished that goal, the book had a number of flaws.
Great History Curriculum
This curriculum has wonderful craft and activity ideas to go along with each chapter.The lessons are short and interesting.It is simple enough for very young children to enjoy, but plenty of material is provided for older students to dig deeper and do work on their own. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Home Schooling    5. Study & Teaching    6. Teaching Methods & Materials - Social Science    7. Education / Home Schooling   

Reviews (21)

Great explanation how a world empire defended its citizens
I do not agree that this book is only for specialists. I am of the opinion that it is a book for history lovers. And, moreover, it is for any person who wishes to understand how a highly developed society managed to defend its way of living. It most valuable because it depicts the success of the Roman system in the first two centuries of our era. The Third Century depicts the problem of a World power which has began its decline.
Eye-opening analysis
This book is a very interesting analysis for everybody who wants to know more about the strategy of the Roman Empire. While also very accessible to non-experts, even experts or people who have read a lot about Rome will learn a lot and see things a new way.
Ancient history for current events
Although much of this book may be at a level of specificity of interest only to Roman history buffs, Luttwak's assessments of the Roman Empire's strategic strengths and weaknesses has much relevance to the modern United States, which occupies an historical position not unlike Rome's at the beginning of the Empire.For example, issues such as the efficient use of a relatively small professional army, or the maintenance of client states, are directly relevant to the modern world.Each section begins with a sufficiently adequate historical summary that readers not yet familiar with Roman history will not be lost. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Army    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: World    6. Military - General    7. Military Science    8. Military history, Ancient    9. Rome    10. Strategy    11. Ancient Rome    12. BCE to c 500 CE    13. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    14. Performing Arts / General