Greece Books

My seven year old daughter was spellbound by the prose and the drawings in this wonderful version of the Greek myths.

My junior high used this as a textbook. I loved it so much that I bought a copy, only to lose it years later. Because I couldn't remember the author, I spent more than a decade hunting for a copy (try googling "Greek Myths"!), but now I've found it. As far as I'm concerned no other retelling of Greek mythology can hold a candle to D'Aulaires'. A must for any library -- personal or public.

I got this book a long time ago when I was little, and even though some of the content was no doubt too old for me at the time, I still loved it and never grew tired of reading the book.

I use this as my guide to greek mythology still - the pictures are gorgeous, and the stories well done.

I'd recommend this for any Greek mythology lover.

I have had this book over 10 years and it is wonderful. It introduced me to mythology and hooked me from the beginning. I remember spending much time studying the pictures which are bright and detailed. Beyond being entertaining, the stories helped to prepare me for the frequent references to greek mythology in all types of art.

If and easy-to-read introduction into Greek Mythology is what you are seeking, then there is no need to look any longer. All the stories from Gaia and her children the Titans to the legendary gods atop Mt. Olympus and their children are explained in rich detail with fully colored illustrations, that alone are worthy of 5-stars. But the adventure doesn't stop there, all the minor and major events that are attributed to Greek Lore are presented in the same painstaking detail. This definitely a must for all lovers of Greek legend and even for those with minor interests.

Editor of the highly recommended Greek novel: Fates by Georgiou Tino.

I must say this is one of the most light-hearted, hilarious books I have ever read. The story is of a world that one really may not get to see these days.. Go ahead and buy it..

In todays day and age of Steve Erwin and Jeff Corbin who go around hunting for animals, it is easy to forget where it all started. With people like Gerald, and the London zoo. In this book, he collects animals, deals with his demented siblings and his long suffering mother who has to raise four kids and fend off the advances of a really persistent Colonel who gets increasingly vulgar and `grabby' when he drinks. This is a rare story that combines a humorous story with humorous writing and I once caused passengers in a flight to turn around and give me strange looks, so hard was I laughing.

My Family and Other Animals is a bare-bones story in terms of plot. The Durrell family goes to Corfu, lives through what could be termed as a soap opera, and leaves. It's humourous, but not particularly challenging.

However, the older Gerald Durrell utilises vivid vocabulary over and over when describing the setting and people of Corfu. Fifteen-letter words that paint a crystalline picture are used frequently, relieving the never-ending roller coaster that is the life of the Durrells.

Overall, this is a highly entertaining book that will keep you engaged for the week or so that you will spend reading it every spare second you have.

Gerald Durrell was not only a naturalist and a gifted writer about his beloved animals, but a loving brother and son whose descriptions of his family and their foibles will keep you laughing all the way through. This is one of those books which I've reread so many times I've lost count, and which I've given to many friends who needed cheering up. Always works, too!

This book is absolutely, brilliantly funny. The wit and unique characterizations are woven with great descriptions of the animals and plants of Corfu. That Durrell can hold the attention of readers who have no interest in biology simply demonstrates what a fine work this is. Gerald's depiction of a larger-than-life expatriate family on a larger-than-life Greek island is a tremendous celebration of life. The variety of different Greek characters parading through this book rivals the variety of Corfu's flora and fauna. Absolute great read!

I have the old first edition, I absolutely agree with the other five stars reviews. Excellent diagrams and sketches of famous battles from the Greek and roman periods, the text is also to the point (and you can always complement with more specific works like the masterfully THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR by Donald Kagan or so...).

It is a pity not such a similar work has ever been done for the Napoleonic Period... even if some specific one's are also a must have as ADKIN's WATERLOO COMPANION.

If you indulge in "ancients" as a period for wargaming this is a book for you (if you do not already own it!).

ADB

This is a superb introduction to ancient warfare and can serve as a springboard for further studies in ancient history. The artwork depicting the uniforms of various armies of that time is well done and the narratives, diagrams of battles are really helpful and informative.

Loved the book. The sketches and battle tactics illustrated made them come alive for me. Gave me a much better insight into the whole thing. And the delivery was fast, even with free shipping.

As I researched the equipment and modes of Greek warfare while writing the historical novel "Maccabee," I consulted numerous excellent sources, but John Warry's book was without a doubt the best. It became my virtual bible for the staging of the battle sequences between the Jews in the Maccabean Revolt and their Syrian enemies who employed the Greek methods that had worked so well for Alexander the Great. Warry's explanations of military techniques in their historical context as well as the wealth of illustrations makes this a valuable resource for anyone interested in ancient warfare.

This is an excellent introduction to ancient warfare. It is lavishly illustrated, and provides excellent diagrams to support some of the concepts such as how a phalanx of Greek infantry manoevered and then moved into combat. The book covers the technology of the times, but also looks at tactics and gives an overview of the politics that lead to the various conflicts. I would higly recommend this book for beginners in the field of ancient warfare such as myself. My only reservation, is that while the primarary authorities are extensively referenced in the text, I would have liked to see a bibliography (although the glossary is great too!) Highly recommended for beginners or those with a general interest in the topic.

I came across this novel quite by accident, having seen a Steven King review of one of Goddard's other novels. King praised Goddard so I decided to check out his work. I settled on "Into the Blue".

The book has been well reviewed by 20 others here and I will just add this: Goddard is quite literate, but never boorish. The story is intricate but well told. His characters are well developed and his telling of the tale is superb. It's a tale of mystery, murder and international intrigue. I will definitely read Goddard's other novels.

As to the Kindle edition of the book, it is superb. There was not a single typo or error of any kind. The text flowed smoothly and flawlessly.

I highly recommend the novel itself and I highly recommend the Kindle edition for you Kindle owners.

This was the first novel by Robert Goddard I read. After that, I was completely hooked. I rate Goddard as the best suspense novelist I've ever read. His plot twists are incredible; as a long-time reader, I'm used to being able to predict endings. It's depressing, really, how few can surprise me. Well, Goddard can! And his are true plot twists, all the information is planted early in the novel, but you can never quite see which little nugget of information will end up being the crucial one! Delightful! As for _Into the Blue_, I felt like I had visited Greece along with Harry. And Harry rates as one of the most likable characters in suspense fiction, too. Not all Goddard novels will hold the same interest, but they are all very well-plotted.

Harry Barnett lives the life of an Englishman on holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes where he is the care taker of the Villa ton Navarkhon belonging to his powerful friend Alan Dysart. He lives peacefully in the shadow of a past disgrace until Heather Mallender, a guest at the villa, disappears on a walking tour on Profitis Ilias. Harry becomes the number one suspect. While a Greek detective tries to catch him, and the British newspapers accuse him of murder, Harry's conscience is his worst enemy of all. What happened to young, beautiful Heather Mallender? Who took her-and why didn't Harry realize that something was amiss?
Suddenly Harry, a man steeped in failure, finds a purpose: retracing the strange, twisting route that led to Heather's vanishing. But the more he learns, the less he knows. Until Harry finds himself at the heart of a dangerous puzzle whose pieces are scattered everywhere: in the realm of British politics, in the beds of adulterous lovers, in the past, the present, and most of all, amid the secrets of an unsuspected killer....
A nicely designed plot with plenty of twists and turns and a sympathetic protagonist are the strengths of one of Mr Goddard's most entertaining adventure stories.
Paul Shelley reads "Into The Blue" for BBC Audiobooks. A very good performance indeed.

You'll like Harry Barnett. He is in Greece, on the sunny sunny island of Rhodes, house-sitting there for a rich British member of parliament. Harry smokes, he drinks, he likes food, he likes women, especially the attractive young woman named Heather, who befriended him a few days ago. Heather is much younger than Harry's overweight middle-aged self.

Heather persuades Harry to take her on the half-hour drive up a nearby mountain for the view. They stop, get out of the car, and climb for a while. Heather decides to continue walking up to the summit. Somewhat winded, Harry says he'll sit and rest for a little. Harry waits and waits and waits, and no Heather. Heather does not return. Where is she? Where did she go? Was she waylaid? What happened? He finds her scarf, and loses it.

Harry goes to the police, who question him, begin their own meticulous search of the summit, dutifully find the scarf, but quickly begin to suspect himself, that he may have murdered her and done away with the body. She has disappeared Into the Blue.

The book involves Harry's search for the young woman and what happened to her. A most engrossing and vivid read. This is Goddard at his best. A few months ago, local bookstores did not have any of his novels; he wasn't even listed in Books in Print. Amazon did not have him. You had to go to Amazon.co.uk. Goddard writes wonderfully. We must all be pleased that his excellent novels are now easily available.

Goddard does it again! In this novel we meet Harry Barnett, a fiftish failure with a past. Harry's life is immersed in failure; its only positive aspect being Harrys unlikely friendship with Alan Dysart, an Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Defense. While house sitting at Alan's villa in Greece, Harry is drawn into a perplexing and bizarre puzzle involving the disappearance of a beautiful, young houseguest.

These are only two of the several plot threads that textures this story and weaves it into compelling whole cloth. Goddard's writing invites you to walk in Harrys shoes as he attempts to utilize the one clue in his possession to solve a mystery whose pieces are scattered from Greece to England to Switzerland.

You may think you have the solution.....but don't be too sure!!

I was given the postcards book as a gift and had to have this book. Full of color pictures. If you love cats or photography with great color and contrast, this is a wonderful book.

If you like to look at kitties, this is a no-brainer. It's a beautiful book. One of its charms is that it's a quiet, calming book. It brings the viewer into the world of these cats...and causes me to ask (not being on a sunny island) how can I bring such solitary basking moments into my life? how can I peacefully share space with others? can I find a warm, sunny, basking place within myself and the space I inhabit?

We often hear the expression "Lucky Dog". This book is "Lucky Cat".

I bought this fabulous coffee table book for my boyfriend's birthday last month, and we both think it is fantastic. The pictures are so luscious and colorful--now I can't wait to visit the Greek Isles and see some of these amazing cats.

I purchased it to gift to my niece for her 15th birthday. She has mania for cats and many books related with feline. This book is better than the others she had because the beauty of the scenery is in harmony with cat feature. She was suffused with delight when received this gift.
It seems that every photograph has mood and story so that is create imagination of beautiful world. If you take a look the picture of this book then you will cannot help but like cats. I strongly recommend people interested in feline to purchase this book.

I was given this book as a present two months after my own kitty was put down. This is the most wonderful book on cats I've ever seen. It shows quite clearly how different their personalities are and seems to capture the essence of a cat's soul! These beautiful creatures will make you laugh because their personalities just shine through the pages of this wonderfully large coffee table book.

Just like cats, they don't need to say anything. There are no quotes within the book, just large beautifully artistic photographs with curious cats smiling, stretching, and being frisky. There is a touching introduction to these critters in the beginning, but then just sit back and make friends with these 400 cats!

This, the second volume of an awesome collective work, catalogues in rich detail the events and achievements of ancient Greece. But more than that, it tells the story about how the events unfold and gives insight into how science and philosophy came into being for the first time in civilization. For a long time, I had only a very scattered understanding of the ancient Greek world. This work gives me a much clearer view of the whole picture. There were a few sections where I did get stuck on the details - in the enumeration of people, places, and events - but it wasn't very often and it was probably due more to a lack of imagination on my part.

In trying to make a overly short synopsis, the book can be viewed as divided into three parts covering three different eras in Greek civilization. The first part delves into indefinite origins that can be traced back to the culture of ancient Crete, then the Mycenaean civilization, the Achaeans and the Homeric epic of Troy - which the archeologist Schliemann found actually existed in Asia Minor - and then the Dorian invasion. The second part concerns the Persian War and the coming of age of the city-states including Athens, it's friends and foes; and also the great advances in art, literature, science, philosophy and law as well as the decline that results mainly from the Peloponnesian War. The third part concerns the decay of mainland Greece but the diffusion of it's great culture to most of the known world through especially the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Vital to the development of Greek culture was the city-state, which grew in mainland Greece after the Dorian invasion (1100-950BC), and spread across the Aegean to the many islands and far-off shores of the Mediterranean. The city-states were separated and protected by mountainous terrain, which made it difficult to assert centralized control. They were linked principally by the waterways of the Aegean, and this linkage stimulated trade and preserved a common heritage, despite the many squabbles and wars. It was the burgeoning of trade and the opportunity for people to interact with others of different cultures that helped shake some of the ingrained beliefs and traditions and stimulate the inquiring mind. The Greeks were also freed to question supernatural explanations of the universe - and therefore develop science and philosophy - because they did not have a powerful priestly class, and thus were not so readily subject to persecution for the shattering of old myths. They were really quite ingenious in an age that had a very narrow view of the world. For example, Eratrosthenes made calculations concerning the curvature of the earth and computed the circumference of the earth to be very close to what we know it today.

One of the remarkable facts of the Golden Age of Periclean Athens (but not uncommon in those days) is that of the total population of Attica, some 315,000 peope, something like 115,000 were slaves. Of that difference consider, too, the number of woman, who were not participants in the political process. With that kind of distribution - more than half were not eligible - democracy had to be tenuous and fragile at best. For much of the history of the Greek city-states, there was this back-and-forth struggle between an obligarchy, the very richest and the aristocratic, and free citizens, who managed from time to time to rise above menial labor and assert themselves. During the time of Pericles, somehow a significant number of free citizens became active participants in government, signifying the dawning of a democratic process. But it did not last for long.

My set of Durants The Story of Civilization was purchased at a garage sale. Poor fools, they did not know what they were selling. Their loss is my gain. Volume Two, however, was missing, a situation that was remedied when I wandered into a used bookstore and there, on a shelf was Volume Two- The Life of Greece calling my name. I immediately forked out eight bucks and headed down to the local coffee house and began a fascinating and enjoyable read.

Having read through Volume 5, The Age of Faith, this has to be the best volume thus far- I could hardly put it down. To be sure there are areas that one has to plow through, that is to be expected of a work of this scope; but Durant has filled my world with the genius, history and drama of ancient Greece.

What made this book so fascinating is that, over and over again, Durant brought us into the lives of these men. We are not merely dealing with historical figures, but real people who lived, made love, made war, wrote masterpieces and who could act with courage, fall to cowardice or just make stupid mistakes. By far my favorite chapter was The Suicide of Greece. It told how a great civilization could fall. The story of Alcibiades was absolutely riveting. Both a brilliant leader and a scoundrel, he pushed Athens towards destruction by his fraternity style pranks that doomed his invasion of Sicily contributing significantly to the downfall of Athens as a power.

Consistent with all his volumes, Durant again shows us the cycle of civilization. He shows us again that the life of thought endangers every civilization that it adores. He writes:

As civilization develops, as customs, institutions, laws, and morals more and more restrict the operation of natural impulses, action gives way to thought, achievement to imagination, directness to subtlety, expression to concealment, cruelty to sympathy, belief to doubt the unity of character common to animal and primitive men passes away; behavior becomes fragmentary and hesitant, conscious and calculating; the willingness to fight subsides into a disposition to infinite argument. Few nations have been able to reach intellectual refinement and esthetic sensitivity without sacrificing so much in virility and unity that their wealth presents an irresitble temptation to impecunious barbarians. Around every Rome hover the Gauls; around ever Athens some Macedon.

I hope that Durant has not just written our epitaph as a great nation.

Authors Dr. Will & Ariel Durant have compiled the history of ancient Greece in this, the second volume of The Story of Civilization.

At over >700 pages in length, the Durants launch into great detail about: The mysterious lost civilization of the island of Crete, land of the Minotaur and the labyrinth. The violent society of Homer's Iliad. The rise of classical Greece; a society of traders and navigators, explorers and colonists, soliders, sailors, and settlers. The origins of democracy and the political legacy to the Western world. The heroic battles against the Persians. The golden age of Athens. Backgrounds of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and the birth of the Academy, and of course....Alexander the Great! Plus much more including plates and maps.

As with all of the volumes of The Story of Civilization, these books were written to stand alone and most likely will be read by the more serious students of history, however, they are composed and written to be understood by the layperson as well. In short, these books are for everyone! I rate it at five stars as the Durant's Magnum Opus!

Durant paints a fascinating portrait of Greek life and culture as well as the history of a country that provided a foundation for modern thought and politics in the modern world. Highly recommend for history buffs as well as serious students.

This is the second of the multi-volume work by the Durant's. It is as good as the first (and not wanting to give anything away, chuckle), they only get better and better. The author's prose is almost as wonderful as the actual historical work. The author apparently spent fifty years in writing these books and it certainly was worth the effort. He, and his wife, make history come alive. Now granted, I am a history buff and simply cannot get enough of it. I realize that not all share my love for the subject, but I truely feel that the entire work should be required reading in our schools. Not only are they superior to any and all text I am familiar with, they are truely a joy to read. This particular volume gave me much more insight to the ancient Greeks, their culture, art and philosophy than any work I have read, thereby giving me a much better understanding to our own culture, etc. It's just me, I know, but an added joy to this work was prowling used book stores and finding these things one by one to add to my collection. Highly recommend these books.

This cookbook is wonderful. The recipes are easy to follow and turn out great! Would recomend to anyone.

This book is full of delicious and unique recipes. The recipes are very detailed--the writers do not leave out any steps (which is good for a beginner like me). The book is also fun to read through--there are interesting tips on a variety of foods and stories about the original markets.

One of the best I've used and I have a lot. The recipes are well written along with advice and stuff tastes great.

Words cannot describe how great this cookbook is. The pages are all covered with my exclamation points that I don't give out easily. I don't often repeat recipes...except the ones in this book. Inventive but also classic, seasonal, informative, fresh, healthy, flavorful, yum yum yum yum. If you don't like this book I will refund your money--just kidding, but that is how much I love it and want to spread the gospel.

I received this cookbook as a gift, and bought another copy for a friend from Amazon. This is my favorite cookbook. Everything I have made is delicious, fresh and has an original twist. The recipes are simple to make and fabulous. Everyone that eats one of these dishes asks me for the recipe.

I've read this book and it is absolutely wonderful. Great story line, believable characters, a very enjoyable read. Once you start to read it, you will not want to put it down because you will want to know what is going to happen next to each of the characters.

The Pale Surface of Things was a good read. Other reviewers tell the plot, I simply wanted to point out a couple of things to the reader- first, the author clearly understands the cultures she is writing about, and has done an excellent job of bringing this to the reader. Second, a number of the characters are skillfully brought full circle through personal crisis, paralleling events in the story.

You can't fake knowing the scent of the air, the sound of the forest, the taste of the foods, or the presence of culture, and this all came through quite well in the book.

I recommend it. I read it in Malta, relaxing by the Mediteranean, and it seemed a natural fit, nothing stilted or fake about this book.

Regarding the characters, one of the main characters not from Crete is shot by another, a local. the remark is made "Why would he shoot him? He's not even Greek!" and this is about as sharp a reflection of the culture as you can get, a true understanding of island thinking.

Take the time to read this.

This book grew on me, and I continue to have a sense of well-being after finishing it. I'm not sure how to characterize this book except to say that each time it seems to be fairly predictable it steps aside from the path, just enough to satisfy without being hokey.

It's set on Crete in current times and follows several characters who, of course, eventually intertwine and affect each other. Oh, by the way, drop your expectation of archaeology, it's tangential. The pace is good and the tale isn't maudlin or sappy. Mostly it's about values, the choices we make, and the consequences (no it doesn't preach at all) set in a pretty good story. Probably a good book group book.

The Pale Surface of Things reads like a tapestry of textures weaving emotional, spiritual, cultural, and familial threads into an engrossing glimpse of life in a traditional Cretan village. Bennett's tale encompasses the dichotomies of life: human frailty and resilience, belonging and alienation, forgiveness and redemption, shame and courage. A fast paced novel that will transport you into the lives of unforgettable characters and a cherished ancient landscape.

Nicholas Zaferatos, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Urban Planning.
Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University.

What a fun read! Having visited Crete twice, it was fun to imagine the this story unfolding as it did. The author created terrific characters with interesting backgrounds and many subplots with lots of twists and turns.

Eva Zane wrote what I consider the best Greek cookbook, ever! (And trust me, I have many). The recipes are so authentic that my Greek parents, grand-parents and even one great-grandmother (Yaya) use it as a reference. Wonderful recipes for moussaka, youvarlakia (meatballs in avgolemano sauce), baklava, tzatzki, spanikopitas, wonderful fish and meat dishes and so much more. This book lacks pictures, but makes up for it with easy to follow, perfect-every-time recipes. Eva Zane also includes great stories and tidbits about Greek mythology, culinary history and culture. This book is out of print, so get a copy by any means necessary. You'll use it all the time!

My mom and I have both used the recipes in this book for many years, and the dishes I have produced always garner many compliments! I made moussaka and dolmades for my Greek employers, which met with high praise. Highly recommend.

As a non Greek married to a Greek, I received this book from my husband in 1971. He marked all the dishes that his mother cooked and I started to try to prepare them. Throughout the years I have used the book as guide and the compliments from my mother in law and Greek friends have been wonderful.I have tried other books however I keep coming back to this one. I have been told that I cook Greek food better than most Greeks. I purchased this book for my daughter and now she has become an excellent cook of Greek foods. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn to cook like a real Greek cook.

This book has been circulating in my family for 3 generations, and our "bible" when preparing all holiday meals!!! We'd never prepare anything without it. Being of Greek descent, that pretty much says it all.....enjoy!!!!!

I bought my first copy of this book when I was 15 years old. My mother was an exceptional greek cook, and I always thought this cookbook was the closest thing to my mom's authentic greek cuisine. (In fact some of the recipes are better) When I was first married, I used the book and it eventually fell apart. I searched and found another copy. The same thing happened to the second one. I'm looking for my 3rd one now. I have purchased several greek cook books in the past and I still think Greek Cooking for the gods has the best and most authentic greek recipes available today. I have been using it for over 30 years.

A lot of the approbation or criticism of a book like this has to do with the accuracy of the translation, which is something I'm not an expert in. What I can say about it is that this translation reads like a novel. It leaves you with the impression that Herodotus is telling you a story, rather than the impression that you are reading a bit of ancient Greek literature translated by some stodgy classicist.

The story itself is excellent. Basically, it's the story of the rise of the Persian Empire, culminating in the war with the Greeks. It covers things like the battles Marathon, and Thermopylae. But it's much more than that. Herodotus surveys the geography and cultures of the people who existed during that time. Much of what he recounts is hearsay and mythology, which I imagine can be frustrating for the historian but is actually very entertaining and fascinating for the general reader. There are also numerous short stories interspersed with the larger narrative, especially in the earlier chapters.

This is a fantastic book, which I think even people who normally wouldn't read classics would enjoy. In fact, I think this books is most comparable to a book like "The Lord of the Rings". If you enjoyed that, and you like history too, then you'll probably like this book.

Who am I to write a review of Herodotus' The Histories? I am not a classicist, a historian, or a scholar. I wouldn't know the difference between translations, which one is "most true" to the original, which one provides the most accurate analysis of the texts and its accuracies and inaccuracies. So, I have decided that the only way I could review this book is to express how readable it is for a non-scholar who wants to read one of the most ancient of histories, of a time and place far removed from our own, about alien cultures and beliefs, and a complicated war between the ancient Greeks and Persians.

The only reason I read this version is that when I mentioned to my brother once that I had never really read any of the Greek historians, he said I had to read this one and then loaned me his copy. It took me a couple of years, but I finally got around to it. And I found that what he told me is true. The Histories is extremely readable and interesting. Herodotus spent a lot of time giving a background of the conflict, and mixes the historical with what we would call the mystical or fantastic. A lot of time is spent describing the cultures of the Egyptians, the Persians, and the various Greek city-states. If I forgot the significance of a name, I could just look him (rarely a her) in the index, where a short description could be found. If I became confused about where the Thracians were from, I could look at several helpful maps in the back.

There were several times that I became overwhelmed by the details (I guess I didn't appreciate knowing what colors and costumes each people wore during battles). I also had difficulty following from one battle to another, but I'm not sure if that was the fault of the text.

I therefore recommend this for the casual, armchair historian who just wants to learn more about the ancient Greeks while reading a good story. I suspect the book would also work for the more serious scholar who wants to study the text.

Having had a couple years of Greek in college (just enough to be dangerous) I have to say Grene's translation looks to me the most literal and readable at the same time. The old Rawlinson translation is stylish but not as close to the Greek as Grene. de Selincourt's Penguin classics effort loses style points compared to Rawlinson, and yet manages to perhaps be even a bit further from the Greek. Waterfield's Oxford classics just reads as flat and featureless as the Wall Street Journal's finance pages, and yet isn't very close to the Greek either! Grene alone seems to open a contemporary English speaker's ears to hear how Herodotus would sound if you were actually a Greek speaker of the 5th century BC (and isn't that exactly what we want our translators to do for us?). I like his point that with the Homeric overtones, Herodotus should sound just a bit "odd" a little archaic, yet lively. I think Grene hit the mark right on the head, and of course Herodotus himself is a gas. Totally entertaining, and highly recommended.

On a side note, does anyone know how to pronounce Mr. Grene's name? I realize he's Irish, but it's an unusal name and I've never heard it pronounced...

David Grene's translation of Herodotus' "The History" is a good version of the Greek historian's magnum opus.

The Introduction provides context for the translation to come. It is useful and functional, although Knox' introductions to The Iliad and The Odyssey (Fagles' translations) strike me as better at putting the work in its place. Nonetheless, the Introduction is serviceable. Grene notes of Herodotus' work that" "There are two worlds of meaning that are constantly in Herodotus' head. The one is that of human calculation, reason, cleverness, passion, happiness. There, one knows what is happening and, more or less, who is the agent of cause. The other is the will of Gods, or fate, or the intervention of daimons."

In the History itself, Herodotus ranges widely geographically, and considers many different countries. With these, he discusses in detail such varied matters as hygiene, sex, culture, animals, religion, geographical features, and so on. He appears to have tried to ascertain as best as he could what the actuality was and what hearsay or rumor was. One of the more interesting examples of this is his effort to understand the role of Helen in the Trojan War (2, 120). Here, he doubts the veracity of Homer's rendering of the causes of the war. He believes that Helen never did go to Troy, because Priam would not have been willing to risk his empire over one woman. At other places, he clearly states the different versions of some incident and then renders his own best judgment as to what he thought the reality was. In short, he did not simply retell tales that he heard. When he is not sure what actually happened, he says so (e.g., 1, 49; 1, 75).

In the end, Herodotus has done a great service for many generations, by putting down, as best he could, his understanding of the history of the various actors of his time and before. The reader will find it difficult to keep all the people and countries straight. The volume features a useful set of maps, providing a sense of the different countries mentioned, as well as the travels of armies on conquests.

The book moves ahead in a majestic trajectory to ultimately describe the Persian-Greek War, with Xerxes leading his great force into Greece. Herodotus provides detail on many aspects of this conflict, which the Greeks eventually won, after battles at Thermopylae, Salamis, and Platea.

For an early effort at history, Herodotus' work is important to be aware of. And Grene's translation makes the work accessible to readers today.

this is to my mind the only translation for you. Herodotus was not a historian; rather, he was an inquirer, and a displayer of inquiry. I've never read another translation that captures the profound uncertainty about the operation of the universe that radiates from every sentence of his Greek.

The ancient world is a wonderfully unfamiliar place, once you've let go of your preconceptions: reading Grene's Herodotus is a very good way to start letting them go.