History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Good start on The Iliad
Excellent Value: An Interesting But A Slow and Bloody Story of Hand to Hand Combat in 1200 BC Troy, With A Good Introduction
Great prose translation
The Original Action book
Great Epic

The Iliad (Penguin Classics)
Homer , E. V. Rieu , and D. C. H. Rieu
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Ancient, Classical & Medieval | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Greek | More Languages | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0140447946
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

One of the foremost achievements in Western literature, Homer's Iliad tells the story of the darkest episode of the Trojan War. At its center is Achilles, the greatest warrior-champion of the Greeks, and his conflict with his leader Agamemnon. Interwoven in the tragic sequence of events are powerfully moving descriptions of the ebb and flow of battle, the besieged city of Ilium, the feud between the gods, and the fate of mortals.

Customer Reviews:

Good start on The Iliad.......2007-05-17

This is a good introduction to the Iliad. Short of reading the original Greek Richard Lattimore's translation is the best but Rieu's translation is written in straightforward, clear prose and is a good way to introduce yourself to the basic narrative and get a sense of the story. It is colloquial at times but not jarringly so. Then, move on to Lattimore and the Greek.

Excellent Value: An Interesting But A Slow and Bloody Story of Hand to Hand Combat in 1200 BC Troy, With A Good Introduction.......2007-05-12

I read Homer's Odyssey in about two days, and thought that it was an interesting and a compelling read. I read the translation by T.E. Lawrence. The Iliad is a much slower read by comparison, and it is a much more complicated book. It took me two weeks of reading on and off to make my way through this present book, and my longest stretch was just 50 pages before I would lose my concentration.

The story is over 400 pages long. It is a lengthy description of hand to hand combat by hundreds of fighters on the plains of Troy, outside the ancient town of Ilium. It is not about the whole war which lasted years, but simply the story or myth of only a few days of the fighting. The story describes wave after wave of sword fighting and spear throwing, going back and forth between the two sides, chapter after chapter. We follow every wound and every death and we read detailed descriptions of the wounds and what happens to the dead bodies.

The book is very slow to start and it is complicated by dozens of primary characters led by the Greek Achilles and the Trojan Hector. There are hundreds of secondary characters and 24 different Gods, led by Zeus. Overall, this is more of a reading experience that a simple story. It does get easier after 150 pages or so, as the reader gets into the flow of the story and learns the names of all the primary characters. In trying to understand The Iliad, It is hard to find any moral lessons here other than the weakness of hubris as a character flaw. The book is interesting since it is one of the first recorded stories or myths.

This is an excellent version of The Iliad because of the extensive introduction, analysis, list of characters, maps, and the summaries at the beginning of each chapter. Also, there are side notes on every page to give the reader a summary of the current events. The translation by Rieu is over 50 years old and it has been updated and edited twice, the most recent by Peter Jones. The commentary and analysis is essential to the understanding of the novel. You get that here for free as part of the Penguin Classic. Peter Jones and Rieu present some interesting comments on the date and the history of the Iliad manuscript, and it relation to oral traditions.

So, this is an interesting historical story, well presented with excellent notes.

Great prose translation.......2007-04-08

This is a great prose translation, updated and modernized by Peter Jones. The text crackles with energy and is much better than many verse translations (my favorite verse translations are by Lombardo and Lattimore). Many people - like myself - have an eye that is more comfortable with prose and modern English prose is very expressive. So this is probably a very good translation for most people. If you don't mind verse, try the fresh translation by Stanley Lombardo.

As for the story itself, what is there to say? It's a classic and, interestingly enough, is the first piece of written literature that introduces us to the ancient Greek gods and goddesses. But it is the story of Achilles and his anger (or rage), first at the Greek leader, Agammenon, and then at Hector and the Trojans. The latter kill Achilles' best friend, Patrokles.

I don't think anyone interested in the Iliad will find fault with this lively translation.

The Original Action book.......2006-07-08

The Iliad is perhaps the first of the action books. I read this translation because I found it to be very enjoyable and flows well. This of course is the story of Achilles, Helen, Agamemmnon, Odysseus, Hector and Paris. We have love, war, adultery, courage, family relationships, loyalty and morality all brought to the battlefield.

Most everyone has read the story (or at least seen the horrible movie staring Brad Pitt). This epic is truly epic and will not easily be forgotten. I found myself siding with both camps and my morality questioned by the story's nagging questions of what is worth fighting and dying for.

A book that is both timeless and a classic. You have not lived until you have read the Iliad.

Great Epic.......2006-06-04

I absolutley adored this book. I am reading the Odyssey now. I recommend you read both. It adds depth to the whole tale.

The Ottoman Empire: The Classical Age 1300-1600

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended
Historians take note...
Phoenix: The Ottoman Empire: A classical Book

The Ottoman Empire: The Classical Age 1300-1600
Halil Inalcik
Manufacturer: Phoenix Press, WC2
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Turkey | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Eastern | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1842124420

Book Description

A preeminent scholar of Turkish history vividly portrays 300 years of this distinctively Eastern culture as it grew from a military principality to the world's most powerful Islamic state. He paints a striking picture of the prominence of religion and warfare in everyday life, as well as the traditions of statecraft, administration, social values, financial, and land policies. "...masterly...Halil Inalcik is one of the foremost living students of Ottoman history...Read this book..."--Times Literary Supplement.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended.......2005-01-13

Professor Inalcik is one of the best in documenting the long history of the Ottoman Empire. To many readers, this book might look boring and excessively academic. But to other readers, especially those who are interested in taking a deep look into the history of the Middle East in general and the Ottoman Empire in particular, this is one of the must-read books.
The book is full of details of the Ottoman bureaucracy, the Janissaries (the army), conspiracies among rulers and would sultans, the social status of the different people of the empires and of course the Ottoman political situation and that of its treasury.
For those interested in modern Turkish history, this might not be their best read as it highlights the history of the Ottomans up until the days of the zenith of their rule. The book does not go as far as depicting how the Muslim Ottoman Empire was transformed into the sick Turkish man of Europe.
Overall, the book is highly recommended for readers interested in Middle Eastern affairs.

Historians take note..........2004-08-14

...this is how a text should read. Inalcik is not only thorough in his presentation of Ottoman history, but he includes cause and effect as well as the synthesis of events, something that Stanford J. Shaw's text on the Ottoman Empire seemed to be bereft of. Highly recommended.

Phoenix: The Ottoman Empire: A classical Book.......2004-03-31

Prof. Inalcik truly earns the reputation as one of the world's leading historians on the Ottoman Empire. The book explains the history, administration and social life of the Ottoman Empire during this time masterfully in seperate sections. An appendix of terms in Turkish and Ottoman is provided at the back for quick explanations, since the historical matter is rather heavy for a lay person.
A good historical reference book for Middle Eastern History, especially to get a true understanding of the Ottoman's Empire building brilliance between 1300-1600.

Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors (Cincinnati Classical Studies New Series)

Average customer rating:

Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors (Cincinnati Classical Studies New Series)
Barbara Burrell
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Turkey | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 9004125787

Book Description

The neokoroi, or 'temple-wardens,' were Hellenized cities of the eastern Roman empire who received that title for possessing their provinces' temples to the living emperor. This work collects and analyzes all the evidence for the neokoroi, including their coins and inscriptions, contemporary and subsequent historical texts, and the archaeological remains of the temples themselves and the statues that stood within them. There were at least thirty-seven neokoroi, and each is examined in a separate chapter. The results are then re-analyzed chronologically, clarifying the development of the institution. Finally the statues, temples, cities, and provinces are compared, resulting in new insights into the rivalry and hierarchy among the cities, and the dialogue of worship that related them to their Roman overlords.

The Urban Image of Late Antique Constantinople

Average customer rating:

The Urban Image of Late Antique Constantinople
Sarah Bassett
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Ancient & Classical | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Byzantine | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Turkey | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0521030846

Book Description

From its foundation in the fourth century to its fall to the Ottoman Turks in the fifteenth, the city of Constantinople boasted a collection of antiquities unrivaled by any city of the medieval world. This book reconstructs the collection from the time of the city's founding by Constantine the Great through the sixth century reign of the emperor Justinian. Drawing on medieval literary sources and graphic and archaeological material, it identifies and describes the antiquities that were known to have stood in the city's public spaces.

Classical Turkish Cooking: Traditional Turkish Food for the American Kitchen

Average customer rating:

Turkish Cooking
Classic Kitchen Cooking
Great Cookbook!
accurate and interesting
Excellent Historical and Culinary Treatment. Must Buy!

Classical Turkish Cooking: Traditional Turkish Food for the American Kitchen
Ayla E. Algar
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060931639

Book Description

Turkish food is one of the world's great cuisines. Its taste and depth place it with French and Chinese; its simplicity and healthfulness rank it number one. Turkish-born Ayla Algar offers 175 recipes for this vibrant and tasty food, presented against the rich and fascinating backdrop of Turkish history and culture. Tempting recipes for kebabs, pilafs, meze (appetizers), dolmas (those delicious stuffed vegetables or vine leaves), soups, fish, manti and other pasta dishes, lamb, poultry, yogurt, bread, and traditional sweets such as baklava are introduced here to American cooks in accessible form. With its emphasis on grains, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and other healthful foods, Turkish cooking puts a new spin on familiar ingredients and offers culinary adventure coupled with satisfying and delicious meals.

Customer Reviews:

Turkish Cooking.......2007-01-18

This is certainly one of the best cookbooks on Turkish Cuisine. In addition to the wonderful recipes, the book details the history and background of Turkish dishes. The recipes are simple, yet elegant. While I certainly haven't examined the entire gamut of available cookbooks, this certainly was the best I have run across.

Classic Kitchen Cooking.......2006-06-30

Enjoying book but would prefer if there were pictures that you could see what the dish looked like

Great Cookbook!.......2005-08-02

My wife and I love it! Not only does it have great recipes but it has stories about where the recipe comes from. This is actually our second purchase of the book because we gave one to our friend who loved this book.

accurate and interesting.......2005-02-20

This book is quite accurate and most recipes are designed for those who don't know the ingredients and techniques well. But because of two reasons I don't use this Turkish cookbook often (I have another favorite): First is the lay out. Recipes are not very easy to follow while cooking and you don't know what the outcome would look like (or supposed to look like) since there are no pictures. Second is the lack of detailed explanations. It is definitely not for dummies.

Excellent Historical and Culinary Treatment. Must Buy!.......2005-02-15

`Classical Turkish Cooking' by Ayla Algar is a great exemplar of what a cookbook describing an important national cuisine should be, if there are few or no other books on the subject in English. At the outset, it is important to point out that the author makes an excellent case for the historical fact that Turkish cuisine, based on a long history of cuisine from the Ottoman empire, which inherited much from the equally important Persian / Iranian cuisine, is a truly interesting food culture, distinctive in enough different ways from the general Eastern Mediterranean milieu to make it worthy of study and emulation.

The Turkish / Ottoman cuisine is in every way a confirmation of the thesis stated most firmly by Paula Wolfert in `Cous Cous and Other Good Food from Morocco' that one of the four requirements for the creation of an important, interesting cuisine is the presence of a sizable nobility and wealthy court in which chefs are well paid to create interesting dishes for the court and for entertaining diplomats to the court. Conspicuous consumption was not invented in the United States. Ms. Algar does us a great service by presenting a very nice thumbnail sketch of the history of the Turkish people who migrated to Asia Minor from central Asia and, on the way, picked up lots of culinary influences from the Iranians in the centuries following the rise of Islam throughout central Asia and the Middle East. Happily, unlike several other historical sketches I have seen recently in books on purportedly important cuisines, Ms. Algar ties her story in with actual culinary information, including linguistic and historical evidence for the origins of many different culinary trends in Turkey. I will not pretend to recount all of this. It is important, however, for your appreciation of this book to realize that this cuisine, and the material in this book reflects food influenced by the full range of the Ottoman empire which, at its peak, stretched from the gates of Vienna to the bottom of the Basra on the Persian Gulf to the outskirts of Fez in Morocco.

The book is subtitled `Traditional Turkish Food for the American Kitchen', however, I do not see a lot of effort devoted to making the recipes friendly to amateur American cooks. In many ways, this may be a good thing in that the author does not loose the `traditional Turkish' of the recipes in deference to what may be easy for the average American household. If it did, it would be much less valuable in our collection of books about traditional cuisines.

Turkish cuisine shares much with the other cuisines of the Eastern Mediterranean. There is an especially strong family resemblance between Greek and Turkish recipes, and it is in no way clear in which direction the influence was strongest. While the Greek cuisine is older, it was also heavily influenced by Persian and Phoenician sources, so it is easy to believe that the central role of lamb, yoghurt, sesame, citrus, flatbreads, and very thin pastries all came from some common central Asian source. What is surprising is that while the Christian Greek culture not only allows, but actually encourages a wine culture and the Islamic Turkish culture disallowed wine, both cultures shared a devotion to `meze'. In fact, Ms. Algar traces the origins of meze to the pre-Islamic wine culture of Persia, where the original meze were sweets to counteract the bitter taste of young wine.

While Turkish meze are interesting, the real star of the Turkish cuisine is Borek, a dish which is a cross between filo dough and a baked pasta dish such as lasagna. Ms. Algar gives not just one recipe for Borek, but at least a half dozen from different areas of Turkey. For some of the recipes, Ms. Algar allows the use of either filo dough or frozen puff pastry, but for her two most important recipes for Anatolian and Circassian Borek, Ms. Algar gives us the straight scoop on how to make the real deal, very thin Borek dough similar to fresh egg noodles of northern Italy, but so thin that even a pasta machine set on it's smallest opening will not give you a fine enough dough. And yet, at 1 millimeter thick, it is not yet as thin as filo. So, while it belongs to the same family as Greek pilo and Hungarian strudel, it is not the same. Like fresh pasta in general, it is used to create many different dishes which are baked, fried, or sauteed, depending on filling and shape.

It is no surprise to the reasonably well informed foodie that coffee was a very important part of Turkish culture and cuisine and that coffee culture spread throughout Europe from its center in Istanbul. It is just slightly more surprising that the Turks invented the notion of the café. I take this with a small grain of salt, as I have read of fast food / wine bars in the ruins of Pompeii. What the Turks invented, I suspect, is the shop specializing in the sale of coffee, thereby originating the word `café'. Thus the idea of the casual food store goes back at least to Imperial Rome. It probably goes back to food stands serving the farm workers spending their flood induced vacations working on the pyramids.

Probably the biggest surprise was the fact that flavored sherberts, sorbets, and ices were such a common item in Ottoman courts. We are always so inclined to attribute these to the Italians, yet the Turks seem to have gotten this idea quite on their own, with the resources it took to store ice from the winter or from local mountaintops for a quick summer refreshment.

This is an excellent book and a welcome addition to the collection of anyone who loves to read about world food. It is also a superb source of dishes with healthy ingredients such as nuts, yoghurt, sesame, fruits, and light breads.

Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets

Average customer rating:

Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets
Walter B. Denny
Manufacturer: Scala Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Rugs | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Textiles & Costume | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1857592832

Book Description

Includes some of the oldest surviving examples of Turkish carpets. All carpets are reproduced in full colour and some of the textiles are reproduced here for the first time.

Average customer rating:

No questions asked
Interesting but flawed
BigSky52
An inspiration to set sail for adventure!
Great read for sailors and voyagers

We Followed Odysseus
Hal Roth
Manufacturer: Seaworthy Publications Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Greek | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Travel | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1892399032

Customer Reviews:

No questions asked.......2007-04-14

This otherwise well-written book, is way too conservative when it comes to interpreting the story behind it. It is basically a remake of E. Lessing's "The Adventures of Odysseus", and E. Bradford's "Ulysses Found", and does not really present a PLAUSIBLE journey for Odysseus. It is disappointing to find that there is no critical challenge of any of the locations the Greek and Roman historians concluded upon 2000 years ago.

Interesting but flawed.......2005-02-26

I approached this book with considerable anticipation. I have read both the Iliad and Odyssey several times, in various translations, over the past fifty years, and was anxious to get learn more from experienced sailors on the ground (or on the sea, as it were) about the actual places Odysseus was reported to have travelled.

I found much to enjoy in the book, but also much that was quite disappointing.

The descriptions of the sea and the land as seen from the sea, the process of sailing the sea, the landfalls and lands that might have been trod by the actual Odysseus were interesting and enjoyable.

But the fidelity to Homer was sadly lacking. The author vastly oversimplfies many aspects of the Odyssey. For the sake, it appears, of a smooth narrative he makes many unwarranted assumptions and presents as facts things that are far from established. His book is filled with "Odysseus must have...," "Odysseus would have..." and such. These are fictional inventions, suppositions which, granted, come from experienced 20th century sailors, but which have no grounding directly in the work of Homer.

For a lover of the Odyssey, the strongest parts of the book are its descriptions of the locations as Roth saw and experienced them and their comparison with Homer's descriptions. This is the way in which Schliemann in 1873 found the site of Troy when the prevailing wisdom of the time was that Troy was merely a legend. Schleimann took Homer's descriptions of Troy and its surroundings, examined the land in the light of these descriptions, found what he thought was the right place, started digging, and found Troy. (Actually, found about a dozen Troys, one on top of the other, but that's another book.) When Roth follows this pattern -- looks at Homer's descriptions of the places Odysseus visited and compares them with what he actually sees, reads Homer's descriptions of the winds and directions Odysseus travelled and tries to duplicate his trip -- the book is at its most interesting and compelling. Unfortunately, for some reason he felt compelled to gussy this all up with speculation and invention about what Odysseus "must" have done or felt that has no basis in the text of the Odyssey.

For the reader who is just looking for an interesting sailing adventure story with a touch of culture tossed in to flavor the mix, this is a fine book. But for the reader who wants facts, information, descriptions of the places where Odysseus is reported to have walked, fought, and loved, it is disheartening to have to dig through all the superfluities and highly questionable assumptions to get at the meat.

BigSky52.......2004-09-30

One of the most entertaining and informative books I've read. I've never sailed the oceans blue but this book offered me insights into what the life would be like leaving me envious, but entertained.

I had been reading Fagles recent and beautifully worded translation of the Odyssey. Like many, The Odyssey was required reading for me back in high school. I didn't remember much about it but became entranced while reading Fagles version by how primitive and modern the story seems at the same time.

As I started to read We Followed Odysseus I became aware of how the The Odyssey was so fuzzy in my mind, a sort of mythical Disney sort of world. We Followed allowed a harder edged world to enter into the story. It filled it with what the real harbors may have looked like, what the actually journey may have felt like, and sharpley clarified what the route could have been like. In short it gave me an insight into what this Greek hero may have actually endured giving Homer's story greater depth.

Bottom line: when a book is entertaining, informs the reader in inself, and informs the reader about another great classic it rates five stars.

An inspiration to set sail for adventure!.......2000-06-04

We Followed Odysseus is the engaging story of sailing a small boat along the sea path of Odysseus' famous voyage. Crossing oceans and seas Hal Roth, with the help of his wife Margaret, re-traced the voyages of Odysseus along the Turkish coast and the isles of Greece. Roth sailed to a desert island in Tunisia, visited Sicily and Corsica, and traveled to Italy and Malta before returning to Greece. We Followed Odysseus blends two stories. One the ancient Hellenic account of the legendary voyage of Odysseus as recounted in "The Odyssey". The other is Roth's modern voyage to each of the nineteen legendary locations that Odysseus visited during his ten-year attempt to return to Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War. Of special fascination is Roth's candid discussion of what things may have been like in the days of Odysseus, and what they are like today. We Followed Odysseus is highly recommended reading for all armchair travelers, anyone who has thrilled to Homer's tale of the trials of Odysseus in his decade long struggle to return to his home and family, and an inspiration to set sail ourselves in search of our an adventure of our own!

Great read for sailors and voyagers.......2000-02-19

For anyone who both loves to sail small yachts and also to visit historical spots, this is a wonderfully crafted book that satisfies both tastes. The skilfull interweaving of the legend of the Odyssey with the vivid story of following this route with a small but modern yacht is unique in my acquaitance with books of the sea. As a personal friend of Hal and Margaret Roth,I felt as if I were sitting in my living room and listening to both their adventures and getting an intimate appreciation of the scholarly interpretations of this myseries surrounding this legend.

Chariton: Callirhoe (Loeb Classical Library No. 481)

Average customer rating:

Love in the second century.

Chariton: Callirhoe (Loeb Classical Library No. 481)
Chariton , and G. P. Goold
Manufacturer: Loeb Classical Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Greek | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0674995309

Book Description

Chariton's Callirhoe, subtitled "Love Story in Syracuse," is the oldest extant novel. It is a fast-paced historical romance with ageless charm.

Chariton narrates the adventures of an exceptionally beautiful young bride named Callirhoe, beginning with her abduction by pirates--adventures that take her as far as the court of the Persian king Artaxerxes and involve shipwrecks, several ardent suitors, an embarrassing pregnancy, the hazards of war, and a happy ending. Animated dialogue captures dramatic situations, and the novelist takes us on picturesque travels. His skill makes us enthralled spectators of plots and counterplots, at trials and a crucifixion, inside a harem, among the admiring crowd at weddings, and at battles on land and sea.

This enchanting tale is here made available for the first time in an English translation facing the Greek text. In his Introduction G. P. Goold establishes the book's date in the first century CE and relates it to other ancient fiction.

Customer Reviews:

Love in the second century........2002-11-12

This lively and fluently written story contains all the ingredients of a modern bookstall love story: jealousy, apparent death, kidnapping, war, slavery, assault on chastity and ultimately ... true love and a happy marriage.

Callirhoe: My damned beauty is the cause of my misfortune.

Book Description

Mystery cults represent the spiritual attempts of the ancient Greeks to deal with their mortality. The phenomenon is by no means restricted to Greece, but it is in Greece that it found its most profound philosophical explanation and justification. Given the lack of written testimonia, we rely on archaeology in trying to decipher the secrets of those mysteric cults. In the last few years, research in ancient Greek mystery cults has made serious advances thanks to a number of new analytical studies and archaeological discoveries in sanctuaries where mysteric cults where practiced.

This volume showcases the results of the new research by allowing scholars, and specialists the opportunity to present their work and to place their research with the general context of Greek mystery cults. Through its wide chronological range (from the Bronze Age to the Roman Imperial period) and broad geographical coverage (Greece and Greek Asia Minor), the book reconstructs the development of ideological and ritual practice over time and space. Although the major cults, such as Eleusis and Samothrace, figure prominently in such a volume, a conscious effort has been made to discuss in detail the strikingly large number of lesser mysteric cults and deities, in order to contribute to the understanding of Greek mystery cults as a whole.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books