The Aeneid

Book Description

Robert Fagles's translations of both the Iliad and Odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and become the standard translations of our era. Now, his stunning modern verse translation of Virgil's Aeneid is poised to do the same. This beautifully produced edition of the Aeneid will be eagerly sought by readers desiring to complete their Fagles collection—and the attention it receives will stimulate even greater interest in his translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey. BACKCOVER: Praise for Robert Fagles's translation of the Odyssey:
“Wonderfully readable . . . just the right blend of sophistication and roughness, it seems to me.”
—Ted Hughes

“A memorable achievement . . . Mr. Fagles has been remarkably successful in finding a style that is of our time and yet timeless.”
—Richard Jenkyns, The New York Times Book Review

“Remarkably seductive . . . In Fagles's hands, this `perennial poem of adventure' is again a work of entertainment, of majesty and epic beauty great enough to stun the senses.”
—The Philadelphia Inquirer

Customer Reviews:

The Aeneid.......2007-10-09

I have yet to read the book, but I'm very excited about reading it. The book was in perfect condition and arrived on time.

Exactly what I thought it'd be! .......2007-09-22

The book is new, just like I ordered it, and it came within a week of my online order. Great job, Amazon!

Another atrocious Aeneid translation by an unpoetical professor.......2007-05-29

I should preface this review by saying that I am fluent in Latin (or at any rate I read it about as easily as I read English or French.)

This particular translation of the Aeneid is the worst I have ever seen. The so-called blank verse is devoid of metre, and amounts to nothing more than prose - very awkward, uninspired prose - artificially chopped up into lines of a more or less constant length. This sort of travesty has been common in English translations of the classics since the 1940's or so, but Fagles adds his own inexpressible sense of bad taste. The result is absurd rubbish.

For the benefit of monolingual anglophones, I observe that Virgil is at least equal to Shakespeare as a poet. As a stylist he is far superior. Does anyone imagine that some professor in say, Egypt, could translate Shakespeare into say, Arabic, in a way that could give Arabs a sense of just how wonderfully beautiful and moving Shakespeare is at his best? Of course not. The only example in English of a great poet being translated into really great English verse is Fitzgerald's Omar Khayyam. And Fitzgerald was a great English poet, not a professor.

In American culture however, only professors get the chance to translate the Greek and Latin classics any more, for only they know the originals well enough to attempt this. Further, English poetry is virtually dead - very few people read poetry, and even fewer have any idea of what poetry is, or how it differs from prose.

The result is the worst possible cultural climate in which to translate a sublime poet like Virgil. The translators are dull professors with no real knowledge of English poetry, no knowledge of metre or rhyme, no knowledge of the resources of English poetry, and certainly no ability to innovate in English poetry without making fools of themselves.

If you really want to gain some idea of the poetical beauty of the Aeneid, don't bother reading any modern translation, or even any of the older translations like Dryden or Gawain Douglas - they are all miserable failures - though not as embarrassingly bad as Fagles. Instead, get an English interlinear of the Aeneid and a Latin grammar, and invest a few years of your spare time in learning Latin.

Or wait for my own translation of the Aeneid....

Terrific translation.......2007-05-13

The original author was great; this translator is superb...as exciting as anything yhou can imagine. Don't get it if you think it will put you to sleep at night.

sound and action.......2007-05-07

Fagles's Aeneid is swift, vivid, and sonorous. With his translations of Homer behind him, Fagles enjoys a surety of reference that allows him--and the reader--to concentrate on the visual and auditory and intellectual action. Fagles gets a lovely running-before-the-wind feel by alternating fourteeners and hexameter, trimming the course with pentameter. Some transitional phrases seem too smooth, as if perhaps Fagles has stolen the ball, and occasionally I missed the poetic precision in the English that more delicate translations e.g. C.Day Lewis's achieve at points. Bernard Knox's introduction is interesting and moving, if hastily written. The glossary of persons/gods and places is useful and ample and in the back of the book where it can be ignored as desired. This reads wonderfully aloud, perhaps 1/2 to 1 book per evening, aloud with friends or family or by yourself. This is delectable action poetry, to take you lands away--to Rome no less.

The Buried Book: The Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh

Average customer rating:

Gilgamesh for Dummies?
Well researched and an interesting read!
The Covers of This Book Are Too Far Apart*
The history of the Gilgamesh tale
Tedious

The Buried Book: The Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh
David Damrosch
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805080295
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

Adventurers, explorers, kings, gods, and goddesses come to life in this riveting story of the first great epic—lost to the world for 2,000 years, and rediscovered in the nineteenth century

Composed by a poet and priest in Middle Babylonia around 1200 bce, The Epic of Gilgamesh foreshadowed later stories that would become as fundamental as any in human history, The Odyssey and the Bible. But in 600 bce, the clay tablets that bore the story were lost—buried beneath ashes and ruins when the library of the wild king Ashurbanipal was sacked in a raid.

The Buried Book begins with the rediscovery of the epic and its deciphering in 1872 by George Smith, a brilliant self-taught linguist who created a sensation when he discovered Gilgamesh among the thousands of tablets in the British Museum’s collection. From there the story goes backward in time, all the way to Gilgamesh himself. Damrosch reveals the story as a literary bridge between East and West: a document lost in Babylonia, discovered by an Iraqi, decoded by an Englishman, and appropriated in novels by both Philip Roth and Saddam Hussein. This is an illuminating, fast-paced tale of history as it was written, stolen, lost, and—after 2,000 years, countless battles, fevered digs, conspiracies, and revelations—finally found.

Customer Reviews:

Gilgamesh for Dummies?.......2007-07-03

This is a strange sort of an introductory book. It is so very general, in fact that I cannot help but feel that with a little more creativity and work it could have become one more title in the For Dummies series. Now, I like those books, they are often quite good for what they are. This poor book cannot seem to figure out just what it is. Part real history and part literary speculation, it has only two of the Ten Parts of a For Dummies title and they are not at all well melded together. The illustrations don't help to advance the tale much either as they are of very poor quality for the most part. If and only if, the person who reads this book goes on to read some of the other books and articles this book cites does this title earn its keep.

Well researched and an interesting read!.......2007-06-11

I really enjoyed reading "The Buried Book". Unlike some other Amazon readers, I felt it was a lot less tedious than actually sifting through sand and transcribing cuneiform. If you're looking for a book about the translation or the process of archaeology, look elsewhere. If you enjoy reading about personalities within a social context and high adventure, this book is for you. The reader also learns a lot about ancient literature within Mesopotamian culture. David Damrosch's research is impressive. Those that like "The Buried Book" might also like Joseph Alexander MacGillivray's "Minotaur".

The Covers of This Book Are Too Far Apart*.......2007-06-05

A fascinating topic for a book is made tedious and annoying by author David Damrosch. Damrosch, a comparative literature teacher, manages to bury a great story under an avalanche of trite comments. The man simply has no idea how to let a story tell itself. He makes the interesting banal. Damrosch burns through forests-worth of paper impressing himself with his own wit, leaving the reader to sift through his academic prose for the 'good parts' version of the Gilgamesh back-story.

For an author who obviously did a lot of research in putting this book together, Damrosch makes a rookie error in stating that Stanley's expedition to find Livingston was funded by the Daily Telegraph: it was the New York Herald that paid his freight.

"The Buried Book" is in dire need of a ghostwriter, someone who can turn the fruits of Damrosch's research into something readable.

*with apologies to Ambrose Bierce, a man who knew how to tell a tale.

The history of the Gilgamesh tale.......2007-05-30

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" is standard fare in college literature, history and religion courses today. The ancient Mesopotamian tale, which has the earliest known version of the Flood Story, has influenced and inspired Mesopotamians (including the ancestors of the early Hebrews) for centuries, along with possibly Greeks and other Mediterranean peoples. However, but for a chance archaeological discovery in the 19th century, the original tale may have been lost forever.

In THE BURIED BOOK, scholar David Damrosch explores the importance of Gilgamesh for the ancient Mesopotamians as well as how it was discovered in the early days of archeology and translated from cuneiform into English by a self-taught linguist.

The journey of the epic from ancient Mesopotamia to the college classroom and beyond is quite extraordinary, and Damrosch does an excellent job presenting the tale. He cleverly tells the story of the "loss and rediscovery" of Gilgamesh backwards, starting with its translation from the clay tablets by George Smith, who worked for the British Museum, in 1872. Without Smith, Gilgamesh and his story most likely would have been ignored or overlooked.

The actual discovery of the Gilgamesh tablets (no one entire copy has survived, and what we read has been pieced together from tablets at various sites) was made by the Iraqi archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam, a figure who bridged the divide between the Occident and the Orient. Despite his success and important discoveries, he was never fully accepted or respected by most of his European counterparts, even after making England his home and years of dedicated service to the British Museum. Both Smith and Rassam are as interesting as their work, and Damrosch nicely weaves in to his book some of their biography.

Before Rassam uncovered the tablets that ultimately contained "The Epic of Gilgamesh," they were buried for centuries. And, if not for an Assyrian king in the 7th century BCE, the tablets may not have survived at all. Ashurbanipal collected religious and secular literary works, in effect creating the world's first library. Ashurbanipal is also a fascinating character, and as THE BURIED BOOK marches backward through time, Ashurbanipal's name is added to the list of important men who preserved the amazing tale of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh himself predates anything written about him, and Damrosch explores the history and legend of this very ancient hero and leader.

After tracing the story of Gilgamesh back as far as possible, Damrosch returns readers to the present. Saddam Hussein rushes to put the finishing touches on his latest novel as American troops close in on him. That he is a novelist may be surprising to some. But at this point in Damrosch's examination, it is not surprising that Hussein would compare himself to Gilgamesh and use the epic as a cultural, national and religious touchstone. But Hussein is not the only one to borrow from or refer to the great epic; writers such as Philip Roth and, more recently, Joan London have done the same. And, as Damrosch also explains, ancient authors most likely have been doing so for well over a thousand years.

THE BURIED BOOK is smart and compelling, as much for the story of the men who preserved the epic as for the story of the buried book itself. It is an academic subject, but Damrosch's exploration is immensely readable for lay people as well. Whether interested in literature or history, culture or religion, readers will find THE BURIED BOOK enjoyable and enlightening. The author has succeeded in making what could have been a stuffy tale totally exciting.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

Tedious.......2007-04-06

I shall be brief: tedious. I should like it, I'm an ex-librarian and ex-archaeologist in Near Eastern Studies and actually studied Akkadian for a year at university. I have held cuneiform tablets, transcribed and translated them. This book is all about the personalities and their conflicted Victorian classism. It is not about the translation, or the process of archaeology.

Dante's Great Adventure: Selected Cantos from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Average customer rating:

Dante's Great Adventure: Selected Cantos from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
Gilda Sbrilla
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595149391

Book Description

In the Divine Comedy Dante Alighieri takes up the theme of the journey which had been present in literature since remote times. But he does not tell of the epic deeds of legendary heroes: it is he himself, the protagonist of this great adventure; a person in flesh and blood, who takes his experience of the world and its history to the world of the dead. The poet’s message of hope is addressed to men of all times, since he with his intelligence and faith had been able to get an insight into the mysteries of the universe and contemplate God’s presence.

Le Petit Prince (French Language Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great philosophy behind it
Amazing.
Magical journey...
Classic in any lanugage
A story for all ages

Le Petit Prince (French Language Edition)
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0156013983

Book Description

In 2000 Harcourt proudly reissued Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's masterpiece, The Little Prince, in a sparkling new format. Newly translated by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Howard, this timeless classic was embraced by critics and readers across the country for its purity and beauty of expression. And Saint-Exupéry's beloved artwork was restored and remastered to present his work in its original and vibrant colors.

Now Harcourt is issuing uniform full-color foreign language editions. The restored artwork glows like never before. These affordable and beautiful editions are sure to delight an entire new generation of readers, students, children, and adults for whom Saint-Exupéry's story will open the door to a new understanding of life.

Customer Reviews:

Great philosophy behind it.......2007-09-28

I half-expected this book to be a children's book but it actually contained philosophical ideals people would often ask themselves in life. Highly recommended

Amazing........2007-08-08

I place this on a par, in it's own way, with Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet.

Deeply meaningful, cloaked in a tale of a child. I read part of it at my mother's funeral. Not that it is a sad story, per se. But there was not a dry eye in the house when I finished.

What it has to say on loving and on loss is absolutely worth more than this book costs and every minute you spend reading it.

Magical journey..........2007-06-13

My first book ever was The little prince. It was my dad's first present on the day I was born. Since then I have read it at least 20 times, and every time I read it it delivers a different message. I think this is a book that will be enjoyed by kids as well as adults. This french version is beautiful, and very similar to the one my dad gave me in spanish. Has the original drawings with nice colors. As someone stated this book can be interpreted in different ways and that's why it's so magical. I consider it one of the best short stories ever. A true masterpice.

Classic in any lanugage.......2007-03-12

I've read this book many times, sometimes in English, sometimes in French. I've read it for pleasure. I've studied it. I've taught it. I love it. The fox's secret is an important lesson for us all and one I appreciate being reminded of. I recommend this book to anyone, it's been translated into over 100 languages. (It's been translated more than any book besides the Bible I've heard.) I love sharing it with people which is why I will teach it as long as I'm teaching and I will read it aloud to my children when I have them.

A story for all ages.......2007-02-01

Although I believe that this book is for everyone young or old, I think that "grown ups" will appreciate it more than kids.

The book has passages that remind the adult of the innocent little kid within.

In a lot of ways, the wisdom in the story comes as somehow a reality check.

In depth the book is about life, relationships (the little prince and the rose), friendships (the little prince and the fox) and human caracteristics...

I have read this story so many times and every time I discover something "new". This book is a work of art!

If you speak French, I recommend the French language edition over the English one.

Morals and Villas in Seneca's Letters: Places to Dwell

Average customer rating:

A Mess

Morals and Villas in Seneca's Letters: Places to Dwell
John Henderson
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521829445

Book Description

John Henderson focuses on three key Letters visiting three Roman villas, and reveals their meaning as designs for contrasting lives. Seneca brings the philosophical epistle to Latin literature, creating models for moralizing which feature self-criticism, parody, and animated revision of myth. The Stoic moralist wrests writing away from Greek gurus and texts, and recasts it into critical thinking in Latin terms, within a Roman context. The Letters embody critical thinking on metaphor and translation, self-transformation and cultural tradition.

Customer Reviews:

A Mess.......2004-08-30

Perhaps it proves I'm easily excited, but I was excited to see a book on Seneca's letters. Unfortunately this book is nothing to get excited about. I don't know if this guy is trying to affect some postmodernist ecriture or is just dotty, but the style makes the book unreadable. But if you do convince yourself to forge on anyway, all you'll get is what seems like breezy lectures notes of someone who probably thinks he's a really hip lecturer. Was the publisher so desperate to put out a book on Seneca that they settled on this? Amazingly disappointing.

Average customer rating:

Classical Myth, Fourth Edition
No longer useful
Doesnt deal with myths' deeper historical origins
Great Composition
Good Place to Start

Classical Myth (5th Edition)
Barry B Powell
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0131962949

Book Description

Comprehensive and scholarly, this well-designed book presents Greek and Roman myths in a lively and easy-to-read manner. It features fresh translations, numerous illustrations (ancient and modern) of classical myths and legends, and commentary that emphasizes the anthropological, historical, religious, sociological, and economic contexts in which the myths were told. This book covers myths of creation, myths of fertility, myths of the Olympians, Heracles, Oedipus, Trojan War, Roman Myth, Odysseus, and more. It also introduces students to classic literary works by Homer, Hesiod, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Ovid. For anyone interested in learning more about the creation and modern interpretation of classical myths.

Customer Reviews:

Classical Myth, Fourth Edition.......2006-11-10

Excellent text. Covers the classical gods and heros, primarily of the Greeks, with a appreciable amount of depth and scope. The text also includes a rather large quantity of primary source information, great for a more complete view of the myth. A little pricey for what is essentially a paperback book due to several sections of colored pictures. On the upside, they are nice pictures.

No longer useful.......2006-03-05

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.

However, as he has progressed through four editions and doubled his price (!), he has become less useful. To his credit, the online materials are good for the novice, and, as I previously mentioned, there is a fair amount of translated primary text. However, his deficits now outweigh his benefits. When Powell summarizes plots of texts in the middle of a longer excerpt, often his interpretation of events occludes what actually happens. As he has progressed through various editions, his own ideas are now more confident in his eyes and some of his more controvertial claims which in the first edition were presented as "some scholars believe [historical situation] may have contributed to [textual effect]" are now presented as "[historical situation] caused [textual effect]." As another reader notes, some of his historical contextualizations are either suspect or absent. Lastly, the cost is prohibitive.

Now that I have learned a fifth edition is soon to be out and my students will no longer be able to purchase used copies, I have declined to order his book for this fall and don't foresee returning to him in the future.

Doesnt deal with myths' deeper historical origins.......2005-03-03

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 earth deities 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.......2004-11-08

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.

Good Place to Start.......2001-05-10

While this book is a good place to start, Powell leaves the impression that myth was developed in an orderly and defined manner. Often, the versions alluded to and used are entirely mainstream and completely neglect other, sometimes more interesting versions. Would certainly like to see more emphasis placed on naming sources in the footnotes to facilitate further research by students. Certainly a good textbook to begin introducing myth with, but to provide an adequate, college level course requires supplementation with many other texts and lengthy discussions on how the text is just one author's interpretation.

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

Average customer rating:

not my type
Well known telling of major "tales of gods and heroes"
If you like greek mythology then buy this book
A good introduction
not bad for required reading

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
Edith Hamilton
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446607258

Customer Reviews:

not my type.......2007-10-09

I thought this book was so boring. I had to force myself to read it. I had to read it for school, i had to end up finding the summary so i wouldn't have to read the rest.I know that its considered a classic, i guess this was seriously not my type of book. I give it 2 stars because it could have been worst.

Well known telling of major "tales of gods and heroes".......2007-08-19

This is a long standing work on mythology. The emphasis is on Greek and Roman tales, with a too brief discussion of Norse mythology. That some of the other reviewers mention it in the same breath as Bulfinch is testimony to the volume's value.

The work features a nice introductory essay to "set up" the discussion of Greek and Roman myths. There is also a rather unsatisfying brief introduction to the underdeveloped section on Norse mythology.

The first part features "The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes." Here, Hamilton examines the array of gods, the stories of creation, and early heroes (such as Prometheus, Europa, and Polyphemus [hero??]). Part Two explores "Stories of Love and Adventure." In this segment, Hamilton considers Cupid and Psyche, and a series of tales of love (e.g., Pyramus and Thisbe, Orpheus and Eurydice, and so on). Also, the story of the Golden Fleece is retold.

Part Three summarizes "The Great Heroes before the Trojan War," including renderings of Perseus, Theseus, and the great Hercules. Part Four, as one might have anticipated, looks at "The Heroes of the Trojan War." Hamilton spends time on a number of figures and stories, such as Paris, the fall of Troy, Odysseus' post-Troy adventures, and the travails of Aeneas.

Part Five considers "Great Families of Mythology," such as the Houses of Atreus (think Agamemnon and Iphigenia), Thebes (Cadmus, Oedipus, Antigone), and Athens. Hamilton then moves to Part Six, where she summarizes the stories of "The Less Important Myths," including Midas, Glaucus and Scylla, inter alia.

Part Seven, as already noted, is a too brief coverage of "The Mythology of the Norsemen."

And, finally, a wonderfully helpful genealogy at the end (e.g., Ancestors of Perseus and Hercules, the House of Troy, and so on).

This is well written and shows considerable erudition. There are some problems in coverage as noted, but, in the end, this is still a welcome volume.

If you like greek mythology then buy this book.......2007-08-16

I read this book of my own free will. this book is quite amazing,the detail and research she puts in is astounding. i am the kind of person to always take notes on the books i read and the extensive index she has is incredibly useful.
some people that have read this say its dry and boring, i read a lot of books and from my experience there are a lot dryer authors, and to really be a book of information, you can't expect it to be the most attention grabbing book of all time.
any way, if greek mythology is an interest of yours you will love this book.

A good introduction.......2007-06-26

I first read this book in sixth grade, and instantly fell in love with it. I loved the concept of mythology and loved how the book was written. I didn't find the boring aspects everyone else seemed to find. I devoured the book whole, and now, years later, I bought it. I was curious to see if the magic would hit me twice.

It did, in a sense. I vaguely remembered the stories, so the aspect of surprise and shock in some of the stories was ruined for me. Granted, when I first read it I was very young, but there were still some things that were more enjoyable to read the first time. Since then, I've moved onto other classic mythology books, and have found them to be very enjoyable too.

It is true, yes, that Edith Hamilton writes well, but overall the book is dry. It is true that this is a mere introduction and does not present us with every tale in the history of various mythologies (the Norse mythology section is pitifully short - I'd turn elsewhere for that). Overall, though, it's an enjoyable introduction, an easy read (if you can deal with the dryness), and an overall good book. It's convenient on the shelf and can serve you for many years to come.

A pretty good buy, but more serious readers should head towards more serious books, even if they'll be more difficult to read.

not bad for required reading.......2006-08-13

I had to read this book for humanities 9 in high school and its really good, especially for a required reading. The way the story is explained is excelled and easy to follow, except that i am horroble with names, especially forign ones so of course i had troube following, but if you can catch on to the names, you will have an enjoyable read

Approaches to Peace: A Reader in Peace Studies

Average customer rating:

One of the best, but still falls a bit short

Approaches to Peace: A Reader in Peace Studies

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195123867

Book Description

Approaches to Peace provides a unique and interdisciplinary sampling of classic articles and short literary selections focusing on the diverse aspects of peace and conflict studies. Readings cover the causes of war and proposed means of preventing it, so called negative peace, and also reflect upon the universal concern for positive peace. The material examines nonviolence movements, peace movements, religious inspirations, and our future prospects for peace. Contributors include Johan Galtung, Kenneth Boulding, Elise Boulding, and Alva Mydral. Contemporary pieces by Jonathan Schell, Richard Falk, Betty Reardon, and Vaclav Havel, and timeless classics from Leo Tolstoy, the Bhagavad Gita, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and Thoreau are included as well. The book's balanced and unbiased approach makes it easily adaptable to both general discussions of peace and conflict as well as the rapidly changing issues of the moment. Approaches to Peace is able to stand on its own as a foundation text in any introductory peace studies course. It is also compact enough to use as a supplement with more specialized readings, allowing instructors to assign additional readings consistent with their own particular orientation. Each selection is prefaced by a short introduction highlighting the author's background, the work's historical context, and the selection's significance in terms of the "big picture." Study questions and a list of suggested readings at the end of each selection also provide a useful resource for students.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best, but still falls a bit short.......2004-03-25

I've used David Barash's _Approaches to Peace_ several times in my college classes on peace and justice. This is unusual in itself, because I rarely use anthologies, preferring instead to go straight to the original sources themselves. I like Barash's approach, though, because it tries to be inclusive as possible.

The anthology begins by looking at the definitions and possible causes of war, moves on to analyses of how to prevent war (negative peace), then to considerations of how to create structures of justice that eliminate the necessary conditions for war (positive peace). The rest of the book is devoted to readings that discuss nonviolence, religious pacifism, and historical peace movements. All of these general categories are exactly what one would want in a "peace studies" text.

The problem is that the readings included in each category aren't always the best (or at least aren't the ones I would've selected). The single best two sets of readings are in the chapters on positive peace and nonviolence. The single worst (and I do mean *worst*!) set of readings are when Barash deals with religious pacifism (it's as if he feels uncomfortable in this arena). In the section on peace movements, Vaclav Havel's essay is the single best piece, but one wonders why it (and perhaps the entire chapter) doesn't serve as the prologue to the anthology.

Still, no anthology perfectly pleases everyone. Barash's is the best one out there I've discovered. Perhaps some changes will be made in a second edition. Regardless, I highly recommend this book.

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A must-have for deciding on your must-haves

An easy guide to serious reading

Poor imitation of Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book.

The practical answer to "test linked education."

You'll enjoy reading even more when you learn how to do it!

The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had
Susan Wise Bauer
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, Revised and Updated Edition

The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric

How to Read a Book (A Touchstone Book)

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0393050947

Book Description

An engaging, accessible guide to educating yourself in the classical tradition.

Surrounded by more books than ever, readers today are frequently daunted by the classics they have left unread. The Well-Educated Mind, debunking our own inferiority complexes, is a wonderful resource for anyone wishing to explore and develop the mind's capacity to read and comprehend the "greatest hits" in fiction, autobiography, history, poetry, and drama.

Far from tossing readers into the swarming sea of classics and demanding that they swim, this book offers brief, entertaining histories of five literary genres, accompanied by detailed instructions on how to read each type. The annotated lists at the close of each chapter—ranging from Cervantes to A. S. Byatt, Herodotus to Paul Gilroy—preview recommended reading and encourage readers to make vital connections between ancient traditions and contemporary writing.

Based on the same classical method as Bauer's terrifically successful The Well-Trained Mind, The Well-Educated Mind provides not only a thorough grounding in the classics but also a widely applicable foundation for self-education.

Customer Reviews:

A must-have for deciding on your must-haves.......2007-09-08

As I went through the gambit of education all the way through my current PhD program, I read books to grasp the bare bones of what I would be tested on or what I would be required to reguritate into a scientific thesis.
Not only this book challenge and change the way I have been reading, it also gave me the tools to actually enjoy reading again.
I heartily recommend this book partnered with "1001 Books you Must Read Before You Die." If each book only takes you a week to read, then the entire list should only take you a little over 20 years.
Ready? Go!

An easy guide to serious reading.......2007-05-23

Many, many years out of college I felt my mind atrophying and decided to start a "serious" reading program, similar to the old "summer reading" that used to be done by high-school and college students. I picked up this book to use as a I guide.

Yes, many of the techniques Susan Wise Bauer talks about in the opening chapters are ones that many readers will have picked up along the way. But even experienced readers may find her suggestions of keeping a "commonplace book" or reading journal helpful and brief background explanations of the various literary genres helpful.

The very structured approach to notekeeping and journaling will probably not sit well with every reader. (I don't plan to follow all of her suggestions myself.) And many people will surely debate about the choices included on the reading lists. But Bauer is very firm about taking a book and making it your own, so disregard suggestions that don't work for you. And as she admits, no one reading list will be considered canonical by everyone. In fact, Bauer encourages the reader to use her lists as a "jumping off" point.

All in all, I think any reader who is serious about reading the great "classics" can find something in this book to help with that process.

Poor imitation of Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book. .......2007-05-20

I read this book and learned nothing new at all. The book should be entitled: A brief overview of the simpler points of Mortimer Adler's "How to Read a Book".

The Well-Educated Mind quotes extensively from the Adler's book.
However except for the lengthy passages quoted from Adler it is not written using language that comes anywhere near to the elevated style that is a joy to read and makes the reader privy to the great mind that participated in the compilation of the "Great Books" series.

The Well-Educated mind attempts to make the ideas raised by Adler accessible by communicating a few of the ideas in the simplest of prose.
Save yourself the trouble and go to the source I say. Read Mortimer Adler!!

I even found the test that Mrs. Bauer uses to allow the reader to take stock of his reading level to be demeaning. Not only was it overly simple, but dangerous, because many of those who then embark on reading the great classics recommended by Mrs. Bauer will be ill prepared for the change in style and level of sophistication in the ideas presented.

The practical answer to "test linked education.".......2006-12-30

This books is teaches the kind of logic that I thought was lost in educational theory; finally some common sense! I was a teacher and am now planning to homeschool my grandchildren. My daughter and I have been more and more concerned about the state test-oriented text books that my grandson has been studying. This book and The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home bring order and sense to the purpose of education. Both books echo the direction and focus of the education I received in parochial school and treat the subject with logic and clarity. They both deal with an orderly development of the mind and leave me feeling confident in the program we are developing for my grandchildren based on these books. The author has a sound and orderly approach to education whether it is for a grandmother like me who never wants to stop learning or the developing mind of a child.

You'll enjoy reading even more when you learn how to do it!.......2006-12-14

I've checked this out from the library, -a few times because I want to really learn the techniques that are presented here. Its a good sized book and there is a lot of excellent information to get in your brain. I have this on my wish list to buy now because it's so good, and I want to be able to take more time with it, -to study and absorb it!

The reason I want to spend more time with this is because not only do I love to read, I also enjoy doing book reviews, and I think this book is an important tool to help me to become better at both! This is a book that will have a permanent spot in my collection because I want to have it available for my school-aged daughters as well.

SUPER book here! I can't wait to get my own copy!

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The Odyssey (Puffin Classics)
The Odyssey puffin classics
The Odyssey review
One eyed monsters- Oh My!
This isn't The Odyssey

The Odyssey (Puffin Classics)
Homer , and Geraldine McCaughrean
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140383093

Book Description

Odysseus turned his eyes from the still-smoking ruins of Troy and thought of home. But the journey would be long to the three-island kingdom of Ithaca, and there would be many dangers to overcome--the Lotus-eaters and the cloying nectar of their deadly fruit; the hungry one-eyed giant
Polyphemus; the stormy wrath of the vengeful sea-god Poseidon; Circe, the beautiful sorceress who turned men into pigs; the terrors of the whirlpool Charybdis and the six-headed sea monster, Scylla; and the descent to the kingdom of Hades, god of the dead--until bright morning he arrived back, alone
and exhausted, to face the hundred fierce suitors of his faithful wife, Penelope.
In this retelling, Geraldine McCaughrean's lively and original style is complemented by Victor Ambrus's brilliant recreations of the ancient world and its monsters and gods. Young people will enjoy the fast-paced and contemporary text, gain an introduction to Homer's classic story, and gain a
foundation for further studies in history and literature that will serve them well into their adult lives.

Customer Reviews:

The Odyssey (Puffin Classics).......2007-05-15

Exactly as promised! Arrived in a timely manner, as well

The Odyssey puffin classics.......2007-01-13

The book was requested for my son who is in high school. It was an assignment for his english class. The shipping cost almost as much as the book. The book was easy reading and detailed the classic so that he understood the story.

The Odyssey review.......2006-08-22

this book was for a 11year old girl who was doing a school summer project. She loved the book, the simplicity of the story and had her project completed in two days

One eyed monsters- Oh My!.......2006-07-27

My daughter is 5 and will be in Kindergarten this fall. (she turns 6 this November) and she loves this tale. We read almost a full chapter, some are very long for a five year old, every night. The next day, oh yes, I am mean Cyclops, a Lotus Eater, etc. and she is brave Odysseus.(who is part super hero as she ties a towel around her neck! Since she is five and we are Christians I didn't tell her they were "gods" as it would take way more explanation than her dad and I wanted to get into. She first saw a picture of Posieden and thought he was a monster so we went with that. When she's older, we'll get into the Greek god mythology. I do change some of the wording, but not much, as it can get tedious for one so young. Highly recommend it.

This isn't The Odyssey.......2006-03-22

This is a rewritten version of The Odyssey aimed at kids, not the orginal version written by Homer. Don't buy this unless you want the version written for 10 year olds.

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