<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: High Brow to a Fault
Review: Cyril Robinson was clearly a gifted and scholarly historian with a prodigious vocabulary and complete command of the English language. Unfortunately, not all the world's readers share those abilities. The result is a rambling tome targeted at academicians, not the masses. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that, but why do it? Greek history is a rich tale full of important lessons on the development of our own democratic society. It should be available to the layman. Robinson, however, chose to saturate his bloated prose with an overabundance of "henceforths" and "hithertos," using long multi-clause sentences that force the reader to reread passage after passage in a constant struggle for comprehension and retention. The sheer number of dates and difficult names of people and places are hard enough to follow without adding puffy, upper-crust verbiage.Well-educated readers--especially those with some background knowledge of the subject, will probably enjoy this impressive book. But for the average reader just looking to tone up on the basics of Greek history, this is going to be a yawner. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.
Rating: 
Summary: I liked this book so much I recorded it.
Review: I wrote an Amazon review for Professor Robinson's book, History of Greece, back in 1997. I still consider it to be one of the most entertaining histories I have ever come across. In fact, I liked it so much, I recorded it. It's a book worthy to be read, (and heard) over and over.
Rating:
Summary: A beautifully written, inspiring account of ancient Greece.
Review: Seldom has the dry dust of ancient history been more beautifully brought to life than in this volume describing the rise and fall of the Greek city state. This sweeping account will carry you along by the sheer force of its moral and spiritual energy. At times you simply stop to reread passages that are so achingly wonderful, you can't help but keep reading. If you're the kind of person who appreciates an author who has mastered the English language, this book is for you...even if you hate history.
Rating:
Summary: A beautifully written, inspiring account of ancient Greece.
Review: Seldom has the dry dust of ancient history been more beautifully brought to life than in this volume describing the rise and fall of the Greek city state. This sweeping account will carry you along by the sheer force of its moral and spiritual energy. At times you simply stop to reread passages that are so achingly wonderful, you can't help but keep reading. If you're the kind of person who appreciates an author who has mastered the English language, this book is for you...even if you hate history.
Rating:
Summary: An audio Odyssey of the first rank
Review: When I first became aware of this book many years ago, I passed up the chance to read it because I thought it was going to be a bit too scholarly. That was a bad mistake. About a year ago a friend of mine who downloads audiobooks from Audible let me listen to a portion of this history. I was so hooked I decided to buy the cassette version. This narration is far and away the best history I have ever heard in a recorded form. Contrary to one of the reviewers, I take strong exception to the assertion that Robinson's language is difficult. He writes beautifully. If you're just not up to good English standards...too bad. This is a marvellously narrated piece of ancient history that will live forever and should definitely have a place on the shelf of any amateur historian who values honest writing and clear thinking. I am thankful I came across this great work.
<< 1 >>
| 
