Rating: 
Summary: Terrific
Review: For someone reading their first book about Alexander the Great, I found this work easy to digest and comprehensive. Green's fluid writing style makes this a "quick read", while covering enough detail to make you appreciate the accomplishments of AG. This is much more than a detailed history of AG's military accomplishments, and helps to understand AG as a person, both good and bad.
Rating:
Summary: A compelling read
Review: A terrific overview of Alexander the Great, his times, accomplishments and motivations. Extremely well-written, and fluid in its presentation of the personalities that impacted The Great's accomplishments. Concise and understandable discussions of The Great's military accomplishments. This will certainly leave you thirsting for more on this controversial figure.
Rating: 
Summary: The "Real" Alexander?
Review: Peter Green writes in his book an in-depth analysis of Alexander the Great's rise to power and conquests against the Persian Empire. What should be mentioned more by the other reviewers is that this has a revisionist flavor. No more is the romantic version of the Macedonian portrayed, but rather a lucid account of a brilliant general who knew how to manipulate everything around him. The book is riddled with tales of heavy propaganda and errors covered up by the young impetuous general(see the Appendix for a new account of the battle of the Granicus river). If one wants a fully rounded knowledge of Alexander, and more food for thought on a two-thousand year old story, then Green is where you want to be. If, like me, the romanticism of the greatest general in history is more appealing, then stay away. In short, this is book that goes far to make the legend of Alexander into a story about a flawed, but brilliant, warrior.
Rating:
Summary: What do you expect? It's a history book!
Review: I bought this looking for one source on Alexander the Great, basically from birth to death, that's it. It was written in a format that makes sense, chronologically. You have no need to flip back and forth too much, except to remember who specific people are. There's also an index in case you get too lost. It doesn't go too much into specifics, but has enough about events to give you a taste in which to research further. There are battle diagrams to help explain some of the more important battles. Also great are the little "romances" or stories that may or may not be true, such as: 1) The instance of Darius' dying words that leave the Persian Empire to Alexander.
2) Alexander's response to Parmenio about accepting an early truce from the Persians.
Rating:
Summary: The most In-depth, historical biograpghy on Alexander
Review: Peter Green's seminal Biography is a profound study of one history's most controversial figures, ALEXANDER THE GREAT. In his work the Mythical character is stripped of all his embellishments, adornments, and legends, and in the end, a complex, often contradictory portrait of a truly unique man emerges; that of Alexander of Macedon. Green strives to understand the political, psychological and physical desires that drove Alexander to conquer the known world. In the end, the Alexander who materializes is shown in all his cruelty, barbarism, and ruthlessness, and yet Green never denies his more noble attributes: his undying loyalty, limitless courage, kindness toward women, enduring friendships and a military genius who has never been surpassed. Green's most revolutionary idea is regarding Alexander's sexuality. A topic that has stirred much debate in recent decades. It turns out, much to the disappoint of many, Alexander's sexuality does not fit into any of the cultural norms of our own time. Surprisingly, the man seemed to have some sort of a distaste or revulsion toward all sexual desires. He had his fare share of beautiful mistress, both female and male including, perhaps fathering several illegitimate children. However, probably due to the oedipal fixations of his mother, in his short lifetime there are no great love stories to speak of. His deep friendship with Hephaestion was just that, a friendship, and the mourning at his death, the signs of a man losing his sanity, while his conspirators closed in on him from all sides and brought about his downfall. Elegant, precise, and thourally fascinating, Green's biography is the closest we will ever come to understanding, perhaps, Western Civilization's most influential figure.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read! Great details and insights
Review: This was an excellent read. I really enjoyed the treatment of anchient history given here by Mr. Green. Although, at times I found his writing style a bit thick, he does keep the story moving as Alexander thunders across the known world. He keeps things balanced and, although praising Alexander's political and military skills, doesn't leave out all the people he crushed in the process. Green provides details in Alexander's military movements and how he learned them. He provides stories of Alexander's mercy, and his brutal slaughters. I learned a lot more about Alexander's father here (and his importance) than from other sources. I also learned a lot more about some of Alexander's closest advisors including the one's he betrays... An excellent and well presented story.
Rating:
Summary: Alexander lives and reigns!
Review: This is great historical writing. Professor Green gives us the real Alexander, warts and all. Alexander is such a mythic figure, it seems as if he could never have existed. But Professor Green pulls the humanity (both good and bad) out of the legend. I must admit I admire Alexander in a way that shames me. He was a megalomaniacal butcher. Alexander wanted to conquer all the peoples of his time. He turned himself into a god and demanded to be worshipped as one but he had this amazing charisma, and drive. He willed himself and others to achieve what was thought to be impossible. Alexander's mere presence invigorated his men and forced them to endure terrible hardships. If you are at all interested in Alexander, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: requires much, gives even more
Review: What really shocked me when I read this book for the first time twenty years ago in my Polish home at the age of twelve was the passion. Now, twenty years later I'm still under the Green's spell. I had known this book almost by heart in polish translation, and I read it several times after I had bought an original. Green has that uncommon magical ability to write. He gives us a picture of certain epoch. He doesn't let us judge persons he's presented us (nor he does) - and that's really amazing. What he gives is a story of Macedonia, Greece, Persia in IVth century BC - and their's people. It's not for beginners - and You should know a few facts already (not only about Greece, for example about I World War as well). I was too young to understand all (during first reading), but this book had lighted my curiosity. Or had given a fuel - it doesn't matter.
I love when Green says: "Remember, there are not only Athen and Sparta in Greece". I don't like many things our ancestors did in the past. Green has write that he wants to show us "the real Alexander" - more human. In my opinion he does it perfectly.
You shouldn't read this book if You are under a spell of Tarn, but if You do believe in "brotherhood of man" You should go to North Korea. Totalitarism destroys that believe perfectly. People can make easily Orwell's vision (1984) on earth - that book sounds like a prophecy to me - but they never make a paradise. There were no single person in history who did had power and did made good. Tarn thought he'd found one. Green's proved that was a mistake.
Now in one satement: It is worth reading (in my opinion the best biography ever written), but not as a single book about Alexander III and his times.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent !
Review: I am no history professor but I have always had an interest on this subject. Alexanders exploits are quoted in so many other capaigns after his death I thought it would be great to learn about him as well. The book is hard to put down and spends quite a bit of time on Phillip his father another interesting figure. I encourage anyone to read this who is inclined towards military conqusets /historical figures etc.
Rating:
Summary: Evokes ambivalent feelings that are difficult to describe
Review: Truly, Alexander of Macedon is one of the most distinguished and remarkable figures in Classical Greek history, and arguably the most brilliant field commander in human history. Tall words you say? Read this biography. His nearly spotless military record is unsurpassed by any man to my immediate recollection, and the ingenuity (often against insurmountable odds) with which he defeated his countless opponents is jaw-dropping. And while you read, there will also be times where you are appalled by the man's incredible brutality. He is totally ruthless, particularly towards enemies who prove difficult to overcome. Rape, indiscriminate slaughter - genocide, really - is a pervasive element of Alexander's infamous campaign. And, as most are familiar, the very very "gay" element of that ancient culture. So we have a manly man, extremely strong, brave, brilliant, and at the same time quite homosexual and brutal. I don't think there is a schizophrenic personality at work - but the combination is, you have to admit, really remarkable. Peter Green blends everything together in such an objective and even periodically amusing way that you are allowed to make your own conclusions concerning the man behind this epic conquest. He is one of the most fascinating and, due to the era, most mysterious men to have ever lived. Green give you just about everything that you can ask for - enjoy it.
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