Alexander the Great (The Norton Library)

Rating:
Summary: A very good start...
Review: A very good start for the college student who is interested in learning more than myths about Alexander and the world he was born into. Not a psychological portrait but straight history, in the old style [it was first published in 1931]. It should be balanced with other works if one wants a full portrait of Alexander. It can be dense at times but it's rewarding.

Rating:
Summary: A good general introduction to Alexander.
Review: I have read a number of books on Alexander the Great and finally decided to read Wilcken's biography on Alexander since it is cited in so many other works. While the book covers all the high points and is generally favorable in its treatment and view of Alexander, it fails to give any real detail about the man, his life or his military exploits. If you know little of Alexander you will find the highpoints here. If you are looking for something new, the only information that I had not seen before was the author's speculation about Alexander's future plans; and the author's discussion of the legacy of Alexander. There is an interesting discussion in the introduction about earlier Alexander biographies.