The Genius of Alexander the Great

Rating:
Summary: Well-Detailed, Highly Entertaining And Informative.
Review: "The Genius Of Alexander The Great" manages to do what all great history books do in that it doesn't feel like a boring lecture. On the contrary, this is an exciting, involving tale of adventure, history and conquest framed around a brilliant historical figure and his unique intellect and personality. N.G.L. Hammond is not only a good historian but an excellent writer and he successfully transports us to a time long ago when world leaders followed omens from gods in Olympus and set out to take over the world. Hammond gives us a tour through the Greek culture of the times, the social divisions and paints in wonderful detail the battles and events of Alexander's campaign from Macedonia to Asia through Egypt and India. The book also has a cast of intriguing characters aside from Alexander, there's his wild mother Olympias and the Persian king Darius who becomes almost the main villain when Alexander embarks on a campaign to liberate conquered nations from oppressive Persian rule. So many countries are visited and Hammond never fails to still include bits of philosophy, mythology and entertaining biography into the text. From Dionysian cults to Indian war elephants, it's all here. It's a good refresher course for anyone trying to prepare themselves for Oliver Stone's upcoming film "Alexander." In the end what we get is a brilliant tale of a man who set out to explore and civilize the world, becoming of the most memorable historical figures the world has ever known.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: Excellent insight is provided by Mr. Hammond. Alexander's war campaigns and crusades are explained here in detail.This is indeed,an excellent book for people who are into military history,and out of the half a dozen books I have read about Alexander,I'd place this in first place.Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Well-Detailed, Highly Entertaining And Informative.
Review: Few figures in the history of the world have attained the mythical status and timeless quality of Alexander The Great. The man and myth continue to fuel the imagination of every new generation. This is no surprise when one reads about the man's achievements and how they changed the world. The lore of the story relies in the classic, epic sense of adventure that courses through it, it is a tale that takes us through various cultures, characters and to the stretches of the known world. N.G.L. Hammond is clearly an admirer of Alexander and tells his story here with the flare of homage and reverence. "The Genius Of Alexander The Great" gives us a story of boldness and the quest for knowledge and truth. Alexander comes off as a highly intelligent, cultured commander who embarks on a quest to defeat a mammoth Persian empire and bring Greek culture into the civilisations of Asia and beyond and to also introduce their cultures to the Greeks and Macedonians. Hammond describes in great detail the battles Alexander wins against Persian king Darius, who is ruler of the world before the Macedonian king steps ashore. The book is also a fascinating exploration of Greek history, taking us deep into the cultural traditions and aspects of Alexander's world. One realizes you cannot judge Alexander by the standards of our time, this is one figure that demands to be judged by the standards of his own time and era. If one takes the book to heart with careful attention, you realize what sets Alexander apart from conquerors like Caesar, Napoleon and Hannibal is that his goal was simply to achieve a sort of greatness in the style of Achilles ("The Iiliad" was a constant companion during the Asiatic campaign). Hammond's book is also a wonderful gallery of characters. The most memorable aside from Alexander would have to be his free-spirited mother Olympias, who here is depicted dancing wildly in Dionysian cults, handling snakes and indulging herself in orgiastic rituals such as the "Bacchae." There is also Alexander's talented, brilliant father Philip, the philosopher Aristotle and others. It's evident that Alexander lived in special times for the history of civilisation and he was simply there to add his mark. And Hammond writes it all with a novelistic style that engrosses the reader and transports you there clearly and vividly. From Macedonia and Persia to Egypt and India, Hammond takes us on a journey to understand how there are daring, epic moments in history that live on forever. A wonderful read and memorable book.

Rating:
Summary: An insightful book on a military genius
Review: Hammond's book is the first book I have read on Alexander and I think it is a great book to read if you know at least some detail about Alexander. From his early day's with Philip to Alexander's brilliant conquest of Persia to his early death, this book is absolutely great. The book is fairly brief, but it incorporates good research. The reader can hardly imagine how such a young figure could conquer the greatest and largest empire in the world up to that time. I have no doubt that Alexander was one of the greatest military figures in world history.

Rating:
Summary: Go watch TV
Review: IT STINKS. This was the most boring and worst book I have ever pained myself to read. Don't get me wrong, Al is a gret guy. I knew him personally, but this bio just didn't do him justice. Save yourself the headache: don't read it.

Rating:
Summary: Good Study of Alexander
Review: Mr. Hammond's study of the campaigns and generalship of Alexander is a insightful look at perhaps the greatest General in world history. What is most interesting is that the book does not necessarily focus on the specific battles of Alexander, but on Alexander as a general. In a very real way, his accomplishment as a general are greater than his conquest of Persia.

The book does discuss the battles of Alexander and describes what happened and why it happened. Hammond does a good job of putting the reader in the head of Alexander.

The book is well written and maps help explain what is going on. For those who are interested in Alexander or how he accomplished so much so quickly, this book is a must.

Rating:
Summary: The Non-historian's View
Review: This book, although mainly intended to explain Alexander the Great's political system and success, also haas a great amount of information to offer on the most brilliant military campaigns of all time. Anyone interested in an amateur understanding of battles, not to mention polytheism and Macedonian social code, would find this book a vast ocean of useful facts.

Rating:
Summary: Great book on a great historical figure.
Review: This is the last book written by Prof. Hammond on ATG and it really is a nice piece of work. Some people may claim that he tends to over-glorify Alexander but I don't believe so. His analysis is very balanced and his criticism is not based on 20th Century values and ideals, which is a problem with other authors on the same subject.

If you're looking for a good book on Alexander the Great, do start here.