Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding Introduction to the Great Library
Review: Almost certainly, no other ancient institution has caught the modern imagination so much as has The Library of Alexandria. Begun around 300BC, this remarkable establishment became _the_ center of learning and scholarship in the Mediterranean world for hundreds of years thereafter. Our debt to the great library is incalculable; to it we owe the Septuagint (the Greek translations of the Old Testament), the standardization of Homer and Hesiod to their final forms, and the survival of the great Greek thinkers (Plato, Aristotle) to modern times. The beginnings of modern thought -- science, philosophy, mathematics, medicine -- can all be traced to this unique collection and the people who were a part of its scholarly society. It was the home to writers and thinkers that we are familiar with (Polybius, Appollonius Rhodius) and to far more that we are not but should (Theophrastus, Neleus). And its demise ranks as one of the greatest tragedies in Western history.In The Vanished Library, Luciano Ganfora (translated here by Martin Ryle) gives a popular account of the history of the Library, from its founding and shadowy beginnings, all the way up to its decline and destruction centuries later. But what makes this book interesting is that Ganfora resists the temptation to slip into the academic spouting of facts, figures, and theories at every opportunity. Rather, his aim is to not only show the reader the library, but to give one a feel for what it was like to _be_ there, to work among the thousands of scrolls, and to live the life of the ancient Greek scholar. His research is grounded firmly in the original sources, many of which he discusses at length in the book's appendix and several of which he quotes at length. The book sometime feels like a novel, because Ganfora frequently adopts a storyteller's tone in order to illustrate some aspect he wishes us to explore. Occasionally, Ganfora also digresses into some of the more controversial areas of the Library's history; he argues, for instance, that Caesar's sacking of Alexandria during the Roman Civil Wars did not destroy the library as many scholars insist, but rather destroyed an annex that was used to house finished scrolls meant for export across the Mediterranean (the Library being also a major source for the dissemination of literary works across the known world). But none of this detracts from the book itself. It does a very good job of introducing one to the subject of the Library and what we know about it, and makes for a rather delightful read along the way. This is not to say that this is the best introductory book on the subject out there; in my opinion, that would have to go to Derek Adie Flower's The Shores of Wisdom. Ganfora does skip over whole areas of the Library's history that Flower does not, and goes more in depth than Ganfora on some of the academic arguments surrounding such subjects as the Library's demise and its impact on Western culture. But Ganfora's book is easier to read for the layperson, and shorter -- one could read it cover-to-cover in literally a single sitting. And I think Ganfora does a better job of evoking the sense of just what the Library was like than Flower. For this reason I would recommend this book _along with_ The Shores of Wisdom; both work as complementary pieces, with the short comings of the one made up in the other.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Introduction to the Great Library
Review: Almost certainly, no other ancient institution has caught the modern imagination so much as has The Library of Alexandria. Begun around 300BC, this remarkable establishment became _the_ center of learning and scholarship in the Mediterranean world for hundreds of years thereafter. Our debt to the great library is incalculable; to it we owe the Septuagint (the Greek translations of the Old Testament), the standardization of Homer and Hesiod to their final forms, and the survival of the great Greek thinkers (Plato, Aristotle) to modern times. The beginnings of modern thought -- science, philosophy, mathematics, medicine -- can all be traced to this unique collection and the people who were a part of its scholarly society. It was the home to writers and thinkers that we are familiar with (Polybius, Appollonius Rhodius) and to far more that we are not but should (Theophrastus, Neleus). And its demise ranks as one of the greatest tragedies in Western history. In The Vanished Library, Luciano Ganfora (translated here by Martin Ryle) gives a popular account of the history of the Library, from its founding and shadowy beginnings, all the way up to its decline and destruction centuries later. But what makes this book interesting is that Ganfora resists the temptation to slip into the academic spouting of facts, figures, and theories at every opportunity. Rather, his aim is to not only show the reader the library, but to give one a feel for what it was like to _be_ there, to work among the thousands of scrolls, and to live the life of the ancient Greek scholar. His research is grounded firmly in the original sources, many of which he discusses at length in the book's appendix and several of which he quotes at length. The book sometime feels like a novel, because Ganfora frequently adopts a storyteller's tone in order to illustrate some aspect he wishes us to explore. Occasionally, Ganfora also digresses into some of the more controversial areas of the Library's history; he argues, for instance, that Caesar's sacking of Alexandria during the Roman Civil Wars did not destroy the library as many scholars insist, but rather destroyed an annex that was used to house finished scrolls meant for export across the Mediterranean (the Library being also a major source for the dissemination of literary works across the known world). But none of this detracts from the book itself. It does a very good job of introducing one to the subject of the Library and what we know about it, and makes for a rather delightful read along the way. This is not to say that this is the best introductory book on the subject out there; in my opinion, that would have to go to Derek Adie Flower's The Shores of Wisdom. Ganfora does skip over whole areas of the Library's history that Flower does not, and goes more in depth than Ganfora on some of the academic arguments surrounding such subjects as the Library's demise and its impact on Western culture. But Ganfora's book is easier to read for the layperson, and shorter -- one could read it cover-to-cover in literally a single sitting. And I think Ganfora does a better job of evoking the sense of just what the Library was like than Flower. For this reason I would recommend this book _along with_ The Shores of Wisdom; both work as complementary pieces, with the short comings of the one made up in the other.
Rating: 
Summary: A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Review: From the beginning of this book, we are treated to historical references [in order of their occurrance] to the famous Library at Alexandria, with an eye toward clearing up the fundamental mysteries surrounding it: where was the Library located? What was its place in ancient culture? And, finally, when and how many times was it really destroyed? An enjoyable and profound read, part history, part mystery; a refreshing change from the dry texts of collegiate studies. A book that engages the imagination as well as the intellect. An excellent piece of detective work. I loved it.
Rating: 
Summary: Frustrating blather
Review: Huh? This impressionistic survey is fact-lite and babble heavy. Skipping thither and hither through the daisies of ancient history and literature Canfora name-drops just about every janitor who ever swept a hallway nearby the library, but finds that mention of the librarians, the straight-up rise and fall of the library and its significance in the history of culture, canon and human reason is too simplistic for him to bother discussing. What a waste. One hopes that a book on the library could be more than a glorified encyclopedia entry, but perhaps less than this, a strange unfulfilling "epic poem" of disconnected and boring oblique references to the great bibliotek.
Rating:
Summary: One thousand years as a temple of learning and wisdom
Review: I found this book both informative, as well as, a joy to read. That is because most of it reads more like a novel than a formal academic study. This is done to put the reader into the overall cultural mindset of Alexandria and the library at various points in it's almost 1000 year history. Having done my own research on this topic in college I can vouch for the accuracy and completeness of the author's research. The truth is that there is very little surviving hard data about this institution (and absolutely no surviving archeological evidence.) There is however an original revelation that the layout of the Museum may very well have imitated that of the Ramesseum at Thebes. This is due to the fact that the Greek rulers of the Ptolemaic period adhered closely to classical Egyptian forms- at least in a superficial and material manner. This book clears up some popular misconceptions. First of all, there was no "library" as a separate institution or structure. It was always an inseparable part of the overall Museum. Secondly, the Museum was in no sense a secular institution. It was truly a temple to the Muses, and Holy Wisdom, with sacred functions. Even under Roman control it continued to be administered by a priest. Finally, it would seem that the Romans had nothing to do with the burning of the Museum, indeed there was no damage during the Roman conquest. The greatest damage is shown to have been done in late antiquity at the hands of Christian fanatics- like so many simular of cases of the mindless destruction of our classical heritage.
Rating:
Summary: Jumpy but Fascinating
Review: I honestly enjoyed this book. At first it seems quite disjointed and jumpy, more a series of random anecdotes than any sort of linear history. However, it builds as it goes along. The anecdotes become engrossing and amusing, and eventually a lot of it fits together to make some important points. It refutes the idea that the library was burned by Caesar, or that it even contained its original collection by the time it was burned by conquering Moslems. It also gives a picture of how and where the library was housed within the palace walls, which has often been a subject of confusion. The topic is overall fascinating, so that even those of us who aren't familiar with the many classical names that flit in and out of these chapters can get something out of it all. This may not be the definitive book on the subject (anybody want to write one?), but it is well worth perusing.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm glad I didn't spend money on this
Review: Luciano Canfora's The Vanished Library stands out as an example of how not to write a historical account. I'm not sure for whom this text was written, but it is weak. The first half is a meandering novelesque account of events, many of which appear unconnected to the library. Canfora never really put together where he was going with the narrative. I suspect someone already familiar with the subject might have understood why some of these things were important, but my impression was that the book was meant more as a popular history. The back cover states that Canfora has merged the craft of novelist and historian, an unhappy marriage if I ever saw one. The second half is better, covering source material, and finally providing some elusive references and staying on topic better. He goes through writings of earlier classical sources and their references to the library, comparing their works to try to find out what happened to the library. If this review sounds confusing, it's because I found the book confusing. It meandered around, sometimes offering two page chapters on subjects that seemed to have no bearing on the topic. The pedagogic style was bad, and the reader is left wondering what the point of reading it was. One can get some useful information here, and it's an interesting enough topic. But I found the writing and analysis weak and haphazard.
Rating:
Summary: a scholar's treat
Review: Most history books present a story of what happened. In doing so they often gloss over the uncertainties and minimize the ambiguities. This book, in contrast is the story of the processes of studying history. Lucianoo Canfora presents the pieces of the puzzle of the (possible) burning of the Library of Alexandria, points out the contradictions, and then let the us draw our own conclusions. I wish more history books were written this way.
Rating: 
Summary: Would Have Worked Better as an Article
Review: The Vanished Library by Luciano Canfora (translated by Martin Ryle) is essentially a journal article masquerading as a book. It would have been more effective if it had been trimmed a little (there is some repetition) and published in a journal or beefed up by giving much needed context to the discussion to form a true book of history. To enjoy this book a reader will have to already be familiar with the arguments surrounding the library at Alexandria and all the ancient sources that discuss it. With the limited knowledge I possess, sometimes it grew confusing, as for instance, when the author would often move back and forth entire centuries in a single paragraph. For those involved in their own arguments on this debate concerning the famous anceint library, this could be an interesting (or frustrating) book. For everyone else, it could be just frustrating.
Rating:
Summary: Would Have Worked Better as an Article
Review: The Vanished Library by Luciano Canfora (translated by Martin Ryle) is essentially a journal article masquerading as a book. It would have been more effective if it had been trimmed a little (there is some repetition) and published in a journal or beefed up by giving much needed context to the discussion to form a true book of history. To enjoy this book a reader will have to already be familiar with the arguments surrounding the library at Alexandria and all the ancient sources that discuss it. With the limited knowledge I possess, sometimes it grew confusing, as for instance, when the author would often move back and forth entire centuries in a single paragraph. For those involved in their own arguments on this debate concerning the famous anceint library, this could be an interesting (or frustrating) book. For everyone else, it could be just frustrating.
|
