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Summary: A concise history of the Byzantine Empire
Review: Lord Norwich compressed three volumes of Byzantine history into one, and although it is a well-written appetizer for that subject, no one could do the subject-- over 1000 years of empire-- justice in just over 380 pages. Unfortunately, the result is a book punctuated by the transition moments: deaths of emperors and succession battles, wars, etc., at the expense of the fabric of Byzantine life and culture. In his epilogue, Lord Norwich rightly laments the historical neglect of Byzantium and praises its accomplishments, but those very accomplishments are hard to find among the text's catalogue of regicide, fratricide, blinding, torturing, and enforced monasticism of rivals for the throne. At times I couldn't wait for the Ottomans to come in and finish off the whole thing.
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Summary: Well written history on a complicated subject.
Review: The entire history of Byzantium/Constantinople/Istanbul has been overlooked for too long. I enjoyed the reading. It certainly elevated my desire to know more and read more on this subject. A history spanning over 1000 years. The nursery of early Christianity; the Crusades; the Emperors and the Doge-their personalities; the Popes, Bishops, Patriarchs and Sees; the wars against its enemies; the ultimate betrayal by ("friends") Venice. Oh...the fall of the empire is so dramatic, so noble, Constantine XI dies in the fighting refusing to surrender. Alas...all the kings horses...all the kings men. I now want to read Norwich's 3-volume set which goes into even more detail on the same subject. Get it now it's only $14.00!
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Summary: This book makes history fun to read!!
Review: I loved the book, it was so easy to read compared to other volumes of historic books. I'm going to read more of his books, also the extended verson of the history of Byzantium.
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Summary: I am stunned that I was never taught of Byzantium in school.
Review: READ THIS BOOK! You will never regret it. This book is a stunning, eloquent, entertaining, and enjoyable look at an empire that is the sole reason for the survival of Western civilization. Byzantium was a pivotal hub around which the Holy Roman Empire, the Bulgars, Vandals, Persians, Crusaders, Arabs, and others rotated. By reading this book, you will enjoy an incredibly clear view of the history of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia Minor, and the common threads of human activity that weave throughout. Norwich has my undying admiration and thanks for taking the magnificent subject and turning it into such an enjoyable voyage of discovery. Thank you, Mr. Norwich....Thank you.
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Summary: A fascinating soap opera, not a history.
Review: This delightful, 'can't put down' book is certainly not a history at all, but rather a thousand year soap opera in the spirit of the TV series, "Dallas." It is wonderfully copious, detailed, sententious, and often sardonic in its presentation of facts. A history, I believe though I am no historian, would be founded on a conscious and explicitly argued conception of causation, something about the complex tapistry of forces which direct the course of human affairs, or at least, the human affairs of the culture it is giving account of. But this author confines himself to personality and meteorological accident (and for Venice and Genoa, but not Byzantium, commerce) as causes for the events he describes. Even the roles of the patriachs and the people's passionate commitment in the continual theological disputation are presented only as inexplicable, persistent perversities. Consequently the book fosters the very misconception which it declares itself dedicated to dispelling, namely the Western notion of Byzantium as an empire characterized by incessant intrigue, 'superstition' instead of religion, and barbarism whose sole interest to 'civilization' is its exotic art and architecture. Norwich commits the sins he ascribes to Gibbon. With utter delight I read the whole book without the slightest sense that I was being led toward an understanding of Byzantium, of history, of people. I recommend this book as a wonderful joke.
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Summary: A tease that makes you want more
Review: This is an extremely interesting history of a subject that deserves more attention -- Byzantium or how the Greeks inherited the Roman Empire. Reading this book made me want much more detail than Norwich could fit in a single book. I knew half way through the book that I would soon be tackling all three volumes of this great Empire's history. Imagine an empire that thrived by intemedating it's neighbors with wealth, culture and religion rather than it's armies.
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Summary: Norwich's history of byzantium is both sublime and tragic
Review: To tell the truth, I haven't actually finished Lord Norwich's book about Byzantium. But I am about to, and that is the problem. I don't want to (finish). The Byzantine people and their leaders enjoyed outlandish luck, and endured crushing tragedy. Their culture and their faith were truly sui generis. This is a great book, by a great writer, and I am grateful to him for writing it.
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Summary: Excellent narration.
Review: The book is fascinating. It cathes your attention. I was never bored reading it, although history can be a difficult subject. But, I would like to read a little more about the society, how people earned their lives, why they had such a love towards religious debates ? The book mainly contains the history of the emperors and the wars. This is perhaps a very important aspect, but I would also expect a social perspective. Overall it is an excellent, objective work, very well presented, the language is very rich and the narration extraordinary. A strongly recommended book !!!
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Summary: History of Empire, Not People
Review: This is a fine history of imperial conquest, military campaigns, court intrigue, and international politics. But if you wish to know anything of life in Byzantium at a level of society lower than the imperial family, you won't find it here. Because the reader is given little reason to value this society, he'll be hard-pressed to sympathize with or even care about it as it is slowly slides to ruin.
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Summary: A bit disappointed
Review: Being not an expert on Byzance history, I can not fairly realized how much J. Norwich succeeds to bring back to the surface from our ocean of forgotten history. He may do well on that point except maybe that his history looks more as an apology to all Byzantium emperors and leaders and seems to forget part of the history that I was more eager to know: economy, society and culture. We may not know well these subjects, and written traces might speak more about the dramas of the emperial families than about the state of the people. But on that specific point, I was a bit disappointed. Still an interesting book.
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