Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.49 (920 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0520275861 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 672 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-05-28 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Green takes a very bold revisionist stand against the imperial vainglory of antiquity."—Christopher Hitchens, Los Angeles Times Book Review"In every age, cultures both East and West have cast and recast Alexander in a variety of heroic molds, although, as demonstrated in Peter Green's impressive biography (a 1974 study published in England and published here for the first time), the myths may well be more admirable than the man."—Erich Segal, Washington Post Book World"Green's portrait will discomfit those who seek consistency in behavior (and those who have already made up their minds about Alexander): it is a complex, multi-dimensioned figure which should appeal to this troubled age."—Eugene Borza, The Classical World. From t
"Beyond excellent" according to Carleton. I have read, perhaps 15 biographies for Alexander. This one is by far, the most lucid, detailed, well written, organized (ex:footnotes taking you forward and back to plot points)and explanatory. Explanatory in then sense that the author takes into account several behavioral models that the historical sources give us and paints the picture without negative bias or hero worship. He doesn't overload his points, he describes the behavior well as he stays in historical context keepi. "An excellent work of biography and history" according to Hubcap. This is a truly excellent biography of a near-mythical figure. First of all, this book provides a thorough review of the known history of Alexander the Great - I have no idea how someone could consider this book "fictional," as one reviewer did. What's most impressive is how Green insists on treating Alexander as a human being. An exceptional person, but still a person, motivated by human passions and concerns. Most ancient history treats its subjects like the stone statues see. "Exciting, well documented, educational account!" according to Paul H.. Green's work on Alexander, begins with the legends about his conception, the family and culture he was born into, his early education (I learned alot here about how small the Greek world was in relation to the great minds of the era), his rise to power, the intrigue, and ultimately the military genius of such a young man.Green does an excellent job of explaining what is known as fact, what is conjecture and what the competing opinions are. He takes historical data, legends and
Full backnotes, fourteen maps, and chronological and genealogical tables serve readers with more specialized interests.. After he was named hegemon of the Hellenic League, many philosophers came to congratulate Alexander, but one was conspicuous by his absence: Diogenes the Cynic, an ascetic who lived in a clay tub. Yet his origins and training do not fully explain the man. What Philip and Macedonia had to offer, Alexander made his own, but Philip and Macedonia also made Alexander form an important context for understanding Alexander himself. Green, a Cambridge-trained classicist who is also a novelist, portrays Alexander as both a complex personality and a single-minded general, a man capable of such diverse expediencies as patricide or the massacre of civilians. His dream was at times characterized as a benevolent interest in the brotherhood of man, sometimes as a brute interest in the exercise of power. Until recently, popular biographers and most scholars viewed Alexander the Great as a genius with a plan, a romantic figure pursuing his vision of a united world. Green describes his Alexander as "not only the most brilli