Book Description
In this wise the Emperor settled the affairs of John and Gregory Gabras; then he started from Philippopolis and visited the valleys lying between Dalmatia and our territory. He traversed the whole narrow mountain ridge of what is locally called the "Zygum," but not on horseback (for the nature of the ground did not allow of this as it was rugged and full of gullies and here and there thickly wooded and almost impassable).
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In this wise the Emperor settled the affairs of John and Gregory Gabras; then he started from Philippopolis and visited the valleys lying between Dalmatia and our territory. He traversed the whole narrow mountain ridge of what is locally called the "Zygum," but not on horseback (for the nature of the ground did not allow of this as it was rugged and full of gullies and here and there thickly wooded and almost impassable).
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Translation.......2006-03-18
An excellent translation of Comnena's work, remains true to the original Greek while providing good equivalents for the more difficult idiomatic expressions. Also includes a couple of very helpful maps and appendices. A wonderful read for anyone interested in Byzantine history.
Putting the "Byzantine" in Byzantine Politics.......2006-01-31
In this history the Emperor Alexius comes across as a sort of medievil Lee Iacoca or Carlos Gohsn, who through very delicate wheeling and dealing manages to bring back a floundering empire from the brink. Since Anna was the emperor's daughter, we could expect a hagliography from her, but that would discredit her intensely perceptive analysis of the political situation as well as her own personal experiences with many of the major players or others who knew them. It would also ignore the fact that this book is in many ways a treatise by Anna on what it means to be a good ruler, as exemplified through the person of Alexius.
Excellent book for history buffs and people looking for examples of great leadership.
Customer Reviews:
From a Woman's Point of View.......2004-06-17
Written by Anna Comnena, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I (1083-1153), this is the recollections by the princess of the Crusades as it occurred in her father's court during his reign.
The perspective not only of a member of the court but also a woman's view point makes this an interesting and exceptional view of the Crusaders, often describing them more realistically than some of the histories that were commissioned by the lords.
Ms. Comnena is perceptive in her observations. She notes details that are overlooked in other historical accounts. She starts with the history of her father the Emperor, the revolt that placed him on the throne, various families and their relationship with her father.
She then gives accounts of the wars with the Normans, the Scyths, the Turkish wars, and the First Crusade.
Ms. Comnena has a very good grasp of those things we would not expect a young lady of the court at that time to have. She knows politics, diplomacy and has a good grounding in science and mechanics.
Her accounts are dramatic but show a good grasp of the situations she is describing. We do not expect this from a woman of this time, but this book clearly illustrates we are not as aware as we thought we were about woman at that time and place. She has a strong writing style and presents us with a picture of a well educated and aware woman who knows well her position and the positions of those in her court.
We also experience first hand her hatred of her younger brother, whom she seems to resent and whom she actually tries to assassinate.
Court intrigues, physical accounts of the Crusaders as they appear in her fathers court, the feeling of the life and politics of the time are all preserved in this book as a slice of culture in Byzantine Empire at the time of the First Crusade. A good reference book and a wonderful read for those interested in a different perspective of the Crusades. medievalcrusadesbabe
History as told by a participant.......2004-03-11
I was fascinated by Byzantine history anyway, but there is nothing quite like the Alexiad. Anna Comnena, daughter of the Emperor Alexius I, recalls in her old age the days of her father. Surely she is biased, but we can factor out the bias. She is also a surprisingly literary woman, more often quoting Homer than the Bible (though she quotes both, and her everyday language must have been much like the Greek of her quotations, by then 1000 to 2000 years old). She's also a great character. (She apparently tried to have her brother, the heir apparent, assassinated---well, where does one think the term "Byzantine" came from?) She also leaves us with a puzzle--she describes her father's fatal disease but she has no way of knowing what it was. It sounds like cancer to me. Read the book and get back to me on that!
If Not True, It Could Be Literature.......2002-12-30
The Alexiad is a great read both for the events described -- especially the emperor's battles of wits and might with a (from Anna's perspective) rogue's gallery of kingdoms and adventurers -- and for what the author reveals of herself, both overtly and unwittingly. By and large, Comnena is remarkably objective and a graceful writer, at least in this translation (where her occasional rambling asides are generally shifted into footnotes). The translator's footnoted comments are perceptive and unobtrusive.
A rich and fascinating text.......2001-11-16
The reviewer who cautions Comnena's readers to take her "with a grain of salt" should try to step out of his/her 20th-century shoes long enough to appreciate the astonishing accomplishment of this remarkable woman. As Emilie Amt says, "[M]edieval standards of truth, originality and accuracy were not the same as ours. Supernatural explanations of events were more widely accepted than they are today. Authors of literature and history borrowed freely from other works, and the boundaries between myth, story and history were not clear ones. Literary conventions can also distort the historical record; for example, the writers often invented dialogue freely. . . . One way to read such sources is to look for clues in accounts as to what might 'really' have happened. Another is to study the mind-set of the age, taking the belief itself as an important historical fact. A third is to enter into the mind-set of the age, taking the belief for granted. All three approaches can be illuminating for the student of medieval history."
The literary convention of using archaic language is hardly new with Comnena, and although one might argue its effectiveness, one can hardly say that all books must be written in the "language . . . in common usage at the time."
Personally, as a scholar in the field of medieval women writers, I found Comnena's epic, and especially her (inadvertant) revelations of her own personality so fascinating, that I wrote a young-adult novel based on her life (_Anna of Byzantium_). More than one teenage fan has written to tell me that reading the novel had inspired her to attempt to read the _Alexiad_. None of them made it very far, but several said they were going to try again when they were older!
Thanks Anna.......2001-09-08
Anna Comnena talks about her father's glorious administration of the Byzantine Empire in 1100's in this book. Thanks to her, we know what happened in those years in the Near East.
The book is especially important for those interested in the conquest (or invasion) of Anatolia by the Turks and the subsequent Islamization process of it. She gives first-hand information on the nature of Turkic conquest and its effects on Hellen and Armenio-Syriac Anatolia.
The book is also important for various reasons such as history of Byzantine Empire, Celtic, and Norman wars, the first Crusade.
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The Alexiad Volume I (Large Print)
Anna Comnena
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ASIN: 1425057160
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The Alexiad is a spectacular narrative that illustrates the mega events during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. Here, Comnena describes the political and military history of her country. She starts with the account of the rebellion through which her father ascended the throne. It also gives point of view of the royal family regarding the Byzantine war and the first crusades. Must Read!
![The Alexiad Volume II [EasyRead Comfort Edition]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21-xcvuqbUL.jpg)
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The Alexiad Volume II [EasyRead Comfort Edition]
Anna Comnena
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ASIN: 1425059619
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The Alexiad is a spectacular narrative that illustrates the mega events during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. Here, Comnena describes the political and military history of her country. She starts with the account of the rebellion through which her father ascended the throne. It also gives point of view of the royal family regarding the Byzantine war and the first crusades. Must Read!
![The Alexiad Volume I [EasyRead Comfort Edition]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21Y7tHgvYML.jpg)
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The Alexiad Volume I [EasyRead Comfort Edition]
Anna Comnena
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ASIN: 1425058981
Release Date: 2007-01-01 |
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The Alexiad is a spectacular narrative that illustrates the mega events during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. Here, Comnena describes the political and military history of her country. She starts with the account of the rebellion through which her father ascended the throne. It also gives point of view of the royal family regarding the Byzantine war and the first crusades. Must Read!
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Anna Komnene and Her Times (Garland Medieval Casebooks)
Gouma-Peterson
Manufacturer: Routledge
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ASIN: 0815338511 |
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The most prominent Byzantine historian of the European Middle Ages, the princess Anna Komnene is most famous for the epic Alexiad , which marks a departure from the tradition of Byzantine history writing. It provides a vivid account of the state and society of Byzantium and the many clashes with the West during the period of the First Crusade (1081-1118).
This significant critical anthology explores the life of Anna Komnene, the Byzantine context in which she wrote, and the impact of the Alexiad on her times and on subsequent historical works of literature.
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The Alexiad of the Princess Anna Comnena (Chivalry)
Elizabeth A. S. Dawes
Manufacturer: Kegan Paul
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ASIN: 0710309295 |
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This is one of the fundamental sources of information on chivalry as well as many other interesting subjects. Princess Anna was the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I, and a highly educated and cultured woman. This is the first and only full translation of this remarkable work, although it has been much quoted in various scholarly works. Sir Walter Scott relied heavily on it for his various accounts of the chivalric tradition.
![The Alexiad Volume I [EasyRead Edition]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21X54aioMXL.jpg)
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The Alexiad Volume I [EasyRead Edition]
Anna Comnena
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ASIN: 1425058078
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The Alexiad is a spectacular narrative that illustrates the mega events during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. Here, Comnena describes the political and military history of her country. She starts with the account of the rebellion through which her father ascended the throne. It also gives point of view of the royal family regarding the Byzantine war and the first crusades. Must Read!
Product Description
The Alexiad is a spectacular narrative that illustrates the mega events during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. Here, Comnena describes the political and military history of her country. She starts with the account of the rebellion through which her father ascended the throne. It also gives point of view of the royal family regarding the Byzantine war and the first crusades. Must Read!
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The Alexiad Volume II (Large Print)
Anna Comnena
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ASIN: 1425057799
Release Date: 2007-01-01 |
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The Alexiad is a spectacular narrative that illustrates the mega events during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Alexius I. Here, Comnena describes the political and military history of her country. She starts with the account of the rebellion through which her father ascended the throne. It also gives point of view of the royal family regarding the Byzantine war and the first crusades. Must Read!
Book Description
Nicknamed the ‘Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney’ due to the garish all-blue noses of their P-51s, the 352nd FG was one of the most successful fighter groups in the Eighth Air Force. Credited with destroying almost 800 enemy aircraft between 1943 and 1945, the 352nd finished fourth in the ranking of all groups within VIII Fighter Command. Initially equipped with P-47s, the group transitioned to P-51s in the spring of 1944, and it was with the Mustang that its pilots enjoyed their greatest success. Numerous first-hand accounts, 55 newly commissioned artworks and 140+ photos complete this concise history of the ‘Bluenosers’.
Customer Reviews:
Colorful History of a Top 8th AF Fighter Group!.......2006-01-06
The exploits of the 352nd Fighter Group are nicely covered in this Osprey Aviation Elite volume by author Tom Ivie. Ivie is well-qualified to write this volume since he co-authored "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney," a massive - 300 pages, 1,000+ photographs - tome which stands as the definitive history of the Group.
The 352nd FG flew its first 8th AF combat mission in October 1943. Initially equipped with P-47s, the Group really hit its stride when they re-equipped with P-51s in March 1944. By war's end, thanks to the efforts of such group luminaries as George Preddy, John Meyer, Ray Littge, Carl Luksic and Bill Whisner, the group had downed or destroyed almost 800 German aircraft, 505 of which were air kills. In return the Group lost 70 pilots including Preddy, the top Mustang ace of the war.
Ivie's book is a treat - lots of action, lots of photos and 14 pages of color profiles by Tom Tullis. If your interest is air combat, you will enjoy this book. Recommended!
Book Description
Were presidential campaigns always as bitter as they have been in recent years? Or is the current style of campaigning a new political development? In this revised and updated edition of Presidential Campaigns the answers to these questions are clear: the race for the presidency, although at times mean and nasty, has always been an endlessly entertaining and highly-charged spectacle for the American public. This book unveils the whole history of American presidential elections, from the seamless ascent of General George Washington to the bitterly contested election of George W. Bush, bringing these boisterous contests to life in all their richness and complexity. In the old days, Boller shows, campaigns were much rowdier than they are today. Back in the nineteenth century, the invective at election time was exuberant and the mudslinging unrestrained; a candidate might be called everything from a carbuncle-faced old drunkard to a howling atheist. But there was plenty of fun and games, too, with songs and slogans, speeches and parades, all livening up the scene in order to get people to the polls.Presidential Campaigns takes note of the serious side of elections even as it documents the frenzy, frolic and the sleaze. Each chapter contains a brief essay describing an election and presenting "campaign highlights" that bring to life the quadrennial confrontation in all its shame and glory. With a postscript analyzing the major changes in the ways Americans have chosen their Presidents from Washington's time to the present, Presidential Campaigns gives the reader a full picture of this somewhat flawed procedure. For all of its shortcomings, though, this "great American shindig" is an essential part of the American democratic system and, for better or for worse, tells us much about ourselves.
Customer Reviews:
Fun and games with elections.......2006-03-11
This book reminds me again just how much fun the study of history can be. The basic facts of Presidential elections from the beginning to today are solid historical accounts. But they also include the tidbits of electoral trivia that go on in each election, but that are often obscure or unnoticed. This book is both informative and entertaining. I plan to give it as a gift to my opthomologist who is also a history buff. As a retired history professor I look forward to chatting with him during my annual examinations.
Delightful Insight to the History of our Elections.......2004-10-19
You wouldn't have recognized the election of 1789. There were no primaries, nominating convention, rival candidates, campaign speeches, or debates on public issues." (All quotes are direct from the book.) Yet the will of the people was perfectly expressed. Everyone simply agreed that Washington had to be the President. Four years later they had political parties, but both of them picked Washington. That was the end of the smooth sailing.
In 1796 Adams and Jefferson remained on friendly terms with each other, but had their supporters do a lot of name calling (sound familiar?). By 1800 Adams was calling Jefferson ... well, read the book. Suffice to say, the American way of politics was in full swing, has continued unabated until now and shows no sign of making significant changes in the future.
I must say that I do miss the rum. When Washington was running for the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1758, there were 391 elgible voters. Washington gave them 160 gallons of rum. It's kind of a wonder just how they could vote.
This is a delightful book. I remember taking American History in college, and that was pretty dull. This reads like a novel, full of interesting anecdotes while conveying the facts as well.
A complete chronological history .......2004-10-10
Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington To George W. Bush by Paul F. Boller, Jr. is a lively, informative, and often surprising history of American presidential election campaigns. This is a complete chronological history of from the unanimously concented ascent of General george Washionhton, to the divisively contested Gore vs. Bush recall scandal. Presidental Campaigns is a superbly written and presented political history that, in these politically divise days of presential electioneering, deserves as wide a readership as possible among the electorate.
Wonderful Information in Bite Sized Chunks.......2004-07-16
I own a previous edition of this book. Facinating information about each campaign. You think 2000 was bad? Take a look at 1876 or 1824. I'd offer more in this review, but it's 4 am and I need to get back to sleep.
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Planning a Wilderness: Regenerating the Great Lakes Cutover Region
James Kates
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
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ASIN: 081663579X |
Book Description
Natural History/Regional
A grand story of a surprising chapter in environmental and cultural history.
By 1910, the forest region of the Great Lakes states was largely denuded, logged over by industrialists who coveted its timber, particularly the giant white pine. After unsuccessful attempts to farm this cutover region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, a group of visionaries began to dream of restoring the North Woods as a place of solace and beauty, of recreation and retreat, for the benefit of people ever more remote from the splendors of nature. What ensued was an extraordinary campaign to recreate the original Midwest forest-the Great Lakes Crusade that James Kates chronicles in this enlightening, deeply interesting, and entertaining account of a "natural" wonderland remade from the ground up.
The forest might seem a strange focus for great feats of social engineering, but in the cutover region, this is what we have: a planned landscape, a "wilderness" more naturalistic than natural, produced by a massive coordination of economic and political powers, technical mastery, and propaganda. As Kates describes this vast effort, we see how the challenges that taxed the expertise of foresters, land economists, game managers, and regional planners were only one part of the enormous task. Kates tells of the equally arduous undertaking of selling reforestation to the public, a campaign in which the experts and their allies in the mass media invoked popular myths of frontier individualism to create consensus about the need for a new "wilderness," one geared to the material and psychological needs of an integrated industrial nation and its increasingly affluent middle class. This renaissance raises the question that informs this book and resounds through our time: What meaning does the forest hold for us, that it should be construed as indispensable to the American way of life?
A longtime journalist, James Kates worked as an editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer and the former Milwaukee Journal, and has published in American Journalism, Michigan Historical Review, and Wisconsin Magazine of History. He is currently an editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Published in cooperation with the Center for American Places
Customer Reviews:
The book rocks!!.......2001-05-17
great book that explains what the north country went through.
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- The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracies, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant
- The Last Time I Wore A Dress
- The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage
- The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
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