History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography

Average customer rating:

Exceedingly biased and unfair
Not for the average Joe/Jane
Well-written.
Very Good but my goodness what a map mess!
A vivid portrait of Alexander

Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography
Peter Green
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0520071654

Amazon.com

There's no shortage of biographies available on Alexander the Great, but Peter Green's Alexander of Macedon is one of the finest. The prose is crisp and clear, and within a few pages readers become absorbed in the world that made Alexander, and then the story of how Alexander remade it. Green writes, "Alexander's true genius was as a field-commander: perhaps, taken all in all, the most incomparable general the world has ever seen. His gift for speed, improvisation, variety of strategy; his cool-headedness in a crisis; his ability to extract himself from the most impossible situations; his mastery of terrain; his psychological ability to penetrate the enemy's intentions--all these qualities place him at the very head of the Great Captains of history."

Book Description

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. 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. 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. Green describes his Alexander as "not only the most brilliant (and ambitious) field commander in history, but also supremely indifferent to all those administrative excellences and idealistic yearnings foisted upon him by later generations, especially those who found the conqueror, tout court, a little hard upon their liberal sensibilities."
This biography begins not with one of the universally known incidents of Alexander's life, but with an account of his father, Philip of Macedonia, whose many-territoried empire was the first on the continent of Europe to have an effectively centralized government and military. 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. Yet his origins and training do not fully explain the man. 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. Piqued and curious, Alexander himself visited the philosopher, who, when asked if there was anything Alexander could do for him, made the famous reply, "Don't stand between me and the sun." Alexander's courtiers jeered, but Alexander silenced them: "If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes." This remark was as unexpected in Alexander as it would be in a modern leader.
For the general reader, the book, redolent with gritty details and fully aware of Alexander's darker side, offers a gripping tale of Alexander's career. Full backnotes, fourteen maps, and chronological and genealogical tables serve readers with more specialized interests.

Customer Reviews:

Exceedingly biased and unfair.......2007-05-21

I'm very disappointed with this book.
I was looking for some objective and critic biography but this book have an obvious agenda from page one: put down Alexander by any possible means.
For Mr Green every good or great thing Alexander is credited to had done is just propaganda or flattery.
He can even doubt the result of a great battle like Granicus because our sources are few and unreliable. For him it was a defeat hidden by propaganda, a theory he make up with nearly zero backup from the ancient sources.
But instead, he don't hesitate to follow without doubt every nasty detail some of this sources could give us about the bad acts of Alexander (the chapter about Cleitus assassination for example is pure gossipy).
For me, thats not an historian...
A shame...

Not for the average Joe/Jane.......2007-03-06

It's obvious Mr. Green knows his stuff but I feel this was written for a few of his peers and not the average reader. He tends to explain why he thinks what he thinks, and why others might be wrong or right, or whether new research challenges long held beliefs, etc. which is fine when chatting with your pals who are also well versed in the subject but better left to an appendix in a book as it stems the narrative flow. Please just tell me what happened, tell me why you think so later. I trust you. More than once I found myself at the bottom of the page having to reread it because my mind began to wonder.
The author assumes the reader is an academic like himself and peppers the book with phrases like, "The truth of the matter can never be known for certain. If we apply the cui bono principle, then Alexander undoubtedly had everything to gain..." and "De l'audace, toujours de l'audace, encore de l'audace: all through his life this was to be Alexander's guiding star, ..." and so on.
This in not a friendly book for commuters or people who like to read before bed. The chapters range from 30-60 pages a piece so every time you pick it up you're making a commitment. One personal annoyance is that, when referring to something he has already touched upon, the author has the bad habit of saying (see above pg. 47) or (see above pg 123) It paints a picture of him editing it on his computer, why not just say see pg. 47 or pg. 123 why the "above"?
Academics and those already familiar with the subject may enjoy the book, History Channel historians who saw a cool special on Alexander and want to learn more may want to look elsewhere.

Well-written........2007-01-14

Green gives the reader a well-written and detailed biography of Alexander the Great. Green is adept in his descriptions of Alexander's military strategies, with explict visual illustrations of each battle. Further, he explores the psychology of Alexander, without beating the "Oedipal Complex" to death. Of note, is his sympathetic portrayal of Olympias and Philip the II.

Very Good but my goodness what a map mess!.......2006-07-17

Alexander of Macedon is excellent. Mr. Green gives us a many faceted Alexander, not the two dimensional man of popular histories and movies.

While not entirely a military history all the battles are given a full telling and here is where the book falls a bit, not in the writing but in the maps. This is a common failing found in many books of the type and I find it most prevalent in books published by universities. Mr. Green's book is an entertaining and worthwhile read however to make sense of the fighting, getting the proper military style maps of the battles would be a good pre-reading plan.

A vivid portrait of Alexander.......2006-07-04

I'm not a scholar, I just wanted to learn about Alexander's life and this book does a thorough job of documenting it, based on what records, reliable or not, exits. Not much is known in detail about his childhood; however, his military exploits are delineated as well as can be. The author does not make the mistake of writing in a dry style of prose which would be easy to lapse into in classical history. I find this book to be a very easy, fascinating read. The maps should have been appendicized and there should have been a overall map of the macedonian territory. The one negative note, is that the author indicated he would need to do a revision based on new research that has occurred since the original publication; however, this new edition never came to light, leaving one thinking that maybe there's another book with more up-to-date information on Alexander.

Average customer rating:

Alexander
A Good Balanced Book About Alexander
Read This First
Good Biography
What the movie doesn't tell you...

Alexander the Great
Paul Cartledge
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1585675652

Book Description

The remarkable life of Alexander the Great, one of the greatest military geniuses of all time, vividly told by one of the world's leading experts in Greek history. With all the intensity, insight, and narrative drive that made The Spartans such a hit with critics and readers, Paul Cartledge's Alexander the Great: glowingly illuminates the brief but iconic life of Alexander (356-323 BC), king of Macedon, conqueror of the Persian Empire, and founder of a new world order. Cartledge, the distinguished scholar and historian long acknowledged as the leading international authority on ancient Sparta and Greece, brilliantly evokes Alexander's remarkable political and military accomplishments, leads us along the geographical path of his victorious armies, and compellingly charting the tremendous field of this warrior hero's influence. Alexander's legacy has had an astounding impact on military tacticians, scholars, and statesmen—in his own lifetime and in ours. In various countries and at various times he has been seen as hero, holy man, Christian saint, a new Achilles, philosopher, scientist, prophet, and visionary. Cartledge brilliantly explains why and how Alexander is endlessly fascinating, with a view to a better understanding of such fundamental topics as charismatic leadership, imperialism, and Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Customer Reviews:

Alexander.......2007-06-03

Alexander. After 2,328 years who else can be identified by a single name, without a title, and still be almost universally known? Often beloved, or at least highly respected, in the west, almost universally despised in much of the east, very few with knowledge of Alexander have no feelings one way or the other.
Over the years I have read almost every book reasonably available about this remarkable man. Some of these books are highly informative but ponderous in the extreme. Some treat Alexander as the untarnished hero, the darling of the west, while others treat him as a villain and a drunk, unworthy of praise.
It is up to each person to decide who Alexander was or is, but Mr. Cartledge has produced a well-written book, informative, without bias or agenda. It has excellent detail without dragging the reader into the minutea which is of interest only to the professional historian. His discussion covers the noble and the base about this man, whom is, arguably, one of the most important persons in the history of the western and middle-eastern worlds.
Bob

A Good Balanced Book About Alexander.......2007-04-03

This book isn't the definitive biography about Alexander and isn't a fast-reading primer either. It is at once concise and scholarly. Some sections are exhilirating and fun to read and some sections bog down and have you skipping around looking for something more fun to read. As some other reviewers have pointed out, the book jumps around based on themes (Alexander as general, Alexander as statesman, Alexander's early history, Alexander's legacy, the romance of Alexander, etc.), so it doesn't lead you through his life in a chronological order. For that type of reading, I'd recommend Robin Lane Fox's bio which reads like an epic novel and Peter Green's superb seminal bio.

If you already have a good overall grasp of Alexander's history and are looking for another perspective from a renowned scholar in this field, I highly recommend it as another addition to a well-rounded collection of works regarding this great military commander, world conqueror, and profoundly important figure in human history. Cartledge has a very thorough yet concise approach, but his very scholarly background sometimes gets a tad overbearing in some sections that read like academia. But then, some sections read like a modern article and are easy to absorb and relate to from our modern perspectives.

The fascinating thing about Alexander is the timelessness of his achievements and the means he used to attain them. Certainly, like any other human being (especially a young and supremely confident one), he was deeply flawed in many respects, but in the end, there's a good reason why he's called Alexander THE GREAT. You can't help but learn a lot from someone who was as wildly successful as he was in his incredibly ambitious endeavors. The principles of his strategies, tactics, statesmanship, governance, and leadership are all things that we can apply in our daily modern lives. His magnanimity in victory, his chivalry towards the Persian royals, his generosity towards his friends and loyal subjects, his enlightened treatment of women (including the outlawing of rape), his ability to admit his mistakes in public, his goal of fusing different cultures (essentially the first serious attempt in history to marry the cultures of the West and East), and his love for the arts and sciences are other very admirable qualities. It's obvious that he had an insatiable curiosity about any subject matter and a thirst for knowledge and learning.

We can also learn from his faults and mistakes - his delusions of self grandeur, megalomania, obsessiveness, paranoia, alcoholism, stubbornness, recklessness, ruthlessness, etc. Alexander was a man of extreme contradictions and the book examines these contradictions to a good degree. Another fascinating aspect of Alexander is the mythical aura that has followed his name since his death and this aspect is addressed in great detail in this book as well. Was he a noble libertarian who wanted to free mankind from slavery and unite mankind in brotherhood or was he simply a blood-thirsty warlord who massacred the innocents at will and only sought personal glory? Cartledge takes the middle ground and suggests that he was probably a little (or lots) of all of the above.

There are many great books about Alexander and I do think this one belongs in the collection of all the Alexander buffs for those who want to skip around and get Cartledge's credible insights, but the biographies of Robin Lane Fox, Peter Green, Nicholas Hammond, and J.F.C. Fuller are recommended for those who want a more complete overview laid out in a chronological order. Still, this is a very good and welcome work from a noted historian of ancient Greece and is an enjoyable read for the most part. It's one of those books you like to come back to over and over again just to read a certain chapter or sections when you have limited time to read.

Read This First.......2006-10-26

Being a history addict and a Soldier has led me to read everything printed in english on Alexander the Great (nuministic and logistical books included). Some biographers depict him as a shining idealized soldier-king, while others as a drunken despot on a self delusional path to deification. Cartledge balances the historical record with fresh interpretations of events and a common sense test of putting the reader in Alexander's shoes at the moment of each event. This leads to a connection with the man and an understanding of his actions that lacks in most biographies of Alexander. The answer, it seems, is that Alexander was a man like any other before and since; brilliant and flawed, just like the rest of us. If you are going to read your first book on Alexander, or only one book ever, this is the one to pick up.

Good Biography.......2006-10-03

I enjoyed reading "Alexander the Great" by Paul Cartledge, Greek History Professor at Cambridge University. Alexander the Great is among (if not) the greatest soldier in recorded history He achieved stunning military and political success in his short life. The book is structured thematically, which I found interesting and has good illustrations of battle lines, maps, glossary, bibliography, among other things.

The author methodically explores the various fascinating aspects of the brilliant and visionary Alexander the great including his leadership style, his divinity, his conquests and how he related to the various countries that he conquered.

After reading this book, I recommend that you also read "Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy". It is a thoughtful and perceptive book that is a joy to read. Another excellent biography of Alexander the great is "The Nature of Alexander" by Mary Renault.

I recommend "Alexander the Great" to anybody that needs to understand the life and times of Alexander the Great as well as his numerous achievements.

What the movie doesn't tell you..........2006-09-07

An overview of the military conquests of Alexander the Great whose campaigns spread the influence of Greek culture into modern civilization. This is more of the story that wasn't shown in the 2004 movie. Once you learn more of the real Alexander you will truly wonder why Colin Farrell was cast as him.

Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army

Average customer rating:

A Welcome Insight into Alexander's Logistics Genius
how can a book on logistics be so gripping?
Rigorous yet highly readable
Seminal Work on Alexander the Great Military Logistics
The Definitive Book On The Logistics Of Alexander The Great

Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army
Donald W. Engels
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520042727

Customer Reviews:

A Welcome Insight into Alexander's Logistics Genius.......2007-04-06

Alexander's logistics management during his unprecedented (and unmatched) military campaign is something that's easily overlooked considering the reams of books about virtually everything else about Alexander. But this seemingly mundane subject matter turns out to be one of the most fascinating aspects of Alexander's truly multi-faceted genius. This book provides a great insight in layman's terms of what it was like to manage a campaigning army of approximately 50,000 plus followers (engineers, doctors, cooks, entertainers, scientists, craftsmen, servants, etc.) of around another 15,000 people and at least 10,000 horses and mules. It's easy to just throw down the numbers and do the calculations, but it's another thing to imagine the logistics involved in procuring the food, water, and other resources to keep the army moving at a swift pace of 35~40 miles per day.

Engels does a great job of helping the reader visualize the enormity of the logistics problems involved and how they were tackled by Alexander as he and his army marched through Asia. Alexander was a very hands-on kind of a leader who was involved in the minute details of logistics operations when necessary but did so without getting into micro-managing those underneath him. Alexander knew every aspect of his army inside and out and lived like a common solider, which is what truly endeared his soldiers to him with fervent loyalty. This book provides great insight into an aspect of Alexander that some will ponder about but never bother to delve into. How did Alexander lead such a huge army and a supporting contingent over 22,000 miles of extremely difficult terrain and environments? This book goes a long way in answering that question.

how can a book on logistics be so gripping?.......2007-01-10

i would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in military strategy or ancient history. i read it in a day because i simply could not put it down. engels provides a case for alexander's movements based on what is logistically possible through the movement of troops and supplies. well researched (he pulls from sources as diverse as ancient greek text and us. army records), the book opened my eyes to what warfare in those days must truely entail.

this is not an introductory book on alexander's campaigns, however. the author assumes you have good knowledge of what the pervailing theories are of the routes that he took, and doesn't waste time explaining details that might not be known to someone who hasn't already read and studied this time period.

Rigorous yet highly readable.......2006-11-19

Engel's little book is one the best investigations into the effects of logistical factors on warfare that I've ever read. Reducing the energy needs of any body of men and animals to a formula,applying logical constraints to deductions about the movement and function of these groups, and by rigorous historical investigation into the geography, history and climate of the relevant places involved, Engels picked out the motivations and concerns of Alexander (and his enemies) as he marched across the shuddering corpse of the Persian Empire.

Don't be put off by the implied technical details above. This is a very readable book, a story, even. It's one of my favourite reads. Engel's conjectures are thought provoking, but always backed up by hard evidence. Anyone studying warfare in any time prior to the modern period (where trains and the internal combustion engine changed everything) needs to read this book to understand how things worked.

Seminal Work on Alexander the Great Military Logistics.......2006-10-04

This is a very illuminating book on the supply and logistical challenges that Alexander the Great had to overcome in his numerous brilliant and successful campaigns. Donald Engels's book is unique in that it focuses on an area that many authors either takes for granted or pay scant attention to, yet it is an integral and critical part of any successful military campaign.

The book contains some important lessons for all commanders today on the critical importance of logistics to sustain an army and ensure that it is well supplied and that troops remain motivated. The book shows how Alexander's intimate knowledge and understanding of terrain, geography, weather, seasons, sources of provisions and accessibility of routes enabled him to expertly solve the various logistical challenges thus ensuring his decisive victories. The immensity of the calculations that he had to make, the numerous permutations that had to be taken into account with respect to factors such as speed of troop movement, water and food requirements for people and animals as well as the weapons and ammunition shows really how capable Alexander and his staff were.

The book thus authoritatively highlights the fact that Alexander's genius for effective logistical system played an essential part in complementing his brilliant tactical skills and leadership acumen. After reading this book, you can make sense of why Alexander made certain decisions as supply and logistics severely restricts where an army can go, its speed, rest periods, how long it can stay at any given place, the number of soldiers that can be accommodated as well as methods of transport and supply, among other things.

Having read this book, one can really appreciate with awe just how great Alexander was to wage brilliantly successful campaigns in distant and remote lands, such as Persia and India, when the ancient means of transport and supply were poor and inefficient. It took methodical, detailed and thoughtful planning and Alexander's sharp intellect to put it all well together.

The Definitive Book On The Logistics Of Alexander The Great.......2005-08-10

Donald W. Engels book is chock full of logistical details that any serious student of Alexander The Great would need, to undertake an in-depth study of the logistical needs of this great general. Personally, I believe Alexander The Great was the greatest commander on the battlefield and his success is due in no small part to his exceptional understanding of the logistics necessary for his army to conquer the ancient world. He learned his craft under the able tutelage of his father, Philip of Macedon. Philip saw in his son the genius he had for organization and entrusted his logistical planning to his son while he was in his late teens. I guess a classical education provided by Aristotle didn't hurt him!

Engels book solves Alexander's logistical challenges by using the relationship of time, distance, geography, climate and the nutritional needs of his army. He uses ancient historical sources as well as recent archaeological work to fill in the many blanks that had been plaguing students of Alexander's conquests for years. One of the great facts that Engels points out is that Alexander used very few pack animals since they needed too much food and water. He used men instead to move his army, which made it lighter and faster. The statistical tables, maps and appendices alone make this a most worthwhile book. Had Field Marshall Rommell had access to Engels work he might have not allowed his lack of logistics defeat his strategy, thank G-d the book wasn't available to him!

This is the consummate work for understanding the logistics of ancient warfare. No serious student of Alexander The Great can be without this book. Being that I am a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.

Average customer rating:

Amazing Guy
Fire from Heaven
Mary Renaults's Pet Alex
Very enjoyable read...
Bivouacked Atop Babylon

The Nature of Alexander
Mary Renault
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 039473825X
Release Date: 1979-11-12

Book Description

The acclaimed biography of Alexander the Great.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Guy.......2005-10-30

Where is Alexander when we need him...now!
After reading the big-long bio of Howard Hughes I'm thinking he may have been a reincarnation of Alexander.
Too bad the real story of this phenomenal person is not taught in schools, youth of today would be much inspired by the philosophy and life of Alexander. He was certainly one-of-a-kind. Compared to the vapid, lying, greedy "leaders" of today he truly was a "god".
After reading the the two novels about him, also by Mary Renault, this was a fitting end to my quest to know more about the Alexander that piqued my interest when I happened on Oliver Stone's interview talking about making the movie.
PS - anyone who sees the movie should watch the 'special feature' with Mr. Stone first, to really appreciate the scope of his endeavor and the importance of Alexander. Oh yeah...and read M.R.'s books too.

Fire from Heaven.......2005-09-29

This is one of the many outstanding books written by Ms.Renault.She depicted Alexander as all of us would imagine him.Handsome, loving, fierce,mercyful and great.Although so many books have been written about Alexander,all in all we will never know if as a person he really indeed was that Great.
Nadia
Maryland.

Mary Renaults's Pet Alex.......2005-08-26

Mary Renault has always had a thing for Alexander. With her lesbian background in mid-century UK I guess this is not surprising. We have her to thank for much of the current fascination with Alexander's alleged homosexualty and such. This is a compelling work nonetheless, and while the bias and emphasis are obvious and perhaps a bit annoying at times, we can forgive Ms. Renault for being a bit over zealous in her passions. What she tries to do is provide a rationale for some of Alexander's actions. Sometimes she can be faulted for reading too much into what limited information we have on him. Still, this is a passionate look at the man and his times. There are many Alexander's for us to ponder. Perhaps because he was so many things to so many different people, and because of the limited documentation many scholars are free to pursue their own views on what he might have been. Mary Renault is no exception in this regard. To me Alexander is primarily the Great Captain of history. He was never defeated in battle, his conquests ranged far and wide, and his tactical abilities were supreme. He should be remembered for this brilliance as opposed to his sexual proclivities which are important only for those who have certain aggendas to pursue. True Alexander had many different sides to his character it seems, and his short but full life is packed with all sorts of fascinating events. His conquests can be divided into many distinct phases toward his character. Was Alexander a liberalizing influnence who spread Hellenism for the benefit of mankind, or just a thuggish tyrant who ran amok in the decadent Persian Empire. The verdict shall remain open on this and many other questions involving his life. For sure this is a very pro-Alex bio. Renault can see little wrong with even some of his most controversial actions. But her writing style is grand and elegant, and even if slanted, is perhaps no more so than some of the revivisionist bios we encounter today. Alexander shall forever suffer from extreme view points. The nature of his life and achievements seems to make this so even in our own time. Renault is good at possibly reading into his thought processes at certain key moments of his life, and she paints a compelling portrait of his sense of mystery and pathos which ultimately contributed to his demise as much as anything else might have in the end.

Very enjoyable read..........2005-05-25

I'm one of the fortunate ones who have a hardback edition with the 4 page fold-out full color map of Alexander's travels (hehe).

Mary Reneaul has Alexander down pat, as far as I'm concerned. I admit I'm an Alexander enthusiast (pro-Alexander as opposed to, say, Bosworth's or Green's anti-Alexander). If you're from the anti- camp, you won't enjoy this book.

Bivouacked Atop Babylon.......2005-05-01

Tanks, personnel carriers and backhoes are destroying the Palace where Alexander lay dying while his general's fought the "richest" sword fight in history. The outcome produced the Ptolometric reign in Egypt ending with Cleopatra and the Roman Empire.

No one can properly understand history without reading this book or one like it; Bucephalus, the Gordian Knot, Oracles, Mythology and a mud hut propped up outside the palace wall with Airistotle as a teacher of Engineering and Medicine. A young student with the "world" on his mind and an army trained with the descipline of the Phalanxs Movement, today's "Dress Right Dress," order and courage.

I don't know another book like it! To many, one of the top ten books read in their life time.

My hat is off to Mary Renault.

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Good Fun Overview of Alexander and Modern Business
Light reading at best...
Gives you a good picture and some lessons
Like ancient history & business?
Good book if you like fiction

Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy
Partha Bose
Manufacturer: Gotham
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1592400531
Release Date: 2004-04-12

Book Description

A rousing biography that shows how to put the tactics and insights of historyÂ's greatest conqueror to work for you.

Throughout the ages, Alexander the Great has been celebrated for building an empire that spanned from Greece to India by the time he was thirty-three. Today he continues to inspire business, government, and military magnatesÂ—and leaders from Ted Turner to Norman Schwarzkopf have brought his techniques and vision to boardrooms and battlefields in achieving their success. In Alexander the GreatÂ's Art of Strategy, Partha Bose follows AlexanderÂ's life and military campaigns and shows how you can employ his leadership lessons to conquer todayÂ's challenges in commerce, politics, and life. Bose combines his preeminent knowledge of the business world with his passionate study of Alexander to bring to life case studies of winning corporationsÂ—such as Dell, General Electric, and Wal-MartÂ—that have followed the example of one of historyÂ's greatest leaders.

Part biography and part management guide, Alexander the GreatÂ's Art of Strategy is a compelling and insightful book that should be read by leaders everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Good Fun Overview of Alexander and Modern Business.......2007-04-03

I agree with some reviewers that this book isn't a serious scholarly work and the connections between Alexander's strategies and military/political conquests and the strategies used in the modern corporate world tend to be disjointed here and there, but still, it's good reading and it forces the reader to think about the similarities or simply discard what the author sees as such. It takes imagination on the part of the reader to analyze what Alexander had achieved and apply it to our daily modern lives, but Alexander certainly does have many things to teach us in the areas of strategy and the application of tactics and execution.

Some of the examples that Bose bring up make sense and show some connection to what Alexander did while others make you roll your eyes somewhat and go, "Yeah, okay, if you say so." Nonetheless, the book is fun to read and much faster to go through than most Alexander biographies as Alexander's achievements and strategies implemented are applied to things that we can relate to more readily. We are not constantly bombarded with names and places that we can't remember or put our fingers on as so many Alexander biographies tend to do. I finished this book in little over a day and had good time reading it and I'm sure I'll refer back to it more for enjoyment than anything else.

There is certainly much to be learned through the study of Alexander's remarkable life and his near-mythical achievements in such a short period of time. This is a good primer in that area although I would certainly not recommend it to anyone as the definitive book about what Alexander was all about and this book doesn't purport to be as such. That's what makes it good fun reading. Alexander was certainly a strategist of the highest order although he seems to have been guided as much by keen natural instincts as by highly-developed intellect. Obviously, some of these things simply cannot be taught. Still, the conjectures are interesting and fun to ponder and I recommend this book to the Alexander buff who already has a good well-rounded collection and wants to add a "fun" book for easy reading.

Light reading at best..........2007-01-07

That's what it is.

Not to be taken too seriously for historical accuracy or as a serious Harvard Business School management session.

But nice book juggling two supposedly disparate topics.

Gives you a good picture and some lessons.......2006-04-19

The problem with this book is that it simplifies and doesnt crasp some of the true lessons we could learn from Alexander.
However, the book gives a excellent account about his life and battles. I think that you should buy this book if you are intrested in alexander from a learning standpoint. I learned a few things from this book! But if you want to learn alexanders leadership style, then try find another book.

Like ancient history & business?.......2006-02-21

Then this is for you. While working on the WEF competitive reports with Besife Tonwe, we got into a discussion about how despite all the technology advances human nature has changed little in 3000 years. I thought not. Besife's claim was that read Niall Ferguson's House of Rothschild and you pretty much have the narratives of the 1929 crash and the 2000 tech wreck - except they take place between 1798 and 1848. Bose's book was the test and confirms his theory. Rats.

Good book if you like fiction.......2005-02-25

The people rating this high must be paid to do so. It's just riddled with historical inaccuracy ... Fuller's book on this topic is SO much better that I'm still kicking myself for buying this.

Just because I made the mistake doesn't mean you have to.

The History of Alexander (Penguin Classics)

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The History of Alexander
The "GREATEST" OF THE "GREAT"
Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy is much better
Brilliant Source
One of the Three Major Sources for Alexander's Life

The History of Alexander (Penguin Classics)
Quintus Curtius Rufus
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140444122

Customer Reviews:

The History of Alexander.......2006-07-21

Another book written on Alexander the Great,but different from the others. So many have written books about Alexander and yet in this book so many things I read for the first time.The book is very easy to read, ofcourse it is about the wars,conquers,of Alexander.The details that are not written in Arrian for example and Plutarch are several.I will give a few examples.
One of Alexander's speeches,outstandingly written to pursue the killer of Darius.
The Amazon queen meeting Alexander and what she demands of him.The Caspian discovered by the soldiers, what they see and feel about the salted water.The speech of Coenus on behalf of the soldiers, and Alexander's speech.The fight of the Indus river.
The Gedrosian desert,and the judgement of Philotas. All is strongly suggest that if you are an Alexander lover you should add this book to your reading. Enjoy.

The "GREATEST" OF THE "GREAT".......2006-02-10

Alexander the Great, was born on or around July 20, 356 B.C.E., and is my favorite personality to read about in history. To me he is the whole package general, statesman, conqueror, and philosopher. The smartest man who ever lived, Aristotle, tutored him. Alexander conquered more of the known world than any other figure in history, accomplishing all this before he dies at the ripe old age of 33. Some people called him conqueror and violent overlord. Some other called him civilizer and even God! All of them yet, called him "The Great". He was the first man in modern history that took this name, "The Great"! Even as a young boy, he shows great promise.
Curtius' work is the oldest extant work available and based on eyewitness accounts. He does a better job than most in explaining the battle scenes, and seems to be more balanced in his admiration and criticism of Alexander then any of the other early biographers. I love his Bucephalus Story, and I recount it here so you get a flavor of the promise this young Alexander shows.

The legend begins with Philoneicus, a Thessalian, bringing a wild horse to Philip for him to buy. None of the hands was able to handle it, and Philip grew upset at Philoneicus for bringing such an unstable horse to him. Alexander, however, publicly defied his father and claimed that he could handle the horse. The bet between Philip and Alexander was that if Alexander could ride the horse, Philip would buy it, if not, Alexander would have to pay the price of the horse, which was 13 talents, an enormous sum for a boy of Alexander's age to have.

Alexander apparently noticed that the horse had been shying away from its own shadow, and so he led it gently into the sun, so that its shadow was behind it, all the while stroking it gently and whispering into its ear, (Alexander seems to be the original horse whisperer). Eventually the horse let Alexander mount him, and Alexander was able to show his equestrian skill to his father and all who were watching. The incident so impressed Alexander's father, King Philip that he told the boy "Look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of you, for Macedonia is too little for thee". He named the horse Bucephalus, which means Ox head, and rode it across Asia, founding a city in its honor in India after its death. This story gives you an inkling about the man.

This book is a must read for students of Alexander, I also recommend Plutarch's and Arrian's work. Contemporary writers, J.F. C. Fuller and Tarn. Most of Alexander's greatest military traits are in the area of military logistics and to understand his genius in this area I highly recommend reading, "Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army," by Donald W. Engels.

As a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.

Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy is much better.......2004-11-12

I recently read a slew of books about Alexander the Great in anticipation of the movie. I have to admit that hile this academic text might be required reading of many college and high school history classes, I found Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy much more engaging, insightful, and fun to read. The battle descriptions in the this book are phenomenal. One feels like one is right in the middle of a battle. Rufus doesn't do such a great job.

Brilliant Source.......2001-07-16

Though not the definitive work on Alexander, Curtius provides detail not included by other sources. Sometimes hypocritical and biased, Curtius details the campaigns of Alexander with heavy focus on Alexander the person. To read this book is a must for anyone interested in Alexander. It is one of the primary sources and the fact that he is not as nice about Alexander (such as Plutarch or Arrian) may indeed do justice to the reader. This book can best be understood with the addition of Fuller's "The Generalship of Alexander The Great".

One of the Three Major Sources for Alexander's Life.......1998-07-19

The most interesting and controversial, but not necessarily the most accurate, ancient biography of Alexander the Great. In addition to Arrian and Plutarch, you can't say you know all about Alexander until you read this book. Full of information not found in the other two biographies. Though it is often touted as not reliable, contemporary scholarship owes much of their increasingly negative opinion of Alexander the Great to this book.

Alexander The Great: The Invisible Enemy

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Curious?????
O'Brien's Book is really great
Surely carefully researched, but ...
Great book on Alexander the Great
A Very Unusual Biography of Alexander the Great

Alexander The Great: The Invisible Enemy
John O'brien
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415106176

Book Description

In the last seven years of his life, Alexander the Great grew increasingly unpredictable, sporadically violent, megalomaniacal and suspicious of friends as well as enemies. This latest biography of antiquity's most renowned conqueror differs from others in its detailed assessment of Alexander's psychological development.

In Alexander The Great John Maxwell O'Brien takes an imaginative approach to his subject in choosing Dionysus, the god of wine and ambivalence, as the framework for a discussion of Alexander's alcoholism and often contradictory personality traits.

O'Brien's pursuit of his subject explores every imaginable detail, discussing Alexander's cultural tastes, religious beliefs, parents, aspirations, exploits, fears, sexuality and alcoholism. Alexander The Great takes into account the latest scholarship in the field, incorporating the latest methods of interpretation in archaeology, anthropology, psychology, mythology and philosophy.

Customer Reviews:

Curious?????.......2007-01-05

What on earth is a "reluctant heterosexual"? From what I know of ancient Greek history, there was no such term as homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual. It is only modern historians who feel the overwhelming need to add labels, and usually the label that best suits their own sexuality. If a "hero" is considered heterosexual then their exploits with the opposite sex are essential to their character and to understanding them. Can you imagine a historian recounting the life of Marc Antony or Julius Caesar for that matter without mentioning Cleopatra or a history of Napoleon without Josephine? And yet here we have another historian placing another annoying tag. And one that doesn't make much sense.

O'Brien's Book is really great.......2005-01-13

I had the opportunity to be a student in Professor O'Brien's Alexander the Great class at Queens college. He was so knowlegdeable and eloquent in that class, his book is also a really well-rounded inquiry to Alexander. In his book, aside from his on take on Alexander, O'Brien reveals many of the differing characterizations that other leading historians such as Peter Green, Mary Renault, Robin Lane Fox, etc. attribute to Alexander. I have read a bunch of Alexander biographies, however, O'Brien's is one of the more well-rounded. Plus, he gives his own interesting opinion on the role alcohol played in Alexander's life and death. This book is excellent for someone who is a serious historian or history student, but it is also written clear enough that you don't have to be one of the latter in order to understand it. I recommmend this book, because the fair balance O'Brien gives to the debate over Alexander's mysterious and multi-faced personality.

Surely carefully researched, but ..........2004-12-03

... the chapter on Alexander's sexuality was a little bit strange. The author comes up with quite some proof that Alexander loved his own sex more than the opposite one only to conclude in the last two paragraphs that since Alexander eventually married to produce heirs (a point the author stresses) he possibly was just a "reluctant heterosexual".

I think it's a really difficult situation when biographers are influenced by their restrictive notions of human sexuality while writing about such difficult subjects. A man doesn't have to be (exclusively) heterosexual to be able to have sex with women! It's whom one really loves that counts.

And I think it's quite appaling that the heterosexuality of historical or mythical figures is always praised or not questioned while their homosexuality is either ignored, denied or heavily questioned. To have role models free of contemporary stereotypes such as Alexander the Great (or Richard Lionhart or Achilles and Patroclus) for their sexuality could make all the difference to gay youth.

Otherwise this is an interesting biography looking into some other personal aspects which are often neglected over the battle homo vs. hetero or the image of Alexander as a spotless hero.

Great book on Alexander the Great.......2003-06-18

I find this book fascinating, full of interesting facts and references. A great reading for someone who is curious to find out more about the phenomenon we call Alexander the Great.

A Very Unusual Biography of Alexander the Great.......1998-07-19

This particular book is full of references from ancient greek literature quoted to illustrate various aspects of Alexander the Great's life. It has the most complete bibliography on Alexander and students will find it is a must buy for that feature alone. The author concentrates on the deterioration of Alexander from alcohol and his parallel life with the god of wine Dionysus. Very unusual indeed...

Average customer rating:

Excellent - if you can handle Heckel's academic approach
Must have for serious Alexander historians

The Marshals of Alexander's Empire
Waldemar Heckel
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0415050537

Book Description

The successors of Alexander the Great were neither his closest friends nor his most prominent generals. But because these marshals labored in his shadow, their careers and contributions to Alexander's success have been neglected by historians, ancient and modern. The primary aim of this book is to bring them to light. br br Waldemar Heckel presents an interpretative prosopographical study of more than 130 officers who served Alexander the Great. As such, b /b b i The Marshals of Alexander's Empire /i /b b /b is a revision, a continuation and an expansion of H. Berve's i Das Alexanderreich aup prosopographischer Grunlage /i , volume 2 (Munich, 1926). b /b b i The Marshals of Alexander's Empire /i /b b /b provides the first full discussion in English of the careers of Alexander's Macedonian officers and closest friends.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent - if you can handle Heckel's academic approach.......2002-01-08

Due to the high price of this work, I had been hesitant to buy it. But it is worth every dollar. Heckel is accurate, academic, informative. His stories about the lives of Krateros, Perdikkas, Ptolemy etc. continue from the point where most Alexander biographies have stopped. Don't expect something that is easy to digest: a normal page in Heckel is half narrative, half annotations.

The lives of Alexander's generals are fascinating and tragic stories on their own account. As Heckel puts it: the men that had fought so hard to conquer Persia were never destined to rule it. That sums up the overall tragedy.

Must have for serious Alexander historians.......2000-04-27

Whether you're a professional or an amateur, if you pursue Alexander history, this book is a must-have (despite it's forbidding cost). It's the first recent prosopographical study of Alexander's court, and the only one in English. Heckel uses both textual and epigraphic evidence to present thorough studies of key figures in Alexander's administration: Parmention, Krateros, Hephaistion, Leonnatos, Ptolemy, Antipatros . . . just to name a few.

Alexander the Great: The Brief Life and Towering Exploits of History's Greatest Conqueror--As Told By His Original Biographers

Average customer rating:

Ruler by 16 ... Commander by 20 ...Conqueror by 26 ...Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
The "GREATEST" OF THE "GREAT"
The life of a conqueror
Dump the movies, read this instead

Alexander the Great: The Brief Life and Towering Exploits of History's Greatest Conqueror--As Told By His Original Biographers

Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142001406
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

Inspired in his leadership, fearless in battle, and boundless in his ambition, Alexander the Great was worshiped as a god during his lifetime, and his legend has only grown sinceÂ— he remains in the forefront of the public imagination with no fewer than two upcoming major motion pictures devoted to his life. Inheriting his fatherÂ's empire at the age of twenty, Alexander resolved to expand it, and by the time of his death at thirty- two, his empire covered most of the known worldÂ—from Greece to IndiaÂ—encompassing two million square miles. Comprising selections from the writings of Arrian, Plutarch, and Quintus Curtius Rufus, this definitive biography of the greatest conqueror in history features an introduction on AlexanderÂ's enduring legacy by acclaimed British television personality Michael Wood.

Customer Reviews:

Ruler by 16 ... Commander by 20 ...Conqueror by 26 ...Alexander the Great.......2006-09-13

Pupil of Aristotle, ruler at 16, commander at 20 of armies when modern men are only just legally eligible to drink in America, and conqueror of half of the entire known world by age 26 .... the historical accounts of Alexander the Great's imperial military campaigns ... and its enduring legacy centuries later. A man who truly belongs to history.

Not even Napoleon, Douglas MacArthur, or General Patton could match the military legacy of Alexander the Great. Both Alexander's youth and his zeal created a legend that is unrivaled.

Alexander the Great.......2006-03-23

As with all history, one never knows all, one can only assume, because, one was never there, or so we think.

The "GREATEST" OF THE "GREAT".......2006-02-10

Alexander the Great, was born on or around July 20, 356 B.C.E., and is my favorite personality to read about in history. To me he is the whole package general, statesman, conqueror, and philosopher. The smartest man who ever lived, Aristotle, tutored him. Alexander conquered more of the known world than any other figure in history, accomplishing all this before he dies at the ripe old age of 33. Some people called him conqueror and violent overlord. Some other called him civilizer and even God! All of them yet, called him "The Great". He was the first man in modern history that took this name, "The Great"! Even as a young boy, he shows great promise.

Curtius' work is the oldest extant work available and based on eyewitness accounts. He does a better job than most in explaining the battle scenes, and seems to be more balanced in his admiration and criticism of Alexander then any of the other early biographers. I love his Bucephalus Story, and I recount it here so you get a flavor of the promise this young Alexander shows.

The legend begins with Philoneicus, a Thessalian, bringing a wild horse to Philip for him to buy. None of the hands was able to handle it, and Philip grew upset at Philoneicus for bringing such an unstable horse to him. Alexander, however, publicly defied his father and claimed that he could handle the horse. The bet between Philip and Alexander was that if Alexander could ride the horse, Philip would buy it, if not, Alexander would have to pay the price of the horse, which was 13 talents, an enormous sum for a boy of Alexander's age to have.

Alexander apparently noticed that the horse had been shying away from its own shadow, and so he led it gently into the sun, so that its shadow was behind it, all the while stroking it gently and whispering into its ear, (Alexander seems to be the original horse whisperer). Eventually the horse let Alexander mount him, and Alexander was able to show his equestrian skill to his father and all who were watching. The incident so impressed Alexander's father, King Philip that he told the boy "Look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of you, for Macedonia is too little for thee". He named the horse Bucephalus, which means Ox head, and rode it across Asia, founding a city in its honor in India after its death. This story gives you an inkling about the man.

This book is a must read for students of Alexander, I also recommend Plutarch's and Arrian's work. Contemporary writers, J.F. C. Fuller and Tarn. Most of Alexander's greatest military traits are in the area of military logistics and to understand his genius in this area I highly recommend reading, "Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army," by Donald W. Engels.

As a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.

The life of a conqueror.......2005-08-12

Born in Macedonia in 356BC Alexander The Great changed the political face of the Middle East to such an extent that the present age is affected. He only lived 32 years but created an Empire that spanned 1000's of miles and included many cultures. He was tutored by Aristotle and raised to be a king. He toppled Darius of Persia, conquered the surrounding areas and invaded India. When he took on a task, he stayed with it with dogged determination. He was a brilliant battlefield tactition and motivator of men.

The story of his life was recorded by the classic biographers, Arrian, Plutarch and Curtius. In this book, Michael Wood presents Alexander's story by compiling the different accounts in chronological order. There is very little additional text, editorial, background, etc. Sometimes, he interjects comments where the original accounts vary (due to the biases of the biograhpers). This is a simple book to read and understand. It is an excellent resource for someone who wants an introduction to Alexander.

The map, list of sources and gloassary of main characters are quite helpful.

Dump the movies, read this instead.......2004-11-20

Or watch the movies and read this as well. This is a great little book that contains excerted translations of the three ancient biographies of Alexander, written by Plutarch, Arrian and Quintus Curtius Rufus, all Roman writers. The book is edited so that it forms a continuous narrative throughout Alexander's life. Aside from archeological finds, these three ancient writers are the sole sources of reliable information on the historical Alexander. The introduction by Wood is useful.

I do have to note that I find it odd that on the Amazon page under "Language Notes" it says "Latin, English," since there is no Latin here. The original texts were in Latin, but they are not reproduced here.

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