The Alexandria Link: A Novel

Book Description

Cotton Malone retired from the high-risk world of elite operatives for the U.S. State Department to lead the low-key life of a rare-book dealer. But his quiet existence is shattered when he receives an anonymous e-mail: “You have something I want. You’re the only person on earth who knows where to find it. Go get it. You have 72 hours. If I don’t hear from you, you will be childless.” His horrified ex-wife confirms that the threat is real: Their teenage son has been kidnapped. When Malone’s Copenhagen bookshop is burned to the ground, it becomes brutally clear that those responsible will stop at nothing to get what they want. And what they want is nothing less than the lost Library of Alexandria.

A cradle of ideas–historical, philosophical, literary, scientific, and religious–the Library of Alexandria was unparalleled in the world. But fifteen hundred years ago, it vanished into the mists of myth and legend–its vast bounty of wisdom coveted ever since by scholars, fortune hunters, and those who believe its untold secrets hold the key to ultimate power.

Now a cartel of wealthy international moguls, bent on altering the course of history, is desperate to breach the library’s hallowed halls–and only Malone possesses the information they need to succeed. At stake is an explosive ancient document with the potential not only to change the destiny of the Middle East but to shake the world’s three major religions to their very foundations.

Pursued by a lethal mercenary, Malone crosses the globe in search of answers. His quest will lead him to England and Portugal, even to the highest levels of American government–and the shattering outcome, deep in the Sinai desert, will have worldwide repercussions.

Customer Reviews:

Yet another wanna-be.......2007-10-09

Ambitious but flimsy plot, stretched way too thin. Stock characters: brash, talented, patriotic American agent; hero worshipping teenage son, brilliant European mentor, evil financial genius with ties to Al Quaida, crooked politicians, ruthless terrorists. Hackneyed situations: agent in from the cold unwillingly dragged back into the game; kidnapping of son; reluctant partnering with ex wife, who's a lawyer but somewhat dumb and obstructionist; the Arab/Israeli conflict; the Christian manipulation and misrepresentation of fact; the frantic chase through the mid-east trying to solve a cryptic riddle.
Those are the main problems with Alexandria Link, which never lives up to its billing as a thriller, and is an obvious companion of all the other daVinci Code coat tail riders. Nevertheless, if you're up for a quick few hours of mildly interesting reading, AL will do the trick. I got the audio version from the public library, and listened in the car. I wouldn't buy any version of this title, but for free, it was ok. Having read other Berry novels, I knew what to expect. Not being encumbered by specific biases about the middle east, I did not find AL particulary pro Israeli or pro Palestinian.

Rush to publish?.......2007-09-11

Berry seems like so many authors - by the time they earn a best selling reputation there best work is done. Maybe it is the outside pressure or time constaints put on authors with big contracts and printings.
This book seems like 1/2 great idea merged with 1/2 a rush job to get out his annual early year book.
It was so much a formula action adventure story. His usual thoroughness and depth is gone replaced by ridiculous double agent stuff!
The story was too big and had too many players for its length.
I gave 2 stars - bad book plus interesting ideas.
If this book sounds interesting and you haven't read his first 3 -
read any of those.

Nearly unreadable...and I'm being kind.......2007-08-31

If one wonders what is wrong with today's bestsellers, look no farther than the this "book" as an example of the latest crop of amazingly superficial mass market novels. The Alexandria Link is so dreadful, repetitive and down-right boring that one feels outright sorrow for the felled forests that made way for this waste of pulp. The plot swings wildly between Batman-like action (the TV show, not the movies) and a poorly written high school term paper about the woes of the ancient Alexandria library. Throw in a sinister group bent on global terrorism, a secret agent turned humble book store owner (who knows just a bit too much...wow, what a stretch of imagination), a clinging ex-wife, and you have one paper mache plot that goes nowhere fast.

And this takes me back to my first statement. Today's best sellers are mindless violence coupled with exotic locations, which is apparently the only type of books that major publishing houses can figure out how to market anymore. I found myself skipping whole sections, and still being disappointed at the time I wasted.

Gerry's Thoughts.......2007-08-22

I enjoyed the story even though it was not what I expected the content to be about.

Poorly written and just plain silly.......2007-08-21

I hardly know where to begin - Berry takes every cliche of the spy and mystery genre and mixes it with laughable dialogue, wooden characters, and totally unbelievable action. There's definitely an anti-Israel bias but even that I could get past if it weren't so badly written. Definitely save your money!

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

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

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.

The Library of Alexandria: Centre of Learning in the Ancient World, Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

Multiple Musings on the Library of Alexandria

The Library of Alexandria: Centre of Learning in the Ancient World, Revised Edition

Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1850435944

Book Description

The Library of Alexandria was one of the greatest cultural adornments of the late ancient world, containing thousands of scrolls of Greek, Hebrew and Mesopotamian literature and art and artifacts of ancient Egypt. This book demonstrates that Alexandria became--through the contemporary reputation of its library--a point of confluence for Greek, Roman, Jewish and Syrian culture that drew scholars and statesmen from throughout the ancient world. It also explores the histories of Alexander the Great and of Alexandria itself, the greatest city of the ancient world. This new paperback edition offers general readers an accessible introduction to the history of this magnificent yet still mysterious institution from the time of its foundation up to its tragic destruction.

Customer Reviews:

Multiple Musings on the Library of Alexandria.......2006-07-09

This is a highly interesting book, collecting together a good assortment of different articles that (more or less) focus on the great Library of Alexandria. The articles are quite varied in approach: one is an imaginative tour of the city verging on the whimsical, another a dry detailed account of archaeological finds. One is an intriguing down-to-earth social history of scholar and student culture of the time, while another is a far-ranging exploration of the mystical beliefs and practices of the Neo-Platonists. This variety keeps the book fresh as one is reading it, and approaching the subject from multiple disciplinary angles in this manner keeps the presentation from becoming simplistic or one-dimensional. All of the articles are learned and scholarly in a good way, written so as to be accessible to the reasonably well-educated non-specialist (like me).

My one nitpick of this book would be that many of the articles seem only tangentially related to the Library of Alexandria itself. In fact, of the ten articles in the book (counting the Intro), only two seem really focused on the actual Library per se: the editor's introduction and article #3 (Barnes' "Cloistered Bookworms"). The others, while interesting in their own right and not utterly irrelevant to the title, seem to veer off more and more, until by the final article we are way off (a fun, nitpicky analysis of Eco's novel " Name of the Rose" in the light of what medieval libraries were really like). It is as if the editor was straining to get enough material to put together a book. Surely there is more to say about the actual library itself?--There's a whole book out there just on the Library's bibliographer, after all ("Kallimachos: The Alexandrian Library and the Origins of Bibliography" by Rudolf Blum).

Still, this is a fine book that I'd recommend to anyone interested in the Library of Alexandria (both in and of itself and phenomena tangential to it); as an utter layperson in this field I enjoyed it a lot, but my guess is that even the Classical expert will find something here worthwhile.

In case you're wondering, here are the articles:
"Introduction: Alexandria in History and Myth" by Roy MacLeod
1. "Before Alexandria: Libraries in the Ancient Near East" by D.T. Potts
2. "Alexandria: The Umbilicus of the Ancient World" by Wendy Brazil
3. "Cloistered Bookworms in the Chicken-Coop of the Muses: The Ancient Library of Alexandria" by Robert Barnes
4. "Aristotle's Works: The Possible Origins of the Alexandria Collection" by R.G. Tanner
5. "Doctors in the Library: The Strange Tale of Apollonius the Bookworm and Other Stories" by John Vallance
6. "The Theatre of Paphos and the Theatre of Alexandria: Some First Thoughts" by J.R. Green
7. "Scholars and Students in the Roman East" by Samuel N.C. Lieu
8. "The Neoplatonists and the Mystery Schools of the Mediterranean" by Patricia Cannon Johnson
9. "Alexandria and its Medieval Legacy: The Book, the Monk and the Rose" by J.O. Ward

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An exceptionally vivid presentation

The Library of Alexandria
Kelly Trumble
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395758327

Book Description

The Library of Alexandria was the largest library of its time and a major center for learning and scholarly research, particularly in the fields of astronomy, geography, mathematics, and medicine. Caesar and Cleopatra, Erastosthenes and Euclid, Archimedes and Alexander the Great are just a few of the famous people connected to its story. Today, historians still argue about how the library was destroyed, and no one knows exactly what it looked like, yet there is no question that the library continues to fascinate and intrigue us. This extensively researched look at what we do know about the Library of Alexandria features Kelly Trumble's short, accessible chapters, and richly detailed full-color paintings by Robina MacIntyre Marshall. Together, they tell the story of one of the wonders of the ancient world, and show how its influence as continued long after its destruction. Glossary, suggested reading, selected bibliography, index.

Customer Reviews:

An exceptionally vivid presentation.......2004-05-19

Robina MacIntyre Marshall's fine drawings lend to this outstanding survey of the Library of Alexandria - which was much more than a simple repository of books. Scholars who visited the Library dissected corpses, star-gazed, and had controversial discussions speculating about science, nature and the world. Their findings would change world knowledge. An exceptionally vivid presentation, Kelly Trumble's Library Of Alexandria would make a popular and welcome addition to both school and community library collections.

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria: Original Research and New Perspectives (Patristic Theological Library)

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Saint Athanasius of Alexandria: Original Research and New Perspectives (Patristic Theological Library)
George, Dion. Dragas
Manufacturer: Orthodox Research Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1933275006

Book Description

St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Athanasius' great successor, tells us: "Our Father Athanasius, of hallowed memory, who adorned the throne of the Church of Alexandria for the whole of forty-six years and arrayed an unconquerable and apostolic knowledge in battle against the sophistries of the unholy heretics and greatly gladdened the world with his writings as by a most fragrant perfume, and all bear witness to the accuracy and piety of his teaching . was a man worthy of trust and deserving a confi dence, since he did not say anything not in agreement with Holy Scripture." The present volume consists of a collection of essays which represent original research into the writings of St. Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria (295 - 373). Th ese essays respond to challenges arising out of the contemporary scholarly studies of St. Athanasius' theology and writings. Th e new perspectives in Athanasian studies, which these essays off er, are closer to the original theological legacy of this great Alexandrian Father of the Church who has come down in the history of the Church as the "canon of orthodoxy." Modern "critical research and discussions" have too oft en tended to obscure the Athanasian legacy and bar contemporary theology from the amazing blessings that this great ecumenical teacher and Father of the Church has bequeathed to all Christian generations.

The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society ; 7)

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The lost library of Alexandria
A fascinating and rewarding read
Outstanding Introduction to the Great Library
I'm glad I didn't spend money on this
One thousand years as a temple of learning and wisdom

The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society ; 7)
Luciano Canfora
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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ASIN: 0520072553

Book Description

The Library of Alexandria, one of the wonders of the Ancient World, has haunted Western culture for over 2,000 years. The Ptolemaic kings of Egypt--successors of Alexander the Great--had a staggering ambition: to house all of the books ever written under one roof, and the story of the universal library and its destruction still has the power to move us.
But what was the library, and where was it? Did it exist at all? Contemporary descriptions are vague and contradictory. The fate of the precious books themselves is a subject of endless speculation.
Canfora resolves these puzzles in one of the most unusual books of classical history ever written. He recreates the world of Egypt and the Greeks in brief chapters that marry the craft of the novelist and the discipline of the historian. Anecdotes, conversations, and reconstructions give The Vanished Library the compulsion of an exotic tale, yet Canfora bases all of them on historical and literary sources, which he discusses with great panache. As the chilling conclusion to this elegant piece of historical detective work he establishes who burned the books.
This volume has benefited from the collegial support of The Wake Forest University Studium.

Customer Reviews:

The lost library of Alexandria.......2006-09-12

Three hundred years before Christ, the Ptolemy dynasty of Egypt used their enormous wealth to undertake a breathtaking enterprise -- the creation of a great library to contain every book ever written. An immense "museum" was constructed in Alexandria, stuffed with millions of scrolls -- the vast wealth of human literature of every type. Scholars translated the scrolls into Greek, and then later into Latin -- religious texts from Judaism, Zoroastroism, plays, poetry, histories, epics, speeches, philosophy -- humanity's greatest achievements, archived deep within the Ramses II sarcophogous, next to the famous statue of Ozymandius. In the year 48 AD Alexandria was sacked by Julius Caesar. The fire from burning ships in the harbor spread to the town and burned the great library -- incinerating the great treasure of human writings. Luciano Canfora teases threads from the many accounts of the almost mythical story to arrive at a strange conclusion -- the most valuable papyrus scrolls remained within the dilapidated tomb for another six centuries -- until the final 54,000 surviving books were burned at the order of Muslim conquers in order to heat the town's baths. Today, we have only a few scraps -- copied from the few moth-eaten and almost unreadable scrolls that escaped destruction. Canfora's beautiful story blends fictional re-enactment with careful research to create a compelling and magical account of what may be civilization's greatest catastrophe. If you enjoy the smell of ashes, you might want to return to one of my personal favorites -- Kenneth Clark's -- Civilization.

--Auralgo

A fascinating and rewarding read.......2006-02-17

I just couldn't put it down. The first chapters are puzzling and one wonders why Canfora chose this unusual structure for his book. But like a suspense writer, he gives the reader one clue after an other and suddenly everything makes sense. In retrospect one even beliefs that this study could not have been written in a more succinct and lucid way. I finished the 200 pages in five hours and felt like I had read a whole library.

Outstanding Introduction to the Great Library.......2003-08-25

Almost certainly, no other ancient institution has caught the modern imagination so much as has The Library of Alexandria. Begun around 300BC, this remarkable establishment became _the_ center of learning and scholarship in the Mediterranean world for hundreds of years thereafter. Our debt to the great library is incalculable; to it we owe the Septuagint (the Greek translations of the Old Testament), the standardization of Homer and Hesiod to their final forms, and the survival of the great Greek thinkers (Plato, Aristotle) to modern times. The beginnings of modern thought -- science, philosophy, mathematics, medicine -- can all be traced to this unique collection and the people who were a part of its scholarly society. It was the home to writers and thinkers that we are familiar with (Polybius, Appollonius Rhodius) and to far more that we are not but should (Theophrastus, Neleus). And its demise ranks as one of the greatest tragedies in Western history.

In The Vanished Library, Luciano Ganfora (translated here by Martin Ryle) gives a popular account of the history of the Library, from its founding and shadowy beginnings, all the way up to its decline and destruction centuries later. But what makes this book interesting is that Ganfora resists the temptation to slip into the academic spouting of facts, figures, and theories at every opportunity. Rather, his aim is to not only show the reader the library, but to give one a feel for what it was like to _be_ there, to work among the thousands of scrolls, and to live the life of the ancient Greek scholar. His research is grounded firmly in the original sources, many of which he discusses at length in the book's appendix and several of which he quotes at length. The book sometime feels like a novel, because Ganfora frequently adopts a storyteller's tone in order to illustrate some aspect he wishes us to explore. Occasionally, Ganfora also digresses into some of the more controversial areas of the Library's history; he argues, for instance, that Caesar's sacking of Alexandria during the Roman Civil Wars did not destroy the library as many scholars insist, but rather destroyed an annex that was used to house finished scrolls meant for export across the Mediterranean (the Library being also a major source for the dissemination of literary works across the known world). But none of this detracts from the book itself. It does a very good job of introducing one to the subject of the Library and what we know about it, and makes for a rather delightful read along the way.

This is not to say that this is the best introductory book on the subject out there; in my opinion, that would have to go to Derek Adie Flower's The Shores of Wisdom. Ganfora does skip over whole areas of the Library's history that Flower does not, and goes more in depth than Ganfora on some of the academic arguments surrounding such subjects as the Library's demise and its impact on Western culture. But Ganfora's book is easier to read for the layperson, and shorter -- one could read it cover-to-cover in literally a single sitting. And I think Ganfora does a better job of evoking the sense of just what the Library was like than Flower. For this reason I would recommend this book _along with_ The Shores of Wisdom; both work as complementary pieces, with the short comings of the one made up in the other.

I'm glad I didn't spend money on this.......2003-05-24

Luciano Canfora's The Vanished Library stands out as an example of how not to write a historical account. I'm not sure for whom this text was written, but it is weak.

The first half is a meandering novelesque account of events, many of which appear unconnected to the library. Canfora never really put together where he was going with the narrative. I suspect someone already familiar with the subject might have understood why some of these things were important, but my impression was that the book was meant more as a popular history. The back cover states that Canfora has merged the craft of novelist and historian, an unhappy marriage if I ever saw one.

The second half is better, covering source material, and finally providing some elusive references and staying on topic better. He goes through writings of earlier classical sources and their references to the library, comparing their works to try to find out what happened to the library.

If this review sounds confusing, it's because I found the book confusing. It meandered around, sometimes offering two page chapters on subjects that seemed to have no bearing on the topic. The pedagogic style was bad, and the reader is left wondering what the point of reading it was. One can get some useful information here, and it's an interesting enough topic. But I found the writing and analysis weak and haphazard.

One thousand years as a temple of learning and wisdom.......2003-04-15

I found this book both informative, as well as, a joy to read. That is because most of it reads more like a novel than a formal academic study. This is done to put the reader into the overall cultural mindset of Alexandria and the library at various points in it's almost 1000 year history.

Having done my own research on this topic in college I can vouch for the accuracy and completeness of the author's research. The truth is that there is very little surviving hard data about this institution (and absolutely no surviving archeological evidence.) There is however an original revelation that the layout of the Museum may very well have imitated that of the Ramesseum at Thebes. This is due to the fact that the Greek rulers of the Ptolemaic period adhered closely to classical Egyptian forms- at least in a superficial and material manner.

This book clears up some popular misconceptions. First of all, there was no "library" as a separate institution or structure. It was always an inseparable part of the overall Museum. Secondly, the Museum was in no sense a secular institution. It was truly a temple to the Muses, and Holy Wisdom, with sacred functions. Even under Roman control it continued to be administered by a priest.

Finally, it would seem that the Romans had nothing to do with the burning of the Museum, indeed there was no damage during the Roman conquest. The greatest damage is shown to have been done in late antiquity at the hands of Christian fanatics- like so many simular of cases of the mindless destruction of our classical heritage.

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Man's status and destination

From the School of Alexandria

Fascinating!

Clement of Alexandria: The Exhortation to the Greeks. The Rich Man's Salvation. To the Newly Baptized (fragment) (Loeb Classical Library)
Clement of Alexandria
Manufacturer: Loeb Classical Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Apostolic Fathers, I, I Clement. II Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache (Loeb Classical Library)

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ASIN: 0674991036

Book Description

Clement of Alexandria, famous Father of the Church, is known chiefly from his own works. He was born, perhaps at Athens, about 150 CE, son of non-Christian parents; he converted to Christianity probably in early manhood. He became a presbyter in the Church at Alexandria and there succeeded Pantaenus in the catechetical school; his students included Origen and Bishop Alexander. He may have left Alexandria in 202, was known at Antioch, was alive in 211, and was dead before 220.

This volume contains Clement's Exhortation to the Greeks to give up gods for God and Christ; "Who Is the Man Who Is Saved?" (an exposition of Mark 10:17-31, concerning the rich man's salvation); and an exhortation To the Newly Baptized. Clement was an eclectic philosopher of a neo-Platonic kind who later found a new philosophy in Christianity, and studied not only the Bible but the beliefs of Christian heretics.

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Man's status and destination.......2006-12-12

When I was asked to contibute an idea about the status seeking ambition of our time for a sociology lecture at Florida State University I immediately thought of Clement of Alexandria whose work I had come to know in a lecture by the theologian and acheologist Theodor Klauser at the University of Bonn many years ago.
Clements is aware of the different ambitions and competitions prevailing in the society of his age in Greece and the Middle East. He "exhorts" his contemporaries to forget the unenlightened squabbles of daily life to literally fight the "good figt" for the next like the competitors in the arena concentrate on victory and glory.
The Loeb edition is an exellent contribution to the study of an interesting author.

From the School of Alexandria.......2001-11-03

Clement of Alexandria was born tentatively in A.D. 150, and was more than likely raised a non-Christian; but he was destined nevertheless to become one the most influential teachers of the early Church. Among his pupils were the sublime Origen and the Bishop of Jerusalem, Alexander. Clement's mastery of Hellenistic philosophy, Greek mythological lore and the New and Old Testaments becomes strikingly apparent throughout his treatisies. What will be found in this volume are three works: "Exhortation to the Greeks," the "Rich Man's Salvation," and a short catechetical address "To the Newly Baptized." All are full of a driving wit and a rhetorical polish common to the age. In Clement we find the beginnings of that magnificent synthesis which began forming between the new emerging systemized Platonism and the pious speculations of the Alexandrian Church. It must be noted that while Clement of Alexandria is duly revered among the Church Fathers, he is not recognized as one of her saints due to some views he espoused concerning Church orginization and for suspicions arising from some of his novel teachings, which we find resurfacing in his famed pupil Origen. One must keep in mind, though, that the Church was not yet a fully organized unit, even though it was drastically moving toward that stage at that time. Nor did she have a definitive and absolute system of theology to date, even though the apostle's creed is what made her universal, until the fully defined Nicene Creed settled the theology debate. So it will be hard to condemn Clement if we take into consideration the historical context and the intellectual tendencies which thrived during his day. One need not pass this little volume away; it holds some of the first masterpieces of nascent Christianity.

Fascinating!.......2000-01-05

Clement of Alexandria was a philosophic Christian writer of the late second century AD. His work and teachings heavily influenced his brilliant pupil Origen, although Clement tends to be more Orthodox by later standards than Origen. Clement's writings are a fascinating look at early Christian thought in Egypt.

This is a very nice little book. It contains a decent sampling of Clement's shorter works, including 'To the Newly Baptized,' which is not available in the excellent Ante-Nicene Fathers set (although the evidence is still inconclusive as to whether Clement actually wrote the short treatise). "Exhortation to the Greeks" is a reasoned exposition designed to convince Greeks of the truth of Christianity using their own myths. "Rich Man's Salvation" discusses ways a rich person might be in the Church, despite Jesus' (and the early church's) condemnation of riches.

The translation is from around 1910, so its a little stilted, but readable, much like the text from the Ante-Nicene Set. The Greek text is present on the left side of the book and based on the newest manuscripts available at the time. There are textual notes and manuscript variant notes, but they are few, and not nearly as helpful as the notes of other Clement translations.
Overall this Loeb edition offers a good translation with Greek texts, giving something to the serious scholar and the simply curious.

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Huge 100# rodents!

Capybaras (Animals of the Rain Forest)
Alexandria Manera
Manufacturer: Raintree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0739868357

Customer Reviews:

Huge 100# rodents!.......2007-03-20

I bought this book for my rainforest unit. It's a nice easy read with colorful photos and loads of facts about capybaras, the largest rodents in the world. My 1st through [...] remedial reading students all enjoyed the book on their own level.

Ante-Nicene Christian Library: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Volume 12. The Writings of Clement of Alexandria (Volume 2)

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Ante-Nicene Christian Library: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Volume 12. The Writings of Clement of Alexandria (Volume 2)
Clement
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ante-Nicene Christian Library: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Volume 4. The Writings of Clement of Alexandria (Volume 1)

ASIN: 0543962202
Release Date: 2001-10-08

Book Description

Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1869 edition by T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh.

Bessie Smith (African-American Biographies (Raintree))

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Bessie Smith (African-American Biographies (Raintree))
Alexandria Manera
Manufacturer: Raintree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0739868756

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