To what extent do the books that come down to us from long ago do so because they are exceptional and there have been deliberate efforts to preserve them throughout the ages, and to what extent are they books that, by accident or happenstance, have happened to survive into the present?
History of the Peloponnesian War Review
The Peloponnesian War was a world war, drawing in all the Greek polities through a network of alliances, and, over twenty-seven years, involving diverse foreign powers, from Persia, to Egypt, to Italy, and even parts of Europe. To the Greeks, that was the world, and for twenty-seven years the world warred.
Philip and Alexander Review
I could have read about Alexander the Great from one of the many historical sources who wrote about him, either contemporaneous with his campaigns, or within a few centuries, but such ancient works tend not to capture what I hoped to find in Philip and Alexander: an exploration of both kings’ reigns, and how the one informed the other.
The US Constitution and Other Writings Review
This is a review for the collection of American writings assembled by Canterbury Classics, and not a review of the US Constitution.
Wisdom Sits in Places Review
I was left pondering this idea of perception and the environment, too nebulous as yet for me to fully express it myself. Wisdom Sits in Places is the answer for which I did not realize I was looking.
Material World Review
Material World’s strength is in examining the many permutations of these substances, and following them from their initial extraction as raw resources through their conversion into recognizable products, although do not expect too great of technical depth.
Culture Smart: Germany Review
I do wish that Tomalin included a brief list of common German phases, as is present in the Japanese book, but otherwise, I think you’ll find Culture Smart: Germany a handy piece of literature with which to start your explorations.
The Cutting-Off Way Review
Rather than engaging in “Russeauistic retrospective utopianism," Lee presents a nuanced, complex portrait of indigenous warfare during, prior to, and just after the contact period, examining the question from the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of war.
Making It So Review
Making It So is well written and has a few, mildly interesting segments, but it overall doesn’t offer much that is unique or freshly insightful in any broader sense.
Shahnameh Review
The ”Persian Book of Kings” is sometimes described as the Persian Iliad which, after reading it, I think is a terrible description. Shahnameh is far less narrative, and it is as much a history book as it is an epic.
IGC Publishing 