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Summary: The collapse of Rome and the western world explained.
Review: The quite voluminous "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" is one of the most important books of all times, and is of special interest to the reader who wants to go the extra mile in search of the reasons why the Empire collapsed after almost 1.000 years of existence. Is also a good reminder to everyone of us that, no matter what, all things pass and one world leader is followed by another in a sequence of falling cards. The book, first publishe in 1776, the same year that the "Wealth of the Nations" was published, and the same year the United States declared its independency, is one of the first serious attempts to relate history in a context of sequenced facts where social, political and cultural movements were much more important than the play of personalities. Edward Gibbon lived in Geneva many years and was familiar with the most important intelectual developments of the age, being acquainted with Voltaire and his ideas, reading and writting in many languages but mainly in French. The bibliography he consulted is extensive and, even some 15 centuries after the facts he reports, his is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the reasons behind the fall of Rome.To begin with, he does not list how it all began, that is, it is not his purpose to narrate how the Empire was built. He begins with the Empire as a "fait accompli", with a narrative in the rule of Julius Cesar , the philosopher ruler, and analises with endless detail all the rationale of lack of in each and every ruler's mind, the background of his ascent and the reasons behind the fall of each one of them. The vast majority of Rome's ruler was killed by people who was akin or intimate to the ruler or by members of the Praetorian guard. Also, all the meanings of the empire's hierarchy is explained with a lot of detail, what was the function of a Caesar, what meant to be a senator at the time of Rome apogee, of consulship, etc... Each one of the 3 books, totalling some 2.000 pages, has a very interesting map of Europe, Africa and Asia at the time. A lot of factual information is there to astound the reader with the polyhistoric knowledge of the author. His privileged mind does not permit him to understand that not all the readers speak the languages he does and the text is full of footnotes quotations in Latin and ancient Greek, with no translation whatsoever. The portrait of the barbarians kings and people is superb and the reader has the opportunity of a face to face contact with Allaric, the king of the Goths, and with Atilla, the king of the Huns. Sure, this trilogy is only focused in the so-called West Empire and its sequel is totally devoted to the East empire, but that is another story.
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Summary: Gibbon's Masterpiece in a Readable Edition
Review: These three volumes constitute the first half of Edward Gibbon's masterpiece. Many would-be readers will find reading Gibbon to be somewhat daunting, but his wit, scholarship, and narrative drive (in these early volumes, anyway) make this book hard to resist. A word about the text. Everyman's Library reprints the famous J.B. Bury edition (Bury was a famous Irish historian who wrote a well-respected History of Greece), which is close to 100 years old (it dates to 1909). If you're reading Gibbon for a history course on an undergraduate or post-graduate level, you should probably read the more recent David Womerseley edition, which is available in a three-volume Penguin paperback (with, unfortunately, unreadably microscopic type). The hardcover edition was remaindered recently, though, so you might find it on Amazon secondhand. If you're reading Gibbon for pleasure, however, the Everyman's Library edition is the one to get. The individual volumes are just the right size, and the text is large enough and clear enough to be read easily. The text is complete, which is not always the case (some fancy editions -- the Folio Society's comes to mind -- tend to cut back on the footnotes). Gibbon makes great bedtime reading. Take him slowly, and don't rush. Keep your eye on the footnotes -- some of the best and snarkiest stuff in Gibbon is discreetly hidden in the footnotes (in one of my favorite early footnotes [in Chapter IV] he mentions the giraffe, "the tallest, the most gentle, and the most useless of the large quadrupeds."). If you decide to push on to the second three volumes (Chapters 39-71), be prepared to be patient, because there are some rough spots. It might take you a while to get through it (my last reading of the entire work took me 26 months), but Gibbon is more than worth the effort. Which is why I've just started reading him again -- for the fifth time.
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Summary: A tour de force of Western History
Review: This is a work that every well stocked personal library should have along with Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples. Gibbon is not an "easy read", his style of writing is such that it takes a chaper or so just to "get up the power curve" to his level, but once you are, the book is a joy with its evocative cadence and unfurlling expressions. The complete works is a historical journey that will bring the serious reader an insightful look at the accomplishments and failures of the Roman Empire.
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Summary: A good introduction to Gibbon
Review: This is an excellent abridged edition of Edward Gibbon's classic "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" and it makes both a perfect introduction for those just getting into Gibbon and a useful portable copy for people who have the entire set. This abridgement includes much of Gibbon's coverage of the decline and fall of the western empire and some interesting chapters and excerpts from the remainder of the work, ideal for the general reader. Most of Gibbon's history still stands up after 200 years (and footnotes point out where it doesn't), and it is written in an absolutely gorgeous English style. Anyone interested in Rome owes it to themselves to read Gibbon, and this is a good place to get your feet wet.
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Summary: Historical Monument.
Review: This mighty book is the paradigm for any historical writing. Only to imagine its first volume was written in 1776 produce awe to the reader. Sure it contains errors that had been pointed out by more recent investigations. Sure is dated in some aspects. But what a monument in itself it is!
It stands as a reference for every historian of the period, for every serious student of Roman history, for every history lover.
Erudite and at the same time so clear and interesting work. Gibbon's prose has a very spicy taste, once you get used to it, you will savor each paragraph.
The study begins with Antonines Period and ends at the Fall of the Empire. Thru that huge period of time, all main characters as Emperors, Generals, Senators, Consuls, Barbaric Kings and their people are shown and their deeds recounted.
The enormous amount of sources consulted by the author and his masterful way to put all that data in an ordered and neat mode still amaze me.
No student or researcher should skip this Historical Monument!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
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Summary: Essential, Important, but over-rated
Review: You've got to read Gibbon, IMO, to be educated about separation of Church and State, about the history of ideas, and, as many have noted, about Roman and Christian history itself. That said, I think Gibbon's gifts as a writer are over-rated. This man DOES NOT get to the point, or tend to express an over-arching theme that he can point to with facts in an explicit way. Rather, he takes a roundabout view of things, and ferreting out the main point or theme is difficult amidst all the ancillary material presented. Gibbon would be a flop as a journalist, or as a corporate communicator today. As a better example of history well-written, try the Pelican History of the World, by J. M. Roberts. However, with that exception, Gibbon's style and wit are worthy of emulation.
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