Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book for its purpose
Review: A great book for any early student in classical studies. It has a special flow to it which allows one to get emersed in the subject with enjoyment. There are some parts that could have added more details, but this would ruin its purpose. There are several classical sources used at different times and Kagan sometimes puts more of an emphasis on one version over another. At times, he leaves some versions out. However, the book is not for meant for the expert, rather for the early student or laymen. Obviously, a book of such a nature ought to not be too excessive. Thus, he achieved his goal which makes the book excellent for its purpose.
Rating: 
Summary: Remarkable.
Review: A remarkable book in that it is set in ancient times, yet we know so much not only about what happened, but the political background. Kagan speculates on the actual thinking of the main actors, and his arguments are well reasoned. For the novice, such as myself, I would have appreciated more information on the political parties and military capabilities: Athen's supported the democrats on many islands, but what did that word really mean; a force of over 100,000 Thracians is mentioned - then how come an Alexander the Great didn't arise earlier; archers seemed very successful, what preserved the dominance of the hoplites? I read about half the book, not being sufficiently interested in the details of the war for themselves, but at no time was it dull, and I would recommend it (or part of it) even for readers who are not that interested in this kind of history.
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Summary: Peloponnesian War
Review: A story that is so real it could not have been imagined. I have been searching for a book about the Peloponnesian War and this book had met my expectation as a true historic narrative (non bias) which puts into the perspective the time and culture of the societies of Athens and Sparta. The inhumanity of man is told in this story. Trying to keep with history, Kagan compiles the writings of previous historians who also wrote about this war to show how peace is alien to human nature and how power rules even in diplomacy. This book had 29 maps to follow along the regions, in which pitch battles and great sea clashes too place. The maps are detailed and given an antiquity look. The book lacks drawing of the armor, weapons, and ships used. Kagan however describes some of the instruments of war (land and sea) and depicts their use. The battles are hard to image with out these illustrations but the maps help. The events of a new age unfolding new types of war tactics and strategies are played out in this story. The Athens democracy is swayed, the Spartan dictatorship is paranoid, and thus the story begins. The story ends with the Athens democracies self destructing and shows the faults of both an Oligarchy and Democracy.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: A very interessing book about the peloponnesian war. I think it's one of the best about the subjects. It's amazing what you can nowadays learn by studying ancient history.
Rating:
Summary: Well-framed and thought-provoking history
Review: Despite being a condensed version of Kagan's original four-volume work and intended in this case for a general audience, this is no small history: 500 pages devoted to a single war, albeit one that lasted for three decades. The Peloponnesian War well repays the investment of time necessary to read it, however. Kagan covers the primary events and players in the war with clarity and is not afraid to speculate about probable scenarios where the evidence is inconclusive (but notes these instances up front). Although I am usually not interested in fighting tactics, the accounts of the battles in this book were fascinating, even suspensful. The lifstyles and beliefs of the ancient Greeks, classic arguments concerning forms of rule (democracy versus oligarchy being a key source of conflict in this war), and the origins and costs of war, are all covered in this excellent history.
Rating:
Summary: Move over Thucydides...
Review: Donald Kagan as written a history of the Peloponnesian War that was fought between the ancient Greeks of Athens and Sparta over the course of 30 years. After the Greeks vanquished the Persians, the Hellenic world split between two alliances - one tied to Sparta and the other to Athens. Both were very different societies - Sparta one of war and army, while Athens was one of Democracy, empire and navy. Eventually the two came into conflict and the war that erupted would not end for 30 long years. As far as I know the one other writer who has written such a detailed and indepth account of the war was Thucydides, who was a contemporary of the war. Kagan has given us a very readable account of a war that was waged over four thousand years ago. No portion of the war is over-looked - from the reasons each side had for fighting, the major personalities involved, strategy, tactics, everything! In some ways Kagan's account is even more readable then the one written by Thucydides. Personally I am not that familiar with Greek geography, so I would have been happier to see a few more maps incorporated with the text. It would have made it easier to follow the course of the action. Kagan's account is not long and is not intended for only scholars. His writing is very readable and easy to follow. He sheds light on important facets of Greek life and Greek warfare. If you have any interest in the Peloponnesian War - either serious or only slight - this book is a good place to start. By no means should you neglect reading Thuycdides, but Kagan can stand as a text that is almost as important.
Rating:
Summary: the tragedy that was greece
Review: donald kagan is a truly modern historian. using the textual techniques of contemporary historical research, he finds motivation, parallel, and moral in much the same way thucydides did 2,500 years ago. Kagan is as excited in the progress and strategy of the war as he is depressed by what is unfolding. he's best at prying open the ways opposing ideologies guided war aims, strategies, and methods and the implementation of those plans by individuals caught in the anger of the moment. athens is indeed revolutionary; sparta is nothing if not conservative. pericles is honorable; cleon greeedy; lysander a brilliant sexual and political opportunist. Imaginative analysis with a human face.
war against typos: he instead of be (page 190, line 12); period after future instead of comma (p 199, l 37); "for for" (p 370. l 19).
Rating:
Summary: Kagan understands the true value of history
Review: Donald Kagan is the foremost authority on the Peloponnesian War, having authored an comprehensive four-volume history on the subject. But perhaps more importantly, Professor Kagan is also a wonderful storyteller. Do not be intimidated by the length of the book, or it's topic. The subject matter is extremely rich and interesting - just because something happened 2,500 years ago doesn't mean it's boring. On the contrary, one of Prof. Kagan's strengths, both as a teacher and a writer, is his ability to make relevant the events of the past, not through strained parallels and comparisons, but through a deep understanding of human nature. The Peloponnesian War reminds many of the major conflicts of the 20th century, and some of those comparisons are quite illuminating. For example, the showdown between the two "superpowers" of the era, Athens and Sparta, reminds many of the Cold War, and there are indeed many intriguing similarities. Professor Kagan, who has written about such comparisons at length (see "On the Origins of War and the Preservation of Peace"), understands these parallels as clearly as anyone. But focusing on these parallels to make distant events appear "relevant" is, to him, unnecessary. His view, which I share, is that the Peloponnesian War does not need to be "made relevant:" it IS relevant, because of the unchanging character of human nature and human problems. If you expect this book to be filled with statements like "President Bush is just like Pericles because..." you will be disappointed. What you will get, however, is much more valuable. Observing how people have dealt with the crises of the past makes us more intelligent observers of the present, not because all situations are exactly the same in their details, but because human hopes, fears, and needs are fairly constant across history. It is this insight that Prof. Kagan brings to bear so effectively in his work. One of Prof. Kagan's favorite quotes from Thucydides states that nations (or city-states, as the case may be) are motivated by three things: "fear, honor, interest." It is Prof. Kagan's view that this assertion is as true today as it was in 431 B.C. Nations have always sought to protect themselves from those they fear, maintain their national pride, and further their interests. In the process, of course, they must contend with internal and external forces - internal dissent, military rivalries, reluctant allies - forcing the leadership to make crucial choices about which path to pursue as they seek the optimal outcome for their nation. To any observer of recent events, this process would seem very familiar. And that is as it should be, for it is from this process that history unfolds. Understanding how nations and their leaders pursue their goals, make their decisions, and perceive the world around them is what makes reading history interesting. By choosing the Peloponnesian War as your case-study, and Donald Kagan as your guide, you will have one of the most interesting reading experiences you are ever likely to have.
Rating: 
Summary: Pro-Athenian View
Review: For those who repeatedly hear about the wonders of Thucydides' prose yet can't make it through the entire work, this book is a welcome reprieve. The chronological history of the war and all its precious nuances are delivered to the reader with a true historian's understanding. As a reader who devours Herodotus like candy but can't connect with Thucydides at any point in his work, I found this book to be a valuable resource for the pursuit of information on the Peloponnesian War. However, I have always been at odds with some of Kagan's points of view. For one, I tend to form my opinions of Alcibiades through my own research. It is apparent that Kagan tends to belittle many of Alcibiades' accomplishments and possibly considers him a bit of a "rogue". And anyone who is familiar with Kagan can attest to his narratives having somewhat of an anti-spartan slant. (Case in point: his palpable dislike for Sparta in his comments during the History Channel's "Rise and Fall of Sparta"). But, just as with any historian, one must read with discretion. Nevertheless, Kagan's effort is greatly appreciated!
Rating:
Summary: Read the Greeks
Review: Given the sources for this book, I see no reason to read Kagan rather than the original Greeks and thereby add an additional filter. I have read the original Greek extensively and I see no evidence of superior insight on Kagan's part. This is an interesting but annoying read for those who do not wish to have an additional filter of opinion placed between themselves and the Greeks. Kagan, for all his scholarship, falls into the old trap of believing that the Greeks are really just old versions of ourselves. After all they are a large part of the basis for Western civilization, right? Herodotus may pull our other leg at times but reading him does show that although like us in some ways they were very different. Thucydides has his problems but Kagan reading him and then regurgitatiing will not solve the problem. Adding in Aristotle's two cents and some Xenophon will not assist much either. The newer work in epigraphy may very well have a bearing but I don't know how much Kagan relies on this information. Simple example? The Athenians vote to send and do send a peace mission to the Spartans over Pericles objections. This therefore shows that Thucydides' claim that at the time of the war the Athenian's claim to democracy was in name only is false. Not necessarily true. Some real discussion is in order here. But Kagan is rather shallow at this point.
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