Rating: 
Summary: Engaging, Rich, & Eloquent
Review: This book is superb. It's beautifully written, and it benefits greatly from Durant's impressive judgment in determining just how much detail to include for non-specialized readers.For readers seeking a good sense of the broad outlines of the history of ancient Greece -- from the Homeric age to the Roman -- this book is excellent. I was struck throughout by how important free trade was to the formation of Greek prosperity and culture (particularly in Athens). Durant clearly explains why this fact is so.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging, Rich, & Eloquent
Review: This book is superb. It's beautifully written, and it benefits greatly from Durant's impressive judgment in determining just how much detail to include for non-specialized readers. For readers seeking a good sense of the broad outlines of the history of ancient Greece -- from the Homeric age to the Roman -- this book is excellent. I was struck throughout by how important free trade was to the formation of Greek prosperity and culture (particularly in Athens). Durant clearly explains why this fact is so.
Rating:
Summary: SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING FOR ALL
Review: This is the second of the multi-volume work by the Durant's. It is as good as the first (and not wanting to give anything away, chuckle), they only get better and better. The author's prose is almost as wonderful as the actual historical work. The author apparently spent fifty years in writing these books and it certainly was worth the effort. He, and his wife, make history come alive. Now granted, I am a history buff and simply cannot get enough of it. I realize that not all share my love for the subject, but I truely feel that the entire work should be required reading in our schools. Not only are they superior to any and all text I am familiar with, they are truely a joy to read. This particular volume gave me much more insight to the ancient Greeks, their culture, art and philosophy than any work I have read, thereby giving me a much better understanding to our own culture, etc. It's just me, I know, but an added joy to this work was prowling used book stores and finding these things one by one to add to my collection. Highly recommend these books.
Rating:
Summary: Hardcore history for history-buffs and political junkies!
Review: Will Durant is a prolific writer and historian. This book is a must for students or anyone studying Hellenic history. Durant's books will stand the test of time - his uniquely orthodox perspective and the keen insights offered in his books are a welcomed break from the revisionist history of today. For students of political science and history, studying ancient Greece offers insightful lessons of history in relation to politics and government. Greek history is full of political turmoil and change. The Greco-Roman contribution that shaped the ideas of the founding fathers of the American Republic were in part based on the lessons of Greek history. History, Greek history especially, offers keen insight on why the American founders were weary of unchecked democracy and the absence of a rule of law.
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