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Customer Reviews (11)

Atlantis
Three points about Von Daniken's arguments: 1. Atlantis is simply a literary device of Plato's which serves as a background in which to expound his philosphy. 2. The Pillars of Hercules are on the mainland of Greece; my reference is "The Pelopennesian War" by Donald Kagan .The Peloponnesian War. 3. By sailing past the Pillars of Hercules, you are in the Mediterranean, not the Atlantic. This puts Santorini and Crete right in the center of the bullseye for possible origins of Plato's Atlantis.

Yo "Yo" is overly, simplistically judgemental
Judging from his/her very shallow review, Yo "Yo" does not seem to possess much ability to use intelligence him/herself.

"Stupid people piss me off" - his/her statement. But honestly on what basis is the observation stupid? Erik has done years of research and the evidence is presented piece by piece, with comprehensive research material, in the many books written by him. Isn't it totally unfair to discredit years of intelligent industry with childish judgements like Yo "Yo"'s? It strikes me as very immature.

I am not saying this just because I am a fan of Erik, but because it was exactly this kind of adolescent narrow-mindedness that got many thinkers tortured and killed by the Inquisition etc. One states with conviction what one gathers from evidence. If I were to tell you that a piece of unfolded, pristine light paper will fall to the ground as fast as hot iron rod, you'd laugh me right off my face - but that is exactly what would happen in the absence of atmosphere.

To call someone retarded because they are willing to cast an open-minded look into enquiry - that judgement itself is retarded.

All in all, I'd say Erik's books have at least opened a chapter into investigating the strange similarities that exist among different human groups. I may not agree with all of his conclusions, but his methods I find without flaw.

Regards



Subra V S

Part of the Addicting von Daniken Series
Erich von Daniken's books are entertaining, informative, and controversial. With over 2 dozen books now, each one adds a piece to the unraveling puzzle of ancient man's myths, legends, and sites. This book specifically uses Greek mythology as a guide on von Daniken's search for Ancient Astronauts. Fans of his works may also be interested in visiting his website [ URL] for current news events from many other websites.

The Greek Gods as aliens?Could be.
This book deals with reconciling Greek mythology with Von Daniken's research of extraterrestrials visiting our planet in ancient times and influencing man's development.That was a recurring theme in Dr. Who, (q.v. The Daemons.)

The aliens who came down to Earth were worshipped as gods, as they flew in their craft.These gods intermixed with the natives, who became demigods, but possessing the same technological knowhow.

Von Daniken's book opens with an account of the Argonautica, the voyage of Jason, and straight off, there are aspects that bely alien origins--a ship that talks, specialists hired for the voyage, Talos, who was probably a giant robot, and the Golden Fleece as some form of advanced technology that enabled one to fly.

What about giants?Gilgamesh and Enkidu encountered the giant Humbaba, David and Goliath, and the offspring of Cain's daughters?Isn't it possible that these giants were aliens or descended from them?There is more, including the possibility that the head of the Medusa was some sort of superweapon.

There is a section where he explains the difficulties involving where Atlantis was.It's tied to the fact that from Atlantis is derived the Atlantic Ocean, Mount Atlas, and even Aztlan, which in turns is the derivation of Aztec.This discounts Troy, Malta, Santorini, and Crete, because they are in the Mediterranean.And if Troy was Atlantis, surely there'd be some record of it?No, Troy was called Tros and Ilion, but not Atlantis.That in turn is also explored in the section on Heinrich Schliemann and the different Troys found.There are also excerpts from Plato's Dialogues where Critias tells the story of Solon and how Solon learned of Atlantis.

Included in this text are colour photos of the places mentioned, such as the Acropolis, Delphi, and Troy.Getting this book makes me want to check out his earliest book on the subject, Chariot Of The Gods, and this is certainly an interesting twist on Greek mythology.

Just a little disappointed
This book is about Greek myths connected to E.T's. Greek mythology probably came from an older source, but you still learn something new in each of his books. ... Read more

Product Description
The widely acknowledged fountainhead of Western civilization, Ancient Greece -- is surveyed here in unprecedented detail by more than eighty leading scholars.Includes comprehensive, up-to-date overviews of Greek history, from the Bronze Age to the fall of the last major autonomous Greek leader, as well as Greek democracy, art, architecture, theater and drama, social and economic institutions, religion, military affairs, biographies of prominent figures, maps and lists of geographical locations and much more.The most sweeping and thorough non-scholarly volume of its kind. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Best Overall Book on Greece EVER!
I've spent the past year spending literally thousands of dollars on various books about ancient Greece.I wish to write about it, and I've read about 60 books so far on the subject.I found this book in a secondary book store, and as I've read so many specialty books, almost passed it up. Feeling the need to step back and get a more general perspective on how everything I'd been reading about fit in to the scheme of things, I bought it.Boy, am I glad I did.I've read many types of collections in my time from short stories to articles, and one never really thinks of the editor who put it all together.With this book, however, I was struck early on by the fluid and expert way the various articles and excerpts by varying archeologists went together as if it were all written by the same author.The choice of the little examples of ancient life, or the passing mention of a political outlook did a great job of illuminating whatever the excerpt was about, and since the excerpts had to be edited to fit the chapters, much credit must go to Mr. Nardo for his choices of passages as well as his choices of books to borrow from and his progression and layout of chapters.If you are starting study of Ancient Greece, there is no better place to start than this book.If you only want one book to get a general understanding of the greeks, this has to be the one.I've never seen this sort of thing done this well before.One thing that astonishes me is the price of it here on amazon, though, as I only paid 12 dollars for it at book store which had 3 of them in the Northgate mall in Chattanooga.Go figure.

Excellent Work
I teach high school history, including a course on ancient history.I spend quite a bit of time on the Greeks and Romans, of course, and I have used a number of Mr. Nardo's small but superbly written and well-documented books in the past as supplementary materials to the regular text.His LIFE IN ANCIENT ATHENS, AGE OF AUGUSTUS, LIFE OF A ROMAN SLAVE, LEADERS OF ANCIENT GREECE, and several others have proved invaluable as sources of information for both my students and myself.Mr. Nardo's more recent COMPLETE HISTORY OF ANCIENT GREECE, which I'm reviewing here, is easily the best single-volume overview of the ancient Greeks I ever seen for this age group.Though much larger and more comprehensive than his other books for young readers, this one is extremely well-organized, both chronologically and thematically.The essays he has chosen and edited are all clearly-written, highly informative, and each perfectly captures or illustrates an important aspect of Greek history or culture.Nardo's own quite fulsome chapter introductions are also very informative, well-written, and up-to-date.The appendices of this book also deserve special mention.The glossary is huge and accurate, the best available in any non-scholarly book about ancient Greece that I am aware of.The bibliography is also massive, again, the biggest and best I've seen outside of scholarly works....it is also proving a tremendous aid to me personally by giving me one, compact source from which to draw facts, topics, and ideas. Would that more professional historians took the time to write as much first-rate material for high school students as Mr. Nardo does.

Superior of Its Kind
As general reference books for students go, this is absolutely first rate.The author, who has written numerous smaller books on the subject, goes all out here, providing almost a whole library unto itself about the ancient Greeks, their history, institutions, ideas, etc.This should be on every educated person's shelf, not to mention every library shelf.

Highly Recommended
Historian Don Nardo edited this large compendium of articles by himself and other noted classicists about ancient Greek civilization.Extremely well-organized, thorough, and informational, the volume covers all aspects of Greek history and culture, each aspect covered in a separate chapter that begins with a helpful introduction by the editor.The articles themselves also have introductions providing brief backgrounds of the various contributors.A chronology, glossary, bibliography, and indexes, all quite large and useful (especially the bibliography, which is one of the best I've ever seen for ancient Greece), round out this first-rate volume, which I highly recommend to students and teachers alike.

This is a Really Useful Book
Wow!For high school or college students doing research on ancient Greece, or for anyone interested in the ancient Greeks in general, this is an extremely comprehensive, well-organized, and useful book!It starts off with a general overview of ancient Greek civilization written by the editor, Don Nardo, who is a noted authority on the subject.Then there are dozens of articles witten by other well-known historians, each covering some aspect of Greek history or life.There's information on democracy and and how it came about, about Greek literature, about Greek theater, which started in Athens, about commerce and trade, and weapons and war, and lots more.In the back of the book are short biographies of important people and gods and Greek places, and a huge!! glossary, and best of all a really huge bibliography, that gives the reader plenty of ideas about where to go for more information (though it seems to me that only scholars would need to look furhter than this book).The price is kind of high, but students should be able to find the book in a nearby library.It will be well worth the effort! ... Read more

Product Description
Here SAPPHO SINGS in her own words.Ancient phrases become the warp and weave of an intricate tapestry so delicately woven it becomes impossible to distinguish the imported threads from the weaver's own.Readers familiar with the myriad translations of the few fragmented lines of Sappho's work left available to us may recognize a word here or a conjunct there but, as one renowned expert in antiquities discovered, the author has herself become the voice of The Poetess to the extent that invented passages read like newly discovered wonders from the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The 10th Muse
Out of a mere handful of facts known about the life of a lyric poet so famous in her lifetime (or shortly after it) that she was known as the 10th Muse, Peggy Ullman Bell has distilled an appropriately lyrical novel of the life of the woman known as The Poetess.
Like certain modern celebrities, Sappho has barely the single title and name: her writing was vivid, deeply personal - and beloved universally, seemingly acknowledged in her lifetime as a woman possessed of an incredible gift for language and music ... or at least, when the universe seemed to encompass those Greek city states of the 6th century BC. She was of a wealthy and prominent family on her home island of Lesbos, she had three brothers, was sent into exile by a political enemy, married a rich merchant of Syracuse, had a daughter and was either a priestess of a cult ministering to women, or ran a finishing-school for upper-crust girls - possibly both - and may have indeed been small, dark and unbeautiful. She seems to have thought of herself as that, although that may be the poet's elevated sense of self-drama and cultivated insecurity speaking out.Out of those sparse threads, the author has woven a brightly colored, and intensely-felt silken web of a tale, bejeweled with description and trimmed with poetical lace.

With a great deal of care, the author has reconstructed that world of Classical Greece; cultured, intellectual and wealthy, a world where skill in rhetoric and music was as valued as skill in war and in mercantile pursuits, where the gods were always just out of sight in the waves of a stormy sea or speaking through the mouths of oracles, and their deeds having left a print on the world around, a world familiar to us in some sense, and yet not. The language is archaic, yet not enough to seem unwieldy or inaccessible, in writing conversation. It is very clear in some respects that the author has not fallen into the sin of "presentism" - that is, presenting a modern world, with characters and concepts just a little dressed up in period garb and accessories. Sappho and her friends, her protectors and fellow poets, her family and her lovers are all vividly of a different world, and the details and the visual sense (as well as auditory and olfactory sense) are derailed, vivid and ultimately convincing. Sappho Sings is well worth the read, a little rich for reading all at once, as a box of very expensive chocolate would be, but a lovely treat for now and again, just for the beauty of description.

Brilliant and Lyrical
Sappho Sings. And so does Peggy Ullman Bell in her lyrical, painstakingly researched, emotionally involving novel about the Poetess of Lesbos.

Will Durant in his "Life of Greece" is quoted as saying that Sappho "called herself Psappha, in her soft Aeolian accent" and Psappha is the name by which she is known through this wondrous novel. Because the title uses the more familiar name, that is the name I shall use.

Many people have heard the name of Sappho but not many know who she was, what she did, or what she was famous for. There is, however, a sadly amusing idea in certain quarters that Sappho was "the founder of Lesbians," to quote someone of my acquaintance. (I didn't know Lesbians were "founded" but I guess that's a different issue.) At any rate, she is associated in modern thought with Lesbians (in the sexual sense, that is, not as in "citizens of Lesbos") and nothing else. Many people don't even know that the Island of Lesbos, in the Aegean Sea, actually exists and is not some mythic legend like Atlantis. I did actually know it existed, but that's the extent of what I knew until I read Sappho Sings.

Though Sappho was a prolific writer of poetry only a few original fragments of her work remain in existence, and it is with these fragments that Bell weaves the mesmerizing tale of an accomplished, passionate woman as real and flawed as any woman alive today.

Bell's vision of Sappho begins with her as a fatherless, feisty teenage girl, small in stature but a lion in spirit, who defies a tyrant and pays for it by being banished from her beloved island home and the adored little brother whose birth took her mother's life. On the miserable journey from Lesbos to Syracuse, Sappho loses her lifelong friend and betrothed, Alkaios, in a storm. She is rescued and "captured"--at least that's her view of it--by Kerkolos, a sea-going, wealthy merchant, who takes her to his home in Syracuse.
He treats her with utmost respect that eventually calms her fears of becoming a slave or concubine, and his gentle ways, so at odds with his appearance, win her over to friendship. They wed, and Sappho gives birth to his daughter. She feels great fondness for him, if not passion, and is grief-stricken and frightened when she finds herself suddenly widowed and at the mercy of her truly horrible mother-in-law.

Eventually Sappho initiated in the rites of the Sisterhood of Iphis and discovers that, though she is capable of physical passion with men, her heart is taken by women. The cast is large; some of the names are vaguely familiar from Ancient History in High School many years ago. I didn't find them very interesting back then. Now they certainly are!

The characters are unforgettable, especially Praxinoa, the nurse and lifelong friend; Lycos, the elegant and somewhat effeminate man whose loving friendship also lasts throughout the book, and the tall, Nubian queen, Gongyla, the love of Sappho's life, a woman who sold herself into slavery to save her people from a similar fate. I will never forget these people who have been my companions for many days.

Bell's knowledge of society and of place seems encyclopedic and yet not overwhelming. The language is just archaic enough in structure that it keeps you grounded in the ancient world but not enough so that it seems overdone. Names are pronounced in footnotes, which is very helpful. Sappho Sings is also the most sensuous book I have ever read: the lush descriptions of place, the elegantly expressed passion of depicted intimacy are poetic without crossing the line into the ludicrous, as sometimes happens when less gifted authors attempt it.

It is simply a wonderful book. It is not a quick and easy read, and it's certainly not a genre romance although love of many kinds permeates the pages. Part of that is the author's love of her subject.

This book should be winning awards. I can't recommend it highly enough.

--Ruth Sims, author of The Phoenix

Author's Note:
Although long dead, Psappha, as Sappho called herself in her own soft Aeolian dialect is and has been the love of my life for over 40 years. In my heart and mind she lives, loves and laughs.

Writing her story has been my profound joy.

Sappho Sings Again
Thanks to the considerable writing talents of author Peggy Ullman Bell, Sappho truly sings again. She sings to the hearts of everyone, women and men of open minds, many centuries after her mortal end, with lyrical intimations of equality, love, and freedom of spirit. In a marvelous tribute to the wonders and depths of true femininity, with a star character that would champion the rights of women if alive today, Bell plucks Sappho out of a male-dominated political era long ago that tried to bury her glory, and brings her back to life for us in the twenty first century. I, for one, say "Brava! ... well done."

Deliciously written, with descriptive language that transports you wholly into another ancient world, author Bell's sensuous, often erotic, tale will grip you and tantalize you with an ever-thickening and twisting plot, staffed with an abundance of characters that come to vivid life in your mind's eye. A truly fine literary work, "Sappho Sings" has a spot reserved in my library for sure.


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Product Description
One of a series which reconstructs periods in history by interpreting the archaeological evidence from a selection of different finds and excavations, this book looks at Ancient Greece. It examines the citadel of Mycenae, Athens and the sanctuaries of Olympia and Delos. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subtitle: Its Colonies and Conquests; From the Earliest Accounts Till the Division of the Macedonian Empire in the East. Including the History of Literature, Philosophy, and the Fine Arts; Volume: 4; Original Publisher: J. Y. Humphreys; Publication date: 1822; Subjects: Greece; History / Ancient / General; History / Ancient / Greece; History / Europe / Greece; ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Ancient Greece covers the period from the Mycenaean Age which began in 1600 B.C. to 404 B.C. when Athens was occupied by Sparta. It examines the origins and structure of Spartan and Athenian society, significant people in Ancient Greece including Pericles and Socrates, the development of Spartan and Athenian governments and the Greek city states, the nature of citizenship, catastrophes that shaped events in the 5th century including warfare, plague and an earthquake, religious beliefs and values, daily life, and the contribution of the ancient Greeks to the modern world. The book is full colour throughout, draws on a wide range of sources and contains learning outcomes and focus issues. The activities will help to build students' historical skills while ensuring that history remains fun! ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: Toronto, Copp ClarkPublication date: 1901Subjects: Rome -- HistoryGreece -- HistoryNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more