Book Description
With over one million novels in print, New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg has been called "eerily prophetic" and a "modern Nostradamus" for his uncanny ability to write political thrillers that come true. In his first nonfiction book, this evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish heritage takes readers on an unforgettable journey through prophecy and current events into the future of Iraq after Saddam, Russia after Communism, Israel after Arafat, and Christianity after radical Islam. You won't want to miss Joel's exclusive interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, and previously classified CIA and White House documents. Similar to the approach Joel takes in his novels, his desire is to draw readers into stories, anecdotes, and predictions in a way that builds confidence that allows Joel to share his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture as a guide to understanding the past and the future. Drawing on his experience in Washington, his own exclusive interviews with world leaders, and his astute political acumen, Joel makes sense of the events surrounding the Middle East. He connects information in a way that will make you understand and really care about the world's most important events and how they impact your life--from gas prices to your bank account.Epicenter is about: Change--big changes, dramatic changes, changes that will transform the world as we know it. Answers--what the changes are underway in the world's most important countries. Insight--readers will understand the trajectory of world events by being taken inside the governments of Iran, Iraq, Russia, China, and more. Accessibility--aimed for a wide audience in both the general and Christian markets. Faith--Joel shares his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture. Epicenter will answer questions like: Will Iraq go from bad to worse? Will Israel and her Arab neighbors find peace, or is another major Middle East war just around the corner? If the new, post-Soviet Russia is our friend, why is the Kremlin creating a new class of thermonuclear weapons and building an alliance with radical Islam?
Customer Reviews:
Epicenter.......2007-10-17
Interesting information - don't know how much is true. A lot of chest thumping by the author. The evangelical ending kind of turned me off. If I'm going to find Jesus, it will not be through reading a novel. I think that Mr. Rosenberg has some intertesting takes on some recent world event - all probably driven by some really unbelievable coincidences and turns of history. Broader picture?, I think he's on to something. Whether God comes and reaks havoc as decribed in the Bible is anyone's guess. Overall, not a bad read - but then you put the book away and go on to something else.
More than biblical prophecy!!.......2007-10-16
I listened to this book on a whim and I have to tell you that even if you're not the super religious type, you have simply got to pay attention to the many warning signs Mr Rosenberg points out. He is well informed and appears to be well connected. At least read (or listen) to this book and then form your own opinions. Call it what you want ... but a really big confrontation is coming and it's sooner than most of us ever expected. Americans have to wake up and stop foolishly thinking we're safe or untouchable any longer. If 9-11 didn't open your eyes what will it take? A nuclear attack on US soil? Don't be surprised if that happens within the next 5 years.Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future
WOW!! What a book.......2007-10-14
I having been wanting to find someone who could put the current events in the Middle East into a Bibical prespective. Joel Rosenberg nailed it on the head.
A must read for anyone seeking to know the truth in end time bible prophecy.
Epicenter.......2007-10-14
Actually, my husband bought this book and wanted me to inform folks he feels it is one of the best books he's ever read (and he reads a lot!).
A must listen to book.......2007-10-11
A very thought provoking book. Everyone needs to listen to this book or read the printed copy. Our national leaders should read/listen to this book.
Amazon.com
Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us along one of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time--the search for God. Like all beloved historians, Armstrong entertains us with deft storytelling, astounding research, and makes us feel a greater appreciation for the present because we better understand our past. Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linear history. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantly being repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through the ages, responding to its followers' practical concerns rather than to mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another, gently challenging the secularist history of each of these religions. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Over 700,000 copies of the original hardcover and paperback editions of this stunningly popular book have been sold. Karen Armstrong's superbly readable exploration of how the three dominant monotheistic religions of the world—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—have shaped and altered the conception of God is a tour de force. One of Britain's foremost commentators on religious affairs, Armstrong traces the history of how men and women have perceived and experienced God, from the time of Abraham to the present. From classical philosophy and medieval mysticism to the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the modern age of skepticism, Armstrong performs the near miracle of distilling the intellectual history of monotheism into one compelling volume.
Customer Reviews:
Enlightenment.......2007-10-13
This is a brilliant, well written history of belief systems, that have influenced my life. It enabled me to understand the roots of beliefs and customs that I have unknowingly and automatically engaged without an understanding of their origins.
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-07
Karen Armstrong was, at one time, a Roman Catholic nun. She left the nunnery behind in 1969 but not her search for God. This is a good book.
Her book deals primarily with God in the Judeo-Christian theologies; Judaism, Christianity and Islam. She gives a good criticism and analysis from atheism to mysticism. She goes through each of the religions and the evolution of their thought. I suppose that the word "evolution" would not be proper because there is no actual progression of thought culminating in a final conclusion. It is a comparative analysis, exploring all the tangential pathways engaged in by all three of the theologies. The point is made that all three theologies have shared all of the various pathways in seeking a God. Each group has had its radicals, its rationales, its fundamentalists and it mystics.
I enjoyed Karen's book but Karen's notion that the impossible could become more acceptable if it is blanketed in the mystically paradoxical is not an answer that I can accept, but it is more than possible that mankind, in general, could find it temporarily sustainable. I feel that this would only bring the human race out of the frying pan and into the fire. Fundamentalism is certainly a step backward, but mysticism is no step forward.
I personally feel that in her quest for God she has one final step to take, but is afraid to take it for the fear of that "pit of despair and hopelessness" that she mentioned in her book. Kierkegard had a similar problem. He chose to "leap into the absurd".
Great Book.......2007-08-23
In this book, Karen Armstrong voices several great perspectives on religion. She began as a student of the church herself, working towards becoming a nun, and later decides to investigate things further. I think it's a great book for anyone who is either interested in learning more about religion, or has already adopted strong convictions. Everyone can learn the meaning and importance of what religion can mean to an individual, and in a well-written and eloquent manner. I recommend everyone read this book.
Part Fascinating, Part Dense.......2007-07-24
I found this book to be fascinating in parts and really dense in others. I am rating it somewhat low because, while I really enjoyed the ideas, I found the writing style to be very heavy in places and I am holding unto my stars for a more enjoyable read on the topic. The first three chapters were by far my favorite. They deal with the history behind the Old and New Testaments. The middle chapters deal with the evolution of Christian/Muslim/Jewish theology and were like trudging through mud for me. The last two chapters were again enjoyable for me and they deal with the history of atheism and a discussion on the future of God.
Armstrong's notion of "God" is somewhat foreign to me (it makes me think of Buddhism more than the Judeo-Christian God). She certainly does not appear to be a fan of anthropomorphic interpretations of God, but I have a difficult time discerning the role of any kind of organized religion if God is reduced to her mystical nothingness (perhaps she does not envision a role). I also am not sure how relevant it is to even call such a notion "God" after two millennia of anthropomorphic deities. At any rate, I very much enjoyed the historical aspects of this book and I would recommend it for those who are interested in the history of Christianity/Islam/Judaism from inception to now and are not afraid of some rather dense chapters.
Elegantly Comprehensive and Grippingly Readable.......2007-05-16
For anyone who has ever wondered why some people believe with extreme fervor in the supernatural for which there has never been a single shred of credible evidence, Karen Armstrong's magnum opus is a must read. A refugee from a Catholic convent, Ms Armstrong proved to be a bona fide intellectual whose scholarship is impeccable.
Her book begins with the yearnings of ignorant, superstitious ancient peoples for a means of explaining the then unexplainable. It goes on to show how such ancient myths evolved into the religions we know today.
Armstrong explains how the ancient nomadic Israelites rationalized their conquest of Canaan with the myths they were God's chosen people and he had promised the land of Canaan to them. In addition to taking the Canaanite's land, the Israelites also co-opted the chief God of their territorial pantheon, El, as their own and renamed Him Jehovah. "Emanuel" literally translates "El with us," not generically "God with us."
Armstrong goes on to delineate how Christianity was originally invented by Paul and others and how it has been repeatedly reinvented over the centuries, always holding out the seductive hope of "salvation" to those willing to accept the mythologies on blind faith that salvation is not only possible but also that there is somehow a need for it.
And she explains how Islam arose from Mohammed's vision, much as the Church of Latter Day Saints arose from Joseph Smith's vision and Christian Science from Mary Baker Eddy's.
Armstrong's book does not debunk religion, but it provides a comfortable understanding of the cosmos for anyone who finds religion obsolete in light of knowledge that has emerged since someone wrote Genesis.
Book Description
Master Books commissioned this important literary work to be updated from the 17th-century original Latin manuscript to modern English and made available to the general public for the first time. In its pages can be found the fascinating history of the ancient world from the Genesis creation through the destruction of the Jerusalem temple.
Find Out:
• Why was Julius Caesar kidnapped in 75 B.C.?
• Why did Alexander the Great burn his ships in 326 B.C.?
• What really happened when the sun "went backward" as a sign to Hezekiah?
• What does secular history say about the darkness at the Crucifixion?
Customer Reviews:
Awesome!.......2007-02-21
Awesome, easily legible tome. Good concise notations on major events - including Biblical. Received book promptly and in great condition.
No more revisionist history!.......2006-12-08
James Ussher's classic work is an absolute joy to read. I was up 'til the wee hours reading the night I got it. The writing is truly fresh and exciting, a bit unexpected for a volume first published in the mid 1600's by an Anglican archbishop!
I happen to hold a young-earth creationist's view of origins, and find Bishop Ussher's calculations relating to creation utterly believable, but no matter your worldview you will find the histories complete and engaging, interspersed as they are with first hand accounts of some of civilization's most defining moments.
The bindings of this volume seem sturdy enough at first glance, though time only will tell how it holds up to the study this book will certainly receive! The print is crisp and clear, and the illustrations are very fine as well.
This volume belongs in the library of every serious student of history.
The supplemental CD gives a wealth of solidly scriptural information to complement the biblical timeline charts, and some excellent commentary on the position of God's infallible Word in ancient and contemporary times.
Buy this book! You will not be disappointed!
Excellent but not without issues.......2006-11-07
Usher is a classic and is either respected or mocked by modern historians. The mocking is of course driven by worldview conflicts, but those quick to laud Usher's work as authoritative must be careful to avoid zealotry as well.
I find Usher to be extremely helpful and his postdeluvian history seems to be generally quite well referenced. We have run into some dating conflicts that are understandable, for Usher did not have the benefit of archaeology and recent finds of supporting historical texts (last couple of centuries).
His work is certainly commendable, and as a volume of history it is very useful. However, the dating of events especially concerning ancient Egypt and before can't quite be reconciled with several competing histories.
I suggest it as a supplemental history for classical studies, as a primary source it might leave some questions unanswered.
Terrible.......2006-09-25
I thought this book would give me some new insight into biblical history. Its didn't. It is disjointed and much of it talks about one ruler or king or leader (none biblical) who died on such and such date in history. It gives little is any detailed information about anything pertaining to the bible. I thought that by reading this book I would have some new knowledge about biblical history but I have none. Its just a terrible book.
Outstanding Historical Cross-Reference. .......2006-01-26
"Annals of the World" is a great historical reference for the most discerning of scholars. Covering the time from the beginning of creation to 70AD, James Usshur used over 2500 historical sources to ensure that he compiled a complete collection of historical facts.
Elaborating each of the positive qualities and reasons to purchase and read this book are highlighted in most of the 5 star raters, I would only be seconding what they have already stated.
Book Description
For 1,600 years its message lay hidden. When the bound papyrus pages of this lost gospel finally reached scholars who could unlock its meaning, they were astounded. Here was a gospel that had not been seen since the early days of Christianity, and which few experts had even thought existed–a gospel told from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, history’s ultimate traitor. And far from being a villain, the Judas that emerges in its pages is a hero.
In this radical reinterpretation, Jesus asks Judas to betray him. In contrast to the New Testament Gospels, Judas Iscariot is presented as a role model for all those who wish to be disciples of Jesus. He is the one apostle who truly understands Jesus.
This volume is the first publication of the remarkable gospel since it was condemned as heresy by early Church leaders, most notably by St. Irenaeus, in 180. Hidden away in a cavern in Middle Egypt, the codex (or book) containing the gospel was discovered by farmers in the 1970s. In the intervening years the papyrus codex was bought and sold by antiquities traders, hidden away, and carried across three continents, all the while suffering damage that reduced much of it to fragments. In 2001, it finally found its way into the hands of a team of experts who would painstakingly reassemble and restore it.
The Gospel of Judas has been translated from its original Coptic in clear prose, and is accompanied by commentary that explains its fascinating history in the context of the early Church, offering a whole new way of understanding the message of Jesus Christ.
Customer Reviews:
Religious.......2007-09-17
After reading this book and knowing what I know from many gospels, I
find this book very hard to believe. It just is far to away from all
the other gospels out there. I have read the "Other Bible" and many
of the gospels not found in the Bible of today, but none talk like the
gospel of Judas. I do not know who actually wrote this book, but I
would not put a whole lot of faith in it as truth. Why would Jesus
want to be crucifed in order to go back to the spirit world. I can
think of a lot of ways to kill yourself that are less painful. To
think Jesus wanted Judas to turn him in, so that he could be killed,
so he could go back to heaven, is just plain stupid. Jesus could
have just drank poison to do that. No one would ask for such a
painful death as crucifixion.
The Gospel of Judas: Fascinating and Controversial.......2007-09-03
A Review of The Gospel of Judas, edited by Rodolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, and Gregor Wurst, with comments by Bart D. Ehrman. (Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2006).
Humankind is often left with evolved systems of belief and organized religion, which are the products of those who have had the greatest political power. This is undoubtedly the case with Western Christianity. As recent discoveries have unequivocally shown, many alternate versions and constructs of today's multifaceted Christian heritage have been silenced or vilified over the ages. The Nag Hammadi Library, discovered in the late 1940's, brings to light some of these long forgotten and contested versions. Careful study of these and other documents demonstrate the great diversity of thought and conflicting testimonials, exhibited by earliest followers of Jesus. There has also been a trail of conflict and difficulty regarding scholarly and universal access to the Library for a good number of years.
With the access to an unquestionably authentic Coptic document called the Gospel of Judas, scholars again have the ability to explore historical diversity. Initial scholarly analysis has just surfaced in a recent book published under the auspices of National Geographic. This work, compiled by Kasser, et. al. is obviously written for the general public, although annotations and endnotes bring it to the depth of academic study usually shared by Early Christian Studies experts. Judas, the traditionally portrayed betrayer of Jesus, is presented in this lost Gospel as the handmaiden of salvation. However, it is not a salvation directed toward enabling the sacrifice of Jesus. In the contemporary version of Christianity with us today, Jesus dies to free men from their sins and therefore, to win the possibility of eternal life for those believers in and followers of his teachings. Rather, in this Gospel, Judas enables the soul of Jesus, a divine entity in human guise, to rid itself of its "mortal coil," and to rejoin with the highest, unnamable divine entity beyond this world.
The mythology of this particular Gospel is charged with a form of proto-Gnosticism: a term which conjures up debate among scholars, because it has been primarily defined through attacks by heresy seekers from the early, organized church. Gnosticism is a term derived from the sense of knowing as in "being aware" or enlightened. As one piece of the evolutionary puzzle, this Gospel shows the use of Sethian Gnosticism in early Christian thinking and how this thinking relates to evolving Jewish beliefs and to Greek writings (both Neo and Middle-Platonic).
To move this term from Platonism and to "Christianize it" within the Gospel of Judas (as Dr. Meyer writes) is to see the point Jesus makes in the Gospel: we are not the bodies we are in; nor are we defined by our existence in a mortal and often corrupt world. Rather, to know in the depths of our soul that we are mirrors of the divine is to know our true nature. Judas alone understands this and aids Jesus in his quest to reach his divinity by handing Jesus over to be killed. The other disciples do not understand this, and therefore cannot do what Jesus has asked of Judas.
Parallel to the publication of the Kasser book is a rather "polemic" review written by Dr. James Robinson. Robinson's critique is both critical and troubling. According to Robinson, as with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library, document dealers, middlemen and scholars have not always been as forthright as one would hope. Robinson contends that National Geographic and the editors of The Gospel of Judas seem to gloss over questions of proper legal ownership by Frieda Tchacos, whose name now labels the Judas Gospel and three other manuscripts ("Codex Tchacos"). The Maecenas Foundation, which currently holds the manuscript, may also have had intentions more directed at profit than preservation. These and other circumstances, Robinson claims, have limited the accessibility of this discovery.
As they broadcast their findings, and as scholars assist one another in the universal quest for knowledge, some things seem to fall short in the intensive drive to procure rare manuscripts. It is often difficult to secure a manuscript from a seller, especially when confounding circumstances may often result in its slipping away. This manuscript surfaced in 1983, and scholars are both critical and defensive about interactions surrounding it then, as they are now. Maltreatment of the manuscript by greedy and ignorant handlers almost destroyed the Judas Gospel. Knowing document fragility and how dealers can keep works out of reach, scholars are often hard pressed, whenever a document surfaces, to do all they can to get the work into safe keeping, before it is invariably destroyed. What drives any scholar, we would hope, is first and foremost, proper stewardship. In the real world, the best and most ethical approach to procurement often requires compromise.
The reader, who senses the undercurrent of frustration by any and all scholars during this document's long history of neglect and evasion, should credit all (current critics and scholars alike) with a driving desire and effort to get the truth of the manuscript out where it belongs. For their best efforts in a long history of difficult circumstances, all deserve our gratitude.
An Interesting Dip Into Unknown Waters.......2007-08-23
This book, edited by Kasser, Meyer and Wurst, seemed fairly repetitive, given the limited amount of material they had to work with; however, it does add to our knowledge of early Christianity. Whether it holds up to scholarly scrutiny however, remains to be seen......
Hmmmmm...........2007-07-03
I will give this 4 stars since it was very well written; however, I still feel it is missing a piece of the puzzle. How could there have been time for Judas to have developed a following in order for someone to have written "the gospel of Judas", when he killed himself shortly after betraying Jesus? He certainly didn't write it, as it was written after he died. I'm a big fan of the Gnostic Gospels, but this one doesn't make sense. Again, very well researched and written, but...
Early Christianity.......2007-05-13
This gives a more detailed commentary on the Judas Gospel than is possible in a TV show or magazine article, and of course the footnotes lead one on to a more detailed study!
Customer Reviews:
Want a Good Start on an Education?.......2005-02-06
"Caesar and Christ" is the third thick volume of an amazing 45-year life work by Will Durant. I strongly advise you do not heed the academic reviews of "The Story of Civilization." There is no reason to assume the critics even read one volume of Durant's work. Be aware that academic philosophy professors list Hanna Arendt, a second rate intellectual, as the only significant female philosopher and ignore one of the most powerful minds of the post WWII era, Ayn Rand. Sure, she is flawed but she is greater than a Camus or a Chomsky. I strongly recommend reading "Caesar and Christ" and the entire 10 volume set of "Story of Civilization" - if you truly seek to be generally educated. You will learn more from Durant than from years of liberal arts schooling in any university. I never heard a professor mention Durant to students but I saw the entire set on the shelves of the private libraries of some major historians. Would you buy, own, read and keep 10 volumes of books you knew to be worthless? Ignore the academic mantra and decide for yourself.
Let me introduce you to this remarkable man. Durant was a gifted Columbia philosophy student who earned a PhD in philosophy. He was a major teacher-staff member of a now forgotten, fascinating private school movement, The Modern School movement. He served primarily as a head foreign language teacher. A real scholar, Durant mastered six important languages. Durant wrote and published "The Story of Philosophy" in the 1920s. To his surprise, it was an instant best seller. Durant's prose style, bright mind, and sharp wit made the book a little classic that has never been out of print. The book made him famous & independently wealthy and professors wrote to inform him that "Story of Philosophy" had caused a sharp increase in enrollment in philosophy courses.
Durant's book income allowed him to quit working and pursue his fascination with history. He devoted the rest of his life to researching and writing "The Story of Civilization," still a unique work. Do yourself a favor. Read the Introduction to any volume. Read a chapter of any volume before you decide whether to buy or read a volume of the history. The books are thick but Durant was a major prose stylist. His prose style and his wit will make you love reading Durant.
Durant found history writing to be too divided and too provincial. A real historian, Durant wanted to know something about world history. As you read his history, you must remind yourself of the year when the volume you are reading was written, especially the first three volumes. They read like Durant wrote them today. He writes with keen insight about the Arab world. He tried to correct a major error still prevalent today: The muth that Irish monastaries and monks preserved civilization for the Western world. Durant discusses at length how and why the Arabic world was the leader in learning & science during the middle ages. Arab scholars knew Latin and Greek and they studied the great Greek thinkers. Arab mosques pioneered free education & wealthier muslims practiced charity.
Durant wrote total history (he called it synthesis) before it was a fad in France. He covers art, architecture, literature, geography. When Durant explains the importance of the Mediterranean and describes the coast, you comprehend what he conveys to you. He was there. He was not on a taxpayer paid vacation, thinly disguised as "research." He was "there", at his own expense, for weeks studying the area (with his wife who knew another five languages, including her native Russian). Durant and his wife invested in at least three lengthy world tours to see and study the areas Durant wrote about and He wrote about the civilized world.
American history majors should read at least the "Our Oriental Heritage" volume. Serious art majors should read the entire 10 volumes. You will never read a historian who writes so well or with greater knowledge about the art, architecture and skilled crafts of different times and different peoples.
Enough. I leave you with this. By all means, read modern academic trashings of Durant's "Story of Civilization." Also, read the introductory remarks in each volume. You may be surprised to learn that Durant wrote each volume twice. He sent his final drafts to well known academic historians, according to their region of specialty. Durant then re-wrote each volume in response to detailed criticisms these professors sent him. No volume of "Story of Civilization" contains the 'whole truth' but very few modern histories of one year of one institution are more factually accurate. And no academic historian can lay claim to possessing the 'whole truth.' If you have a liberal arts graduate degree, read all ten volumes. You may gain the basic liberal arts education you wanted but did not get in six years of college.
HISTORY WELL DONE.......2005-01-01
It this third volume, Durant continues the story of man through the time of the height of Rome and Christ. Like the other volumes it is quite well done and despite what another reviewer's opinion is, quite comprehensive. Granted, I you want to read more about battles, etc. they you should probably look elswhere. I am of the school that a time period can only be understood by what they left behind, i.e. art, literature, politics, etc. rather than who they defeated in battle, or who defeated them. This is only my opinion though, others look at it differently. Also, I suppose if you are teaching a college course addressing this period of time, you would certainly want to gleen information from other sources. That not being the case on my part, I thought this was a wonderful overview of a very important epoch. I thought it was quite well presented. Recommend highly.
Civilization vs. History.......2004-05-23
The book has wonderful moments. It is lovingly written and often witty. However readers should be aware of Durant's definition of civilization. According to Durant:
"Civilization is social order promoting cultural creation. Four elements constitute it: economic provision, political organization, moral traditions and the pursuit of knowledge and the arts. It begins where chaos and insecurity end. For when fear is overcome, curiosity and constructiveness are free, and man passes by natural impulse towards the understanding and embellishment of life"
If you want a history that incudes the brute forces of history (not solely its cultural creation) you will probably be somewhat disappointed. There is nothing wrong with Durant's msny sections on poetry, philosophy, painting etc. but it squeezes the space alotted to things like economic trends and military struggle. If you want to read this book, you should probably first read a regular history of Rome. You can then appreciate this book as icing on the cake.
Valuable reference for historical novel readers.......2002-11-04
It is an excellent history reference, although people may not read it from page one to the end like reading a fiction. College students may use it for academic reference and research papers.
However, if you are into Roman historical novels such as Colleen McCullough "First Man in Rome", "Grass Crown"..., Gore Vidal "Julian", Robert Graves "I, Claudius"..., Henryk K. Sienkiewicz "Quo Vadis"; Roman era fantasies such as Pauline Gedge "The Eagle and the Raven", Donna Gillespie "The Light Bearer", it definitely adds complimentary flavor to your reading by being aware of the political and social environment of Roman Empire. The chapters are not essentially in chronological layout, but, for example, a chapter devoted to Roman arts and letters, another for daily lives of the social classes. Whilst you are reading your novel in the middle and want to find out more about a particular topic, simply refer to the Index and the relevant chapters.
You would enjoy the novels, and possibly Shakespeare's "Anthony and Cleopatra", and the movies "Ben-Hur", "Spartacus", "The Fall of Roman Empire", "Gladiator" even more. And "Cleopatra" and "Quo Vadis" were made movies too.
The part of Early Christianity in the latter chapters, would help you in reading the Gospels, the Acts, and letters from Paul and the disciples. In the same manner, it helps you to appreciate more in reading Christian historical fictions such as Sholem Asch "The Nazarene" "The Apostle", Thomas Costain "The Silver Chalice".
An additional recommendation is Vol 4. "Age of Faith", sole focus of which is the discussion of the religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam in the Middle Ages.
Pearls before swine.......2000-01-03
It's too bad so few people have taken the trouble to read or even review Durant. "The Story of Philosophy" was a best-seller in 1929. Tom Clancy & Patricia Cornwell (sic) get listings as long as the day is long, but Durant just gets in left in the corner ignored. It's a shame.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Customer Reviews:
Very Interesting.......2007-07-23
Researching within the archives of the Inquisition in northeastern Italy, Ginzburg came across a set of records describing the trials of an obscure miller from the Friuli area. Menocchio, as he was known, repudiated a wide variety of conventional positions on religion, on politics, and even on cosmology. The title of the book reflects Menocchio's unusual and somewhat naturalistic idea about the origin of the universe. In Counter-Reformation Italy, these ideas were not merely unusual, they were regarded as actually dangerous. Following his second trial, in which Menocchio was found to be backsliding, he was executed.
Ginzburg presents Menocchio as an autodidact synthesizing ideas from a variety of sources. Menocchio may have acquired some ideas from Anabaptist radicals who had been active in the Friuli. Other ideas seem to have come from an eclectic, though limited, array of books. As Ginzburg points out, this is an example of the impact of printing. It brought such books as Mandeville's travels and possibly even the Koran into the hands of a lowly miller. Most controversially, Ginzburg argues that many of Menocchio's ideas result from or were influenced by a common European peasant world view whose nature has been largely lost to us. This is an interesting hypothesis which Ginzburg defends very well but it can only be a hypothesis. Neither Ginzburg nor anyone else has the data to evaluate this idea properly. It may be simply that Menocchio was a village crank; an intelligent man with relatively unique ideas.
Regardless of the final interpretation, this well written book provides an interesting view of life in Counter-Reformation Italy.
A rare view into the mind of a 16th century miller.......2007-05-30
It is rare that we can see how common people thought 500+ years ago (another source is the Icelandic Sagas). This book shows that books were read by common people, not just the leaders. In this case, this miller got into a lot of trouble by reading. Lets hope that our current freedom of thought is not restricted in the future.
Microhistory of the masses.......2004-12-13
Borne of the microhistory genre, "The Cheese and the Worms" provides a glimpse into the life of a miller in medieval Italy. No ordinary miller is 'Menocchio', however, as he is inquisitioned for his radical religious philosophies. In a time and place where Catholicism was undoubtedly the religion of Europe, Menocchio harbored unique ideas about religious doctrine, the teachings of the Catholic Church, and man's purpose. Although some of his many ideas contradict others that he had, he was well-read and surprisingly well-educated for a man of his station. As Ginzburg says, though, we must look to the Protestant Reformation and the invention of the printing press as being major catalysts for such learning and religious evolution. Within the microhistory genre, "The Cheese and the Worms" is most fascinating when we ask the question: Was this an isolated phenonmenon or was this a reflection of many people's views? The answer, I suppose, lies with Menocchio, but there is still much to be gleaned from this book.
Well written, fascinating tale.......2002-05-13
Description of a miller with an intresting ('modern') cosmological belief whose rebellion in thought is prosecuted by the Taliban of that time, the Roman Catholic Church. Forced to explain his nonAristotelian views (and, if Ginzburg is telling the truth, he responded extremely well to the inquisitors' questions!), the miller outwits his arrogant, narrow-minded judges and so wins the reward of torture and imprisonment, losing his wife, family, everything in the end. Galileo, who had a higher social position and powerful protectors, suffered no worse than house arrest, in comparison.
Keep this book in mind.......2002-03-04
Anytime you want to tell yourself that the Catholic Church isn't that bad, just keep this book in mind. It is just more proof that the church is the most corrupt institution in the history of time. . .with that in mind. The book is very interesting, it deals with the trial of a smart man at the time who was accused of heresy. So throughout the trial we begin to realize how well read this man is and how well he has developed his ideas. It is a good case study of the life of a common man in 1599.
Amazon.com
The Byzantine Empire, one of its most eminent students reminds us, lasted "for a total of 1,123 years and 18 days," which is an astonishing duration matched by only a few others. Condensing Norwich's three-volume history, this overview captures the splendor and strangeness of Byzantine rule, marked by family intrigues, constant warfare, political and religious strife, and personal ambition--a "somewhat lurid background," as Norwich modestly declares in passing. Norwich is a master of the telling vignette. In one, he writes of imperial guards made up of "Anglo-Saxons who had left their country in disgust after Hastings and had taken service with Byzantium." Facing a Norman enemy in southern Italy, these Anglo-Saxons exacted terrible vengeance until the Normans rallied under the leadership of a fearless woman, one Sichelgaita, and massacred their enemy. Norwich's book abounds in similarly surprising and absorbing episodes.
Book Description
Published to coincide with a major exhibition on Byzantium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the spring of 1997, Byzantium tells the dramatic story of Byzantium, from its beginnings in A.D. 330, providing readers with a spirited, gripping, and original account of a great lost civilization and its magnificent artistic heritage. 24 pp. of illustrations, 8 pp. in full color. Size C. 432 pp. 20,000 print.
Customer Reviews:
An Endless list of Emperors..........2007-10-15
"A Short History of Byzantium" is a condensed version of author John Julius Norwich's three volume work. It covers the Byzantine Empire from its founding by Constantine the Great in AD 330 through its final destruction by the Turks in 1453.
I began the book with little knowledge about the Byzantine Empire with which to place what I was reading in context. This may have handicapped me as I proceeded through it. Much of this book consists of a seemingly endless list of Emperors, Empresses and challengers. It contains relatively little about other pieces of the Byzantine puzzle, such as the economy, the arts and other social forces which contributed to the whole picture. I did find interesting the sections dealing with the relationship of Charlemagne to the Empire and the occasional attempts, usually the result of foreign pressure, to heal the breach in Christendom.
Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with this book. I finished it with little more understanding of Byzantium than I had when I started. It may be the nature of the subject itself, but I feel that I need to look elsewhere for a good initiation into the Byzantine World.
Standard, Fast-Moving Poltical/Military History.......2007-08-19
A Short History of Byzantium is aptly-named. It covers over a thousand years of history in 381 pages. As such, it is necessarily short on depth and contains no analysis--or footnotes for the serious historians. More concerning to me, however, was its lack of any material beyond male military leaders and emperors. There is no cultural history, a little religious history, and the presentation of the few women in the book is a joke. Casual readers will probably won't be bothered, but anyone with a serious interest in history should read the original three volume work and be prepared to supplement it with additional works.
Disappointment.......2007-07-22
I had high hopes for this book. A Short History of Byzantium, however, reads like little more than a laundry list of people, places, and dates, all passing by at a breakneck pace.
Norwich formula for writing about Byzantine history goes something like this:
Emperor X... 1) assumes the throne, 2) eliminates any perceived threats to his authority, 3) weds a young woman (probably named either Theodora, Eudoxia, or Zoe) in the hopes of siring a male heir, 4) sends his army to wage war against Enemy Y, and 5) is subsequently overthrown by conspirator Z, who now becomes Emperor Z. Repeat steps 1 to 5. Norwich's approach nicely illustrates an antiquated approach to historical writing that focuses exclusively on the lives of the sovereign, his family, and high officials.
Even more unfortunate, Norwich makes little effort to place those people, places, and dates within any broader cultural, social, or political context, resulting in a tedious and lifeless narrative. He also neglects to discuss topics that may interest the average reader, such as Byzantine art, culture, or military tactics. He does spend some time describing events surrounding the great monophysite debate (which concerned the nature of Christ), but still fails to adequately discuss the ideas that made the debate important in the first place. So what's the point?
Norwich is correct in asserting that the Byzantine Empire has been long neglected in Western scholarship (see the book's introduction). Unfortunately, I cannot imagine how this book could help to reverse that inattention. I love reading history, but Norwich made it impossible for me to get excited about the Byzantine Empire. It is books like this that give the field of history a bad name.
True, Norwich's prose is smooth and the book provides some detailed maps and thorough chronological listings of emperors, popes, and sultans. Still, if the author's overall approach is terribly flawed and the storytelling dull, who really cares to know that Alexius Comnenus ruled from 1081 to 1118?
Istanbul and Constantinople.......2007-03-11
It's fascinating to come upon the reviews for John Julian Norwich's, "A Short History of Byzantium" and see how many reviewers are complaining about the pace. Mr. Norwich has explained the difficulty of reducing three volumes into one volume of 380 pages and I wonder if he had to do it over again if he would. It must have been a hair raising editing process and for anyone so inclined by all means get the three volume version (but it's hard to find) and give the author a break. One reviewer who did said she was very much more enjoying the pace and seemed quite settled down. This shortened version has made me hungry to find all three but in the meanwhile I found it a very compelling read, jam packed with information about the Empire of the East. What a story! I think Norwich is right in saying that this is a whole forgotten chunk of time and place in the west and it seems to have been his pleasure to help us find it and unravel it. To say that a situtation or relationship or organization is "Byzantine" implies all of the tangled confusion which we have associated with that civilization for centuries and this short history now makes me totally aware of how that word is applicable. And I thought the Plantagenets were confusing! This work has at least begun to clarify for me the movement of power from west to east, the movement into orthodoxy and finally into islam. And how it remains with us today throughout the Middle East, the Balkans and Central Asia. For anyone who would like some enlightenment on this long period of history pick up a copy of this book, then hold on to your seat. It's quite a ride.
A narrative summary of the Byzantine empire, not an academic work.......2007-02-12
I've noticed a number of reviewers complaining that this book, A Short History of Byzantium, contains absolutely no analysis. They seem surprised at what the book is: a brief summary of Byzantium. It doesn't claim to be anything else. In the introduction, John Julius Norwich clearly states that it is not an academic work for the purpose of historical analysis. It is a summary of a relatively unknown and overlooked empire in history, written for the purpose of spurring interest in the Byzantine world.
Having defended the purpose of Norwich's work, I still can't give it an wonderful review because of some pronounced internal problems. Such a short summary of over 1100 years naturally feels like the reader is racing through events, and soon the names and controversies blur into one another. For this reason the reader can expect to have an unusually low rate of retention for the information presented in the book. On a better note, the maps and family trees in the front of the book are helpful to keep things straight.
Norwich likes to put in exact dates of events, but often leaves out the year so that you have to stop and do simple math for context. For instance, here is an excerpt of page 134:
"They had captured Alexandria in 818; seven years later, forcibly expelled by the Caliph Mamun, they headed for Crete...Within only two years of the capture of Crete another company of Arabs invaded Sicily..." Of course the math is easy, but it interrupts the reader's flow of thoughts on the content itself.
Furthermore, because Norwich has created a non-academic work, some of his choices for the flow of the story are controversial. The reader must therefore approach the events cautiously. For instance, Norwich narrates the life of Constantine the Great as if the emperor truly believed Christianity was the true religion. And yet in a class on Constantine and the Council of Nicea I took in college, an excellent case was made that Constantine used Christianity almost solely for political gain.
I have not read the longer, three volume version of this work, but since the biggest issue is the neck breaking pace, I would imagine the longer works would do much to overcome the major problem of this specific edition.
Book Description
A remarkable and unprecedented examination of how the Book of Revelations has been used and abused from Roman times to the present day.
The mysterious author of the Book of Revelations (or the Apocalypse, as the last book of the New Testament is also known) never considered that his sermon on the impending end times would last beyond his own life. In fact, he predicted the destruction of the earth would be witnessed by his contemporaries. Yet Revelation not only outlived its creator, this vivid and violent revenge fantasy has played a significant role in the march of Western Civilization.
Ever since Revelation was first preached as the revealed word of Jesus Christ, it has haunted and inspired hearers and readers alike. The mark of the beast, the antichrist, 666, the whore of Babylon, Armageddon, and the four horsemen of the apocalypse are just a few of the images, phrases and codes that have burned their way into the fabric of our culture. The questions raised go straight to the heart of the human fear of death and obsession with the afterlife. Will we, individually or collectively, ride off to glory or will we drown in hellfire for all eternity? As those who best manipulate this dark vision learned, what side we fall on is often a matter of life or death. Honed into a weapon in the ongoing culture wars between states, religions, and citizenry, Revelation has significantly altered the march of history.
Customer Reviews:
mediocre read............2007-09-29
Firstly, it must be taken into account that the author is not a noted scholar in this field and, in addition, is rather dismissive in his writings - using words to describe the Book of Revelation like "spooky" and "freaky". I found it difficult to take in a lot of the info, because the book reads more as an exaggerated diatribe against Christianity rather than a genuine scholarly study of the Book of Revelation and its impact on history, making it seem like Kirsch has other intentions in mind, and therefore loses a lot of its credibility.
Hostile to Christianity generally, not just Revelation.......2007-09-19
I picked up this book because I'm a left-leaning, non-Left Behind reading Christian who has always had grave doubts about whether Revelation truly belongs in the Bible. I wanted to read a book exploring the writing of Revelation, how it finally was accepted into the Biblical canon, and how it has been used/misused over the years. But I am a Christian, and it just became virtually impossible to read this book after plowing through the potshots at Christianity generally. For example, Kirsch repeatedly refers to Jesus as just another apocalyptic prophet who got it wrong about when the end of the world would be.
Most amazingly, Kirsch claims early Christians weren't really persecuted all that badly by the Romans. On page 86 of the hardcover version, he quotes Pliny the Younger, who was charged with rooting out Christians, as saying he would absolve persons of being Christians if they would just make an offering to the emperor, make an invocation to the pagan gods, and curse Christ. He also would remind persons who admitted being Christians that they faced death unless they recanted, and then order the execution if they didn't recant. Kirsch then compares this to asking American schoolchildren to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. What??? The Pledge does not require treating the President as a deity, or cursing Christ, nor are people threatened with execution for not taking the Pledge. This is just such a laughable argument that I found it impossible to take anything else Kirsch had to say afterwards seriously.
Bottom line is, if you're a Christian who wants a serious, well-reasoned discussion of Revelation, look elsewhere. If you're not, well, you may like it...just don't assume all Christians look at Revelation the same way.
Reductionism versus literalism.......2007-09-11
While adequate in delineating the literalist abuses of the Book of Revelation historically, the author is incapable of transcending his own reductionist view of the book as a psychotic revenge fantasy. Kirsch lacks an appreciation of metaphor and story, and is especially devoid of a sense of irony, and hence his appraisals never rise above the hatred he sees in the text. In approaching a difficult work, he took the easy way out. He provides no nuanced or alternative readings. Instead of uncovering the deeper meanings, instead of removing the filters of troublesome readings, instead of laying bare ancient understandings of ultimate reality, he covers and smothers Revelation in his own layers of vituperativeness. When reductionism meets literalism, the strategy would seem to be annihilation.
If you are looking for a mature reading that navigates the ambiguities of the religious and secular, you will not find it here. While able to disentangle the current political abuses of Revelation, the author is unable to get beyond meaninglessness to meaning. I yearned on every page for an approach through the creative imagination which would yield an unmediated encounter with the spirit of life. You would not know from Kirsch's book that the Book of Revelation informs our vision of a democratically-inclusive world and, when read with just a little sensitivity, that it is a life-giving and life-affirming work at the same time that it is a profound critique of the kind of institutionalized power that subjugates. Would that Kirsch had enlisted Revelation in the movement to freedom against the very historical domination systems that subverted it.
Amazing Look At A Text That Continues To Influence Society.......2007-09-09
Jonathan Kirsch tackles a subject that fascinates and terrifies most people: the end of the World. More specifically, Kirsch's work focuses on the Christian New Testament Book of Revelation. What is it about this text that fascinates readers to such an extent? Is this ancient text still relevant in our modern world? Kirsh takes on this difficult-to-answer questions in his book, The History of the End of the World.
I am a huge fan of Jonathan Kirsch. I find his non-fiction biblical theories to be well-researched and his books written in an engaging style that the reader can easily access. In this work, Kirsch takes a hard look at the way the Book of Revelation has influenced history and continues to impact the modern age, as well. Touching on relations between countries, the events of 9/11, and how church dogma was influenced by the one body of text that narrowly made it into the cannon, Kirsch explores all the fact and the lore surrounding the New Testament's most controversial text.
The world is going to end NOW! Oops, I meant NOW! Wrong again! This time I really got it: NOW!! Awe, shoot........2007-06-05
I find it amazing that since the intertestamental period, apocalyptic doomsday prophets have been declaring the imminent end of the world, it never happens, and yet people continue to listen to the Hal Lindseys and Tim LaHayes of the world. This book brilliantly tells the history fo Revelation and the ways people have used it throughout history to try to scare the world into some system of belief or action, and I realized just how ridiculous the whole enterprise is. As a former evangelical, it makes me ashamed that I used to buy into all the Left Behind stuff, but scholars like Kirsch have helped me see things more rationally.
Book Description
This book offers a vivid, compelling history of the first thousand years of Christianity. Ranging across the Christian world from China to Iceland, the narrative illustrates the diversity of Christian beliefs and practices. It also places the rise of Christianity in the context of other religious traditions, especially Islam. The author draws penetrating portraits of individuals and communities, from St Patrick and the Irish church to the Christian communities of Armenia and Mesopotamia.For the second edition, the book has been thoroughly rewritten and expanded. It includes two new chapters, on monasticism and Irish Christianity. The author has also added an extensive preface in which he reflects on the scholarly traditions that have influenced his work and explains his current thinking about the book's themes. The new edition contains new maps, a substantial bibliography, and a number of chronological tables to orient the reader.
Customer Reviews:
I read this for a class.......2006-11-27
I had this book for a class on Medieval Europe. This book was our main text for the first half of the course and I spent quite a bit of those two months reading this book... I probably would have liked this book more had I had longer to read and understand it. It's arranged in a very confusing way and it's terrible to write essays over. My professor said that Peter Brown is brilliant, and I think he probably really is. Unfortunatly, I was too lost to appreciate it. If things were arranged more chronologically and if some clear distinctions were made in people groups this book would be more greatly appreciated.
Excellent book -.......2006-01-15
The book goes beyond the rather narrow sounding scope of the title; Brown nicely covers the changes in politics and economics that fostered (or hindered) the spead of Christianity from Ireland to the Middle East. The subject matter is cogently presented and enjoyable to read, unlike other scholarship of this era where authors tend to prove to the reader how much they know leaving the reader somewhat in the dust. Fascinating (at least to me!) is the number of texts that Brown cites that show the changes in orthodoxy from one century to another in various geographical areas, and how those texts came to be preserved. Conclusions are based on either these texts or archiology, not flights of a priori fantasy that all-too-often formed the basis for earlier works on this period. All in all, a book of great scholarship, but most approachable.
A great writer produces unreadable prose.......2005-10-10
Let me say first that I have been a great admirer of Peter Brown for many years. His "World of Late Antiquity" was a seminal work that inspired a generation of scholars to look past the tired old concepts of the fall of the Roman empire, and his biography of Augustine, recently updated, is magnificent.
It was with some excitement then that I sat down to see what Brown had to say in a work that covers a larger span of time than most of his previous studies. And it was with a sinking heart that I realized, after a few pages, that this one-time master of prose has lost his way.
In his lengthy introduction, Brown seems determined to undermine every preconception we may have about Europe's evolution in late antiquity and the early middle ages. To reinforce his point, he puts quotation marks around a myriad of words and phrases: "Roman", "barbarian", "imperial", "Western." For a page or two this seems like a reasonable way of signalling that these words may not mean what we think they mean. But the trouble is, he never stops: the quotation marks multiply, sometimes occurring a dozen times on a page, and seldom less than once per paragraph. And it becomes impossible to know what he is trying to signify. If he finds words like "Roman" and "barbarian" useful, why doesn't he simply define what he means by them, rather than distancing himself from them? It seems pointless to contrast barbarian and Roman, if you believe that the one is not really barbarian, and the other not really Roman.
And it gets worse. What are we to make of the fact that Irish kings ruled over "plains"? Do the quotation marks signify that the kings called them by that term (or its Gaelic equivalent), or that they were not really plains? Why the quotes around "Carolingian minuscule", not just on introduction but in subsequent references -- was the script not truly Carolingian, or not truly minuscule?
I don't know who should take the most blame here, Brown for repeatedly flagging words as not meaning what we think they mean, without bothering to find alternatives that he feels are more accurate, or his editor for letting him get away with it.
I realize other readers may not be as bothered by this sort of thing as I am, but I found it baffling and, ultimately, offputting. I seldom return a book, and I never thought I would return one of Peter Brown's, but that is what I did in this case.
Deep and wide.......2005-07-23
Peter Brown first came to my attention through his scholarship in the study of Augustine, one of my particular interests in the field of church history. His biography of Augustine is considered one of the standards, having been written first in the 1960s, and revised for the turn of the millennium in 2000. This speaks to the length of his career and involvement with the study of church history generally, of which this volume is a wonderful survey.
This book, 'The Rise of Western Christendom', looks at the first 1000 years (the first half of Christian history). Despite its title, it does not focus exclusively on the idea of Christiani
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