Category Archives: Book Reviews
The Book: History or Religion?
Today at sunset begins Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement for the Jews, followers of Judaism, and for a few Christians who recognize the call to convene on certain feast days found in the Old Testament scriptures – texts … Continue reading
Filed under Ancient Near East, Book Reviews, General
Roamin’ with the Romans
I recently acquired a thin volume called The Romans and their Empire, book two of the “Cambridge Introduction to the History of Mankind” edited by Trevor Cairns. I have lamented my lack of detailed knowledge of the Classical world and … Continue reading
Filed under Ancient Near East, Book Reviews
The Clive Cussler Effect: More Gateways to History
A while back I wrote a post about gateways to history. These are sneaky ways to get interested in history if you weren’t blessed with splendid history teachers. It’s time to revisit. Specifically, fiction books. How can fiction and history … Continue reading
Filed under Book Reviews, General
Praising John Adams
The U.S. had its fair share of kingmakers and quasi-aristocrats in its early years, but the venerable John Adams seems not to have been among them. That didn’t stop his opponents from labeling the force behind the Declaration of Independence … Continue reading
Filed under American, Book Reviews
Living like it’s 1873
Not long ago I finished A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella Bird. The book covers her remarkable travels as an Englishwoman in the nineteenth century American West. Bird was subject to ill health and traveled, as many … Continue reading
Filed under American, Book Reviews, British, Daily Life
My Kingdom for a Ship
A Short History of Athenian Naval Wars From about 506 B.C. onward until 322 B.C. the Greek city-state of Athens was in a nearly continuous state of making war or preparing for it. And lest I single them out, so … Continue reading
Filed under Ancient Near East, Book Reviews, General
What’s in a name?
Here’s an experiment in the obvious: take a map of the world and read the names of countries in any one of the continents… Britain, Germany, France, Spain… China, Japan, Korea… Zimbabwe, Sudan, Nigeria… America, Canada, Mexico… See how easy … Continue reading
Filed under American, Book Reviews
