Tag Archives: classical world

A History of the World in Six Glasses

Posted on May 24, 2012 by smellincoffee

A History of the World in Six Glasses© 2006 Tom Standage311 pages A toast to human enterprise! Pick your poison — beer, wine, rum, tea, coffee, or Coca-Cola. Three are alcoholic, three are caffienated: all were the stuff of empires, … Continue reading →

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Marcus Aurelius

Posted on September 27, 2011 by smellincoffee

Marcus Aurelius: A Life© 2009 Frank McLynn684 pages Few figures in history can compare to Marcus Aurelius, and fewer still favorably.  Adopted into the royal family, this last of the Five Good Emperors has sat in silent judgment of politicians … Continue reading →

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The Illiad

Posted on September 8, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Illiad© 1960 Barbara Leonie Picard208 pagesIllustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe The Illiad is one of the oldest and most celebrated works of literature of western civilization: a classic among classics, no world literature class would be complete without it.  It is … Continue reading →

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Confessions

Posted on March 3, 2011 by smellincoffee

ConfessionsAugustine of Hippo, 354 – 430Translation © 1961 R.S. Pine-Coffin346 pages At the age of nineteen a young man encountered the golden voice of Cicero. Inspired by Cicero’s lush oratory, this boy began to pursue the love of wisdom, philosophy; … Continue reading →

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The Roman Way

Posted on October 17, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Roman Way© 1932 Edith Hamilton281 pages                                         Slave: He saw the girl.                    … Continue reading →

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Caesar and Christ

Posted on October 12, 2010 by smellincoffee

Caesar and Christ© 1944 Will Durant752 pages Ave, Caesar! Athens’ grip on my imagination is rivaled only by Rome — Rome, navel of the world; Rome, which established the languages laws, and religion of western Europe. Like Our Oriental Heritage … Continue reading →

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The Life of Greece

Posted on October 6, 2010 by smellincoffee

The Life of Greece© 1939 Will Durant754 pages Ancient Greece is the cradle of western civilization, and from my elementary school days on, this world occupied by serene columns and men in togas has fascinated me. That interest grew with … Continue reading →

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Empire

Posted on September 4, 2010 by smellincoffee

Empire: the Novel of Imperial Rome© 2010 Steven Saylor589 pages Last summer — strangely enough about a year ago last week —  I had the pleasure of reading Roma: the Novel of Ancient Rome. The novel was a thousand-year epic, … Continue reading →

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Working IX to V

Posted on August 18, 2010 by smellincoffee

Working IX to V: Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World© 2007 Vicki Leon312 pages This amusingly-titled volume caught my eye more than a few times in the past, and with an itching to read … Continue reading →

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Plato’s Podcasts

Posted on May 9, 2010 by smellincoffee

Plato’s Podcasts: the Ancients’ Guide to Modern Living© 2009 Mark Vernon215 pages I encountered this book a  few weeks ago while enjoying a virtual photo-tour of ancient Athens hosted by an Greek philosophy enthusiast. The title immediately drew my attention, … Continue reading →

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