Tag Archives: Greece

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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The Lost Hero

Posted on October 31, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Lost Hero© 2010 Rick Riordian557 pages Rick Riordian’s debut novels introduced us to Percy Jackson, a half-mortal half-divine Demigod destined to save the world. Now the hero of heroes has vanished — and three new demigods have come into … 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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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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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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Persian Fire

Posted on April 16, 2009 by smellincoffee

Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West© 2005 Tom Holland418 pages After reading Holland’s Rubicon, blogger ResoluteReader recommended that I read Persian Fire as well. I have an interest in the various Persian and Babylonian … Continue reading →

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Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea

Posted on February 21, 2009 by smellincoffee

Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter© 2003 Thomas Cahill303 pages, including index I believe I picked this book up years ago, but never finished it. Very little seemed familiar as I read through the book this week, so … Continue reading →

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Mythology

Posted on February 18, 2009 by smellincoffee

Mythology© 1942 Edith Hamilton333 pages In the past, I have both read books by Edith Hamilton and tried to read books on Greco-Roman mythology. I have never succeeded in finishing a mythology book before my interest in the subject waned, … Continue reading →

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The Echo of Greece

Posted on December 22, 2008 by smellincoffee

The Echo of Greece© Edith Hamilton 1957224 pages About two years ago I read The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton, which was an exploration of the Greek mind as reflected in law, philosophy, art, and more. The book introduced me … Continue reading →

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