Tag Archives: history

Rubicon

Posted on March 30, 2009 by smellincoffee

Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic© 2003 Tom Holland407 pages, including index As a student of history, Rome holds a particularly strong fascination for me. Having been brought up in western civilization, Roman history is my history. I … Continue reading →

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Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History

Posted on March 19, 2009 by smellincoffee

Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History© Patrick Hunt 2001226 pages I spotted this while ambling through the history section of the Selma library, and it turned out to be a splendid read. Archaeologist Patrick Hunt takes on a tour of the … Continue reading →

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The Roman Mind

Posted on March 2, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Roman Mind: Studies in the History of Thought from Cicero to Marcus Aurelius© 1956 M.L. Clarke168 pg. While Rome is known for its administrative prowess, author M.L. Clarke wants to remind us that they were thinkers, too: philosophers, borrowing … Continue reading →

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The Gifts of the Jews

Posted on February 25, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everybody Thinks and Feels© Thomas Cahill293 pages This week I continued in Thomas Cahill’s Hinges of History series with The Gifts of the Jews. Rather than … 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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How the Irish Saved Civilization

Posted on February 10, 2009 by smellincoffee

How the Irish Saved Civilization: the Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe© 1995 Thomas Cahill230 pages plus bibliography, chronology, and index. Last week I began the “Hinges of History” … Continue reading →

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Mysteries of the Middle Ages

Posted on February 6, 2009 by smellincoffee

Mysteries of the Middle Ages and the Beginnings of the Modern World© 2006 Thomas Cahill317 pages, plus notes and index A couple of weeks ago I met a friend for breakfast, and he brought with him an interesting-looking book. He … 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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Asimov’s Guide to the Bible

Posted on December 21, 2008 by smellincoffee

Asimov’s Guide to the Bible – Volume I© Isaac Asimov 1968677 pages plus indices This week I read volume one of Isaac Asimov’s two-volume guide to the bible. The first volume is on what Christians call the “Old Testament”. The … Continue reading →

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Collapse

Posted on December 17, 2008 by smellincoffee

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed © 2005 Jared Diamond 560 pages plus index A few years ago, I read Guns, Germs, and Steel by this same author, who put forth the idea that the success of world … Continue reading →

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