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“How far we've come, yet how little has changed.”
Brian H wrote this review Saturday, September 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“My favorite non-fiction book, eva'”
waylon_massie wrote this review Friday, May 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I know that Pericles' Funeral Oration was in this history, but not much else. After having read it, I see how this book compares with the Iraq war, Vietnam, the Soviet/U.S. Cold War, and the Republican/Democratic riff. I see the disasters that humans have spread upon each other and know that like the red and black ants that battle on the woodpile behind Thoreau's cabin (see the chapter, Brute Neighbors, in "Walden"), the transfer lessons are legion.
Mark V wrote this review Tuesday, December 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Reading to learn here means being able to read this story as related and make inferences. It is the difference between Truman and Coolidge, Bush and Obama (that is, I can tell that no one in the Bush administration has been within ten feet of this book). I found the definition and example of hubris; I found how politics can corrupt; I found how fear can manipulate rhetoric; and I found how dangerous ideas can be. I found many lessons from this book to grow by, and I will use it to augment my understanding of Plato, Socrates, Sophocles, and the others. In fact, that was one of the reasons that I read it, to be more prepared to read the great Greek stories.
I really appreciate how thorough Thucydides was, yet I know that he embellished. When he did, it was always in the spirit of the event and I found myself trusting him for this--this teaches me that expert narrative techniques can override faulty facts.
I want to read the Rex Warner translation next and then maybe another one later. I am a better person after having read this, but--not to spawn hubris myself--this will be true only if I act on what I have read.”
“to understand the course of western history....a must”
Italiadancer114 wrote this review Friday, October 26 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Must-read for all Muslims--both revived & azote--to learn a few incontrovertible lessons from history.”
Abdul Rehman wrote this review Thursday, September 27 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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