Alexander The Great (Pitt Paperback; 94) | 
 enlarge | Author: J.r. Hamilton
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $15.25
You Save: $1.70 (10%)
New (14) Used (12) from $5.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 952605
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 196
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 0822960842
Dewey Decimal Number: 938.070924
EAN: 9780822960843
ASIN: 0822960842
Publication Date: June 30, 1974
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
In taking account of recent research and in reassesing the markedly contradictory contemporary sources, J.R. Hamilton present a far less attractive but no less compelling portrait of Alexander than Tarn’s classic study. The discussion ranges from Alexander’s Macedonian background and relations with Philip to his request for deification and his death, and the economic achievements of his reign are stressed alongside the military.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Basic facts on Alexander November 30, 2004
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This effort by J.R. Hamilton was decent, but I felt it was lacking in detail; in fact, excluding the maps, chronology, etc., the narrative is only about 150 pages. For a figure of Alexander's stature, that's just not enough.
I can also say that Hamilton wrote this book for those already somewhat familiar with Alexander and his contemporaries. I knew of his parents, Philip and Olympias, but many other names, like Hephaestion, Callisthenes and Cleitus (to name a few) were new to me. And unfortunately, Hamilton sometimes mentions them quite briefly, as if assuming the reader already knows who these people were, and the state of their relations with Alexander. Other times, he refers to important events as if the reader knows the story; I often did not, as this was the first book about Alexander I have read. Again, this made for some difficult reading until I got an understanding of the main people and events of Alexander's life.
Still, the book does appear to cover all of the important milestones and events, albeit sometimes briefly (for example, only one paragraph is devoted to the story of the Gordian Knot). But Hamilton does a good job of discussing some of the more controversial deeds of Alexander, like the burning of Persepolis and the murder of Cleitus. And he also provides the opinions of many other historians, both ancient and modern, helping the reader to decide for himself about Alexander's acts.
Overall, this was a fine work by Hamilton. However, if you are new to Alexander, I would suggest another book first, perhaps Arrian's Anabasis of Alexander. Once you have a general understanding of who Alexander was, this book will help you to gain an even deeper insight.
Three stars.
Thorough but liveless account of the live of Alexander II. March 28, 2000
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
J. R. Hamilton's book is a thorough account of the life of Alexander the Great. Starting with his youth in Macedonia he discusses all the major points of interest in Alexander life, such as the Callisthenes affair, the murder of Kleitos and Parmenion and so forth. Hamilton does not try to paint a coherent picture of Alexander, but tries to find the "truth" by assessing the validity of various sources. The advantage of this method, i.e. not squeezing historical facts into a pre-fabricated picture of Alexander is however one of the literary weaknesses of the book; it lacks a drive, an overall assessment of Alexander.
|
|
|
News 
