Download The Histories Oxford World Classics Herodotus Robin Waterfield Carolyn Dewald Books

Product details Series Oxford World's Classics Paperback 840 pages Publisher Oxford University Press; unknown edition (May 15, 2008) Language English ISBN-10 9780199535668 ISBN-13 978-0199535668 ASIN 0199535663

The Histories Oxford World Classics Herodotus Robin Waterfield Carolyn Dewald Books Reviews

• This is a ~2500 year old book on history that was criticized right after it came out. It's often viewed as the less serious, less academic, inferior work when compared to Thucydides - the author who provided the template for future historians. For that reason, a modern reader may hesitate to look at it. They should not. It is a wonderful read - the stories are great, the sociological descriptions are wonderful, the deductive analysis (when placed into context) is remarkable. The book's engagement with real world events must be considered, and there are excellent footnotes to discuss it. Ultimately, this is the best and often only source for many of his subjects. As such it is well worth reading and engaging with. Afterwards you will probably spot many, many references to this book through the centuries. The Histories is critical to our modern day understanding of the classical world. I do think that reading it with a map of the ancient world would be helpful if you're not familiar with the landscape, but other than that, just go along with it.
• How can we possibly describe Herodotus with the kind of categories presented here by ? Impossible Most of the times Herodotus narrates what other people did. Sometimes he describes countries, regions, areas. Sometimes he gives his personal belief and therefore speaks in the first person I. Everybody should read the Histories by Herodotus. Herodotus was the Father of History. Furthermore, what he narrates shows us that all the problems we are facing in this world right now originated long time ago. Herodotus is the witness. In addition, many stories that have been deemed being lies have been since then proved true. Herodotus always states that for him the stories are or seem far fetched but he relates them to us, faithfully as he has heard them been narrated to him. I wish historians nowadays would be as honest as Herodotus was in his time.
• Great translation. I needed to purchase an ancient world geography book to go with this... but now it's a pleasure reading The Histories which many times are more folk tale - even tall tale - than actual, bonafide history. But often, that's all he had to go on... the stories the Persians were telling themselves... what people who had traveled in Egypt saw, etc. Great quality on the binding, pages, etc.
• How is it that I have never read this classic. And the notes included with this version were extremely helpful. Herodtus has a great way of telling stories and I like how he jumps from topic to topic while explaining history. I felt like I was at my grandpa's feet hearing about the good old days with some lessons on life thrown in. I should have read this years ago!!!
• Any "period" piece will be a difficult read (at least, for me) but to understand history I believe you have to be willing to read the material that was written at the time. All of this has to be done with an understanding that the writers were not, on average, objective and the material had to be written with, at least, an eye on the power brokers who might read the material. Still, necessity does not imply easy.
• I thought that reading Herodotus would be daunting, but Mr. Waterfield's translation so far is making it fun to read. The prose is very accessible, which makes this history very intriguing and enjoyable to read. In a nut shell Herodotus writes about the causes of the ancient war between the Greek world and the Persian empire.
• Excellent translation -- makes a prodigious work accessible in modern English. Herodotus provides the historical context for much of classical epics & plays, so it is interesting & illuminating. A very useful companion piece -- like the Oxford Companion to Classical Literature.
• This is not an easy read, but if you have the patience to make it through the introduction and initial chapters, you will find a fascinating tale. Herodotus is a gifted story teller. Even in his digressions- and there are many throughout the book- the descriptions of the lands, the people, the battles, customs, offer rich detail and insight to what it was like to be living 2500 years ago during the Greek and Persian wars. Oftentimes reading this book, it reminded me of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, and made me wonder if George Lucas and J.R.R. Tolkien were inspired by Herodotus' The Histories." In so many ways we have changed, but in also so many ways, we still share much in common with our ancient ancestors.