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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Sixteenth Century naval warfare in the Mediterranean? Am I having problems falling asleep or something? Actually, this was a very engaging and accessible read about a period of time I knew next to nothing about. Provides excellent context around people like Don Juan of Austria and Barbarossa, as well as the Ottoman empire. I'm looking forward to picking up the preceding book dealing with the holy war for Constantinople.
Brilliant.
History is so much more engaging when told by an author who understands narrative, that keeps a steady flow of the events and avoids imparting their opinionated views to the text.
History at its peak.
History is so much more engaging when told by an author who understands narrative, that keeps a steady flow of the events and avoids imparting their opinionated views to the text.
History at its peak.
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
This was an easy read, well structured and informative. I picked it up because it is an aspect of history that I am passingly familiar with, and want to learn more.
However, I feel like it could have been a bit more engaging. There were periods where it dragged a little for me, and for a period as exciting as this, I felt like that could have been avoided. Overall, a solid read.
However, I feel like it could have been a bit more engaging. There were periods where it dragged a little for me, and for a period as exciting as this, I felt like that could have been avoided. Overall, a solid read.
adventurous
dark
informative
slow-paced
challenging
informative
slow-paced
'Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World' is the second volume of a trilogy about the Renaissance-era history of the Mediterranean. This volume tells the story of the 16th-Century battle for dominance of the Mediterranean. In the east, we had the Ottoman Empire. In the West, Spain. Both sides were brutal, merciless, and utterly committed to the righteousness of their respective causes and their conviction that God was on their side.
This is the kind of history that can be tough to read because there isn't anyone to root for. Both sides considered slavery, mass murder, and rapine normal. Both sides were cynical and bloodthirsty. Both sides fought treacherously sometimes, honorably others.
That said, I knew virtually nothing about the history of this particular time and place. Since I didn't know the outcomes of the seiges and battles described, nor the fates of many of the players in these dramas, the book held a tension for me that many other histories lack. Additionally, this book provided excellent context for the Protestant Reformation, 30 Years' War, Conquest of Latin America, and even the works of William Shakespeare ('Othello' and 'The Merchant of Venice,' particularly).
While reading this, I was reminded of a visit to the Topkapki Palace I enjoyed in 2008. At the time, I recall feeling frustrated because I knew there was so much history all around me, but I was weak on both the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires. I'm finally ready to go back!
This is the kind of history that can be tough to read because there isn't anyone to root for. Both sides considered slavery, mass murder, and rapine normal. Both sides were cynical and bloodthirsty. Both sides fought treacherously sometimes, honorably others.
That said, I knew virtually nothing about the history of this particular time and place. Since I didn't know the outcomes of the seiges and battles described, nor the fates of many of the players in these dramas, the book held a tension for me that many other histories lack. Additionally, this book provided excellent context for the Protestant Reformation, 30 Years' War, Conquest of Latin America, and even the works of William Shakespeare ('Othello' and 'The Merchant of Venice,' particularly).
While reading this, I was reminded of a visit to the Topkapki Palace I enjoyed in 2008. At the time, I recall feeling frustrated because I knew there was so much history all around me, but I was weak on both the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires. I'm finally ready to go back!