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iagorotten's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
it's KYIV, not Kiev
ljtracey's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
kennyjber's review against another edition
5.0
A true gem of a history book. Part travel stories, part historical stories, read like a true novel. The descriptions of what these historical locations are like today mixed with what occurred there centuries before made it so much more real. Felt like there was real connections between history and today, which in many cases you don’t get. I couldn’t put it down and usually books that are not novels don’t do that for me.
pamela22's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
What an interesting read. I recently read, and loved Cloud Cuckoo Land which is partly set in ancient Constantinople just prior to its fall to the Muslims. This novel explored this event in the microcosm which I really enjoyed but it left me hungering for the macro cosmic which in turn led me to Fidler’s text.
It took me right back and led me through the Roman Empire right up to its fall. Fascinating and I know snippets like the origins of Venice, chess and our numerical system (the Arabs adopted it from India).
This text wraps inserts from contemporary Instanbul and his travels with his son in between meaty slabs of the past.
It took me right back and led me through the Roman Empire right up to its fall. Fascinating and I know snippets like the origins of Venice, chess and our numerical system (the Arabs adopted it from India).
This text wraps inserts from contemporary Instanbul and his travels with his son in between meaty slabs of the past.