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hugoviseu's review against another edition
4.0
This is a monumental book. However, I must say I bought it thinking it was complete, when it's actually a selection of around 1/3 of all the chapters written by Gibbon. I am unsure if I agree with the editorial criteria that selected the main causes of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. In my view, the selection had a bias towards religious factors, namely the ascension of Christianity and the numerous splits among that sect. I confess that I also thought these were the most difficult chapters to read and some of the longest. On the contrary, the chapters where there was political intrigue or military action were quite interesting and real page turners. It's difficult to believe that this is such an old book. Written at the time it written, it must have been an incomparable milestone in the writing of History books.
Gibbon gives his well documented view in the topics, that sometimes are quite lateral to the main subject of the book using a healthy dose of discrete humour and warning us of the quality of his sources.
I will most likely not read the missing 2/3s of the original text, but most likely I will search for the chapters that in my view could have shed some additional light on the main theme of the book, or otherwise are more to my taste. In any case, it was a fantastic book that I recommended to all people with an interest in history.
A final remark: while reading it, you cannot avoid making parallels with the current times. The more you know, the more you think about the inevitability of history repeating itself.
Gibbon gives his well documented view in the topics, that sometimes are quite lateral to the main subject of the book using a healthy dose of discrete humour and warning us of the quality of his sources.
I will most likely not read the missing 2/3s of the original text, but most likely I will search for the chapters that in my view could have shed some additional light on the main theme of the book, or otherwise are more to my taste. In any case, it was a fantastic book that I recommended to all people with an interest in history.
A final remark: while reading it, you cannot avoid making parallels with the current times. The more you know, the more you think about the inevitability of history repeating itself.
seanhatesnamerestrictions's review against another edition
2.0
After 100+ hours of reading, I'm finally finished! To Gibbon's credit, he read *all* the sources and spent nearly 20 years writing these volumes. However, I'm sure there is a modern history I could have read which would have been more succinct, better-organized, and not explicitly sexist and racist.
sapphfoes's review against another edition
books from the 18th century always a really interesting insight into types of racism that you simply don’t see anymore. also learned a lot about rome or whatever.
marct22's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't realize this was an abridged version. I kept thinking throughout the book whenever I saw stuff like
[some major event happened. something else major happened.] and thats it.
I kept thinking, I want to know more about those major events, why didn't Gibbon include more detail?? I was frustrated with the book.
Then I finally noticed in tiny print, 'abridged'. Arrgh! I'm almost 2/3's through the book, and to realize someone (Mueller) chopped up the original?? Why didn't they title it "The Abridged version of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"?? Or "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Abridged)"? I thought Gibbon was being crappy, doing [Emperor did this. He died] or [big battle happened. goth leader died.] and that's it.
Like if I modified John Keegan's book "The First World War", and put in "[The battle of the Bulge happened. Lots of people died.]" and never say another word about the Battle of the Bulge.
Or an abridged version of the Bible '[Jesus entered Jerusalem. He got executed. He was resurrected, went to heaven.]'
You'd be thinking, "wait! I want to know more about what happened! It sounds like something major happened, I'm missing something. The nerve of Gibbon to dismiss it, was he tempting me (something major happened but I'm not going to tell you), or being dismissive, some major battle happened, but I'm not going to tell you any details, only that a major battle happened." Only to realize, two months into the book, after 800 pages, the original might have more detail??
I bought it at a bookstore, I had no idea it was abridged until I saw some goodreads reviews talking about it being abridged, and I looked at the small print on the front cover at the bottom, and saw 'abridged'. And now I'm even more frustrated with this book.
What is there is interesting, I'm glad I read it, but now I feel I have to buy the unabridged version to see what I missed
[some major event happened. something else major happened.] and thats it.
I kept thinking, I want to know more about those major events, why didn't Gibbon include more detail?? I was frustrated with the book.
Then I finally noticed in tiny print, 'abridged'. Arrgh! I'm almost 2/3's through the book, and to realize someone (Mueller) chopped up the original?? Why didn't they title it "The Abridged version of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"?? Or "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Abridged)"? I thought Gibbon was being crappy, doing [Emperor did this. He died] or [big battle happened. goth leader died.] and that's it.
Like if I modified John Keegan's book "The First World War", and put in "[The battle of the Bulge happened. Lots of people died.]" and never say another word about the Battle of the Bulge.
Or an abridged version of the Bible '[Jesus entered Jerusalem. He got executed. He was resurrected, went to heaven.]'
You'd be thinking, "wait! I want to know more about what happened! It sounds like something major happened, I'm missing something. The nerve of Gibbon to dismiss it, was he tempting me (something major happened but I'm not going to tell you), or being dismissive, some major battle happened, but I'm not going to tell you any details, only that a major battle happened." Only to realize, two months into the book, after 800 pages, the original might have more detail??
I bought it at a bookstore, I had no idea it was abridged until I saw some goodreads reviews talking about it being abridged, and I looked at the small print on the front cover at the bottom, and saw 'abridged'. And now I'm even more frustrated with this book.
What is there is interesting, I'm glad I read it, but now I feel I have to buy the unabridged version to see what I missed
bookaneer's review against another edition
3.0
I have been reading this for the last five months and I feel exhausted. Definitely not for people who prefer light reading. The explanation is sometimes frivolous and redundant. The footnotes are not really helpful; they just confused me even more.
The first chapters are the best. The last ones...well, not so much except the parts on Diocletian. Nevertheless, I'd still recommend this as a reference for those who are interested in Roman Empire history. So many interesting tidbits and background information on the important events occurred at that time. Despite the three stars rating, I'll never regret I read this book. Hell, maybe someday I'll have time (and mood) to read the next volume, who knows.
The first chapters are the best. The last ones...well, not so much except the parts on Diocletian. Nevertheless, I'd still recommend this as a reference for those who are interested in Roman Empire history. So many interesting tidbits and background information on the important events occurred at that time. Despite the three stars rating, I'll never regret I read this book. Hell, maybe someday I'll have time (and mood) to read the next volume, who knows.
alexpler's review against another edition
5.0
Con estilo pomposo y rebosante de digresiones, Gibbon traza los últimos 400 años del Imperio romano de Occidente. 1.500 páginas que desgranan cómo una sociedad se descompuso paulatinamente debido a disputas internas, corrupción, guerras civiles, hambrunas y pestes, unos gobernantes más preocupados de dar poder a la religión en auge que de atender las preocupaciones del pueblo, la llegada de nuevos pueblos a los que no se quiso dar cabida, el abandono de la cultura tradicional, la pérdida de respeto al legado propio hasta el punto de que los habitantes de Roma expoliaban los antiguos monumentos a modo de canteras improvisadas... Mil y un motivos que acabaron por volver irreconocible una ciudad que había gobernado alrededor del Mediterráneo.
En definitiva una obra monumental, a ratos abrumadora por la ingente cantidad de datos, nombres, personajes y líneas temporales, pero por eso mismo fascinante. Hay paralelismos con la actualidad, como los movimientos migratorios provocados por las guerras y que se intentan contener en campos de refugiados. Hay episodios que parecen sacados de una saga épica, como cierta ceremonia de gala que acaba en asesinato y que se diría que inspiró cierta boda roja. Hay capítulos enteros dedicados a describir las costumbres de todos los pueblos que interactuaban con Roma: de los celtas a los hunos, pasando por los godos, vándalos, germanos, sajones..., un repaso a vista de águila de la Europa que se estaba formando mientras Roma se descomponía.
Dejo para el futuro el segundo volumen, dedicado a la historia de Bizancio y su Imperio romano de Oriente.
En definitiva una obra monumental, a ratos abrumadora por la ingente cantidad de datos, nombres, personajes y líneas temporales, pero por eso mismo fascinante. Hay paralelismos con la actualidad, como los movimientos migratorios provocados por las guerras y que se intentan contener en campos de refugiados. Hay episodios que parecen sacados de una saga épica, como cierta ceremonia de gala que acaba en asesinato y que se diría que inspiró cierta boda roja. Hay capítulos enteros dedicados a describir las costumbres de todos los pueblos que interactuaban con Roma: de los celtas a los hunos, pasando por los godos, vándalos, germanos, sajones..., un repaso a vista de águila de la Europa que se estaba formando mientras Roma se descomponía.
Dejo para el futuro el segundo volumen, dedicado a la historia de Bizancio y su Imperio romano de Oriente.
dspencer991's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.25