A review by dngoldman
The Histories: The Landmark Herodotus by Herodotus

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

The Histories by Herodotus is one of Western culture's greatest works of literature. It is the first Western history book written in the way we think of the term. The book is also known for "inventing" ethnographic studies and presenting a dramatic tragedy worthy of Euripides. The Histories is also a meditation on power and different forms of government while urging the reader to think about relations between different cultures. While there is much on the darker side of human nature, the characters' drive, ingenuity, and loyalty make The Histories an inspiring work of the humanities.  Although it is a long, ancient book, it is mainly accessible and entertaining while being informative and thought-provoking.

 

The book's reputation has risen and fallen over the millennia since Herodotus wrote The Histories. However, The Histories deserves its recent comeback. The book's wide lens and largely even-handed portrayal of many different countries, even those outside of the central conflict, its coverage of each country's cultural practices, and not just war strategy, are more current than the traditional "great men at war" histories that predominated the field after Thucydides.

 

Although including so many stories and countries outside of the main action can seem like digressions, they are part of Herodotus's larger project - enquiring into how different cultures, political systems, and ethical norms can work together. The non-didactic warning about the dangers of tyrants and internal division is undoubtedly relevant now.

 

Even if relevant to the larger project, the so-called digressions and colorful vignettes interrupt the narrative and make the book over 100 pages longer than Thucydides's The Peloponnesian War. Their inclusion can question the overall accuracy of the work. However, the overall impact of The Histories is forceful, and the history is still one of the most valuable guides available to the period the book covers.

 

I read the Landmark edition. The translation is clear and readable, while maps and notes integrated within the text (not stuck at the end/beginning) are helpful while reading, as are the detailed timelines and several appendixes with essays by different experts. The downside of this addition is that the version can be unwieldy at over 3.5 lbs with pages larger than most books. I lugged this around on my Hawian vacation and have the back spasms to prove it! The Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, translated by Thom Holland (not to be confused with the Penguin Classic), also has an excellent modern translation and is more manageable to read. I can't vouch for other translations, but I avoid older ones.