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jack_reid 's review for:
The Histories
by Herodotus
The Histories is an engaging read despite its age of over 2,400 years. I imagined Herodotus as a quirky, questioning man wandering around the Mediterranean asking priests and noblemen about the past. I believe he'd get along with Socrates - they might even have met in Athens!
As a standalone work, The Histories is entertaining and enlightening. I especially loved the footnotes in the Penguin Classic's edition. I laughed each time the translator added, "unfortunately, Herodotus got his legged pulled again." But, by and large, Herodotus is an excellent source backed up by contemporary documents and modern archeology. The more we've discovered, the more revered he becomes.
I read Herodotus for two reasons. One, educated people have read Herodotus for millennia, and I wanted to join that group. Few works besides Homer and religious works can compete for such longevity and popularity. Second, I wanted to read stories beyond imagination today. Herodotus is known as both the Father of History and the Father of Lies. He's an incredible storyteller such that it's often hard to parse truth from fiction. I found that melding fascinating. I often wrote little notes to myself in the margins with gut reactions to hilarious, tragic, or hilariously tragic stories.
Altogether I'm glad I spent the last two weeks with Herodotus and The Histories.
As a standalone work, The Histories is entertaining and enlightening. I especially loved the footnotes in the Penguin Classic's edition. I laughed each time the translator added, "unfortunately, Herodotus got his legged pulled again." But, by and large, Herodotus is an excellent source backed up by contemporary documents and modern archeology. The more we've discovered, the more revered he becomes.
I read Herodotus for two reasons. One, educated people have read Herodotus for millennia, and I wanted to join that group. Few works besides Homer and religious works can compete for such longevity and popularity. Second, I wanted to read stories beyond imagination today. Herodotus is known as both the Father of History and the Father of Lies. He's an incredible storyteller such that it's often hard to parse truth from fiction. I found that melding fascinating. I often wrote little notes to myself in the margins with gut reactions to hilarious, tragic, or hilariously tragic stories.
Altogether I'm glad I spent the last two weeks with Herodotus and The Histories.