Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire |
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Simon Baker
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Pages: 448 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1846072840
Pub: BBC Books
Pub date: 2007-06-07
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2884
Reader Reviews:
A wonderful read (0/0 people found this helpful)
The true story of Rome is more fasinating, grand, treacherous, heroic, futile and inspiring than any film has yet portrayed. This is an astonishingly rivetting read with an equally impressive bibliography, that I couldn't put down from start to finish. An absolute must for anyone remotely interested or curious in ancient Roman times!
Most readable history book I have ever read (0/0 people found this helpful)
This book almost feels like your reading a novell, the writer's style is not dry and boring like many books of it's kind, but is vibrant and desriptive. It shows how good a writer he is firstly I have actually finished the book, secondly I can remember big chunks of it which I usually forget as soon as I put the book down. If your just a bit interested in Rome as an empire this book will fill you in on over 1000 years of history in no time.
Don't think of it as a History Book, it's far too good . (1/1 people found this helpful)
I don't have the time to pore over musty old tomes with dry, boring language. I can't read anything unless it is engaging, with enough cheap thrills for someone with the attention span of a goldfish. I found this both factually interesting and exciting in the way it portrays the characters of the past. When i first got it, i bought it because i thought i ought to read something that betters my mind. I didn't pick it up for about 4 months, but once i did, i couldn't put it down. If you like history, but don't like history books, read this.
A fast-paced, fascinating read (5/5 people found this helpful)
Without the tortuous lexicon and complex explanations of an academic, Simon Baker here provides a grand sweep of Ancient Roman history, zooming in to just a few key characters along the way. Thus, he is able to draw out the themes and turning points as Rome went from city state to military republic, bloated empire and crumbling, over-stretched failure.
His writing flows along with a verve that reflects very much the rollocking pace and intriguing developments of the story he narrates. Very often, history can be as dramatic as any literary imaginings, and Baker allows his story the big stage it deserves.
For any fan of history and especially Roman history, this book is a great companion piece to books such as Robert Graves' classic I, Claudius or Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars. It is also a great introduction to Roman history in general.
Excellent Read (9/9 people found this helpful)
For anyone interested in the Rome, its leaders and the Roman period, and like me ignorant of the facts that lead to its rise and fall. This a most enjoyable and informative book, full of facts that are easy to take in. Therfore I suggest if you have the slightest interest in Rome and the Roman period in history you go and buy this book.
I could not put this book down, finding it riveting and informative this book I rate high on my list as an excellent read.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> History -> Europe -> Pre-500
Books -> Subjects -> History -> World History
Books -> Subjects -> History -> General
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback