From Booklist Touring the literature of ancient Greece, Higgins, formerly a Guardian journalist on the arts beat, revels in her mission to introduce Homer, among others. Wryly if candidly describing her treatment as a “bluffer’s guide,” Higgins offers a companionable start on the monumental significance of the Greek classics, so if one can’t tell Sappho from Sophocles, this is the place to start. Higgins begins, however, with The Iliad and The Odyssey and shuttles between them throughout the volume as she alights on the topics of the gods, mortality, morality, love, war, politics, science, and women—the gamut of inquiry about human nature undertaken by the authors whose names resound through the ages, from Hesiod to Thucydides to Plato. Focused especially on the fifth century BCE, Higgins highlights the Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War as the milieu of intellectual ferment in the Hellenic world and, in colloquial language, strives to inspire her audience to experience the pleasures Higgins does when she reads the classics. Populist, enthusiastic, and informed, Higgins can fan an ember of interest into a flame. --Gilbert Taylor Read more Review “Higgins delivers digestible précis and peppy plot summaries. . . . A love letter to ancient Greece.” (The Telegraph)“A highly entertaining bluffer’s guide to Greek culture, philosophy, and politics.” (Sunday Times (London))“With a marvellous display of knowledgeable enthusiasm and a keen talent for compression, (Higgins) shows just precisely why the Greeks matter.” (The Guardian)“Higgins takes on classical Greek, covering politics, barbarians, love, epic and ethics, all done with panache and sly wit.” (Scotland on Sunday)“Higgins’s sparky style makes her subject matter so palatable that… her readers may not feel the need to seek out the classics because she has distilled them all too well.” (Time Out London)“In It’s All Greek to Me, Charlotte Higgins does a great job in conveying the heart of Greek culture to a general audience. Perfect for the stocking.” (Mary Beard, History Today)“[It] is so readable, with a directness and clarity that’s enormously engaging. Every generation needs to rediscover the Greeks: and Charlotte Higgins has provided this one with a wonderful map of the territory and all kinds of help on the way. . . . What an excellent book.” (Phillip Pullman)“A completely excellent guide to Greek poetry, drama, philosophy, history and culture. Philip Pullman has said that he would put it into every school and every teacher-training course and I’d echo that. . . . Highly entertaining as well as informative.” (A.N. Wilson, Evening Standard) Read more See all Editorial Reviews
M**L
Tutorial for an Amateur
his book was a pleasant way for me to gain some knowledge about ancient Greek history and culture. The author wove the historical facts with the religious myths of gods. These myths were interwoven in all aspects of Greek life. I especially appreciated the lists of words in our vocabulary which came from this time. I found we have much to appreciate from these ancient people.
D**R
absolutely delightful!
This is an absolutely delightful introduction to the Ancient Greeks. The writing is very fluid, even conversational and quite funny at times, but don't let that fool you into thinking that such authorial tone equals a letdown in content. The book is full of all sorts of bright moments and insights - which is all the more amazing considering the scope of the book. Nevertheless, the author truly does a masterful job covering the material intelligently and enlightening the reader, while (as said before) at the same time delivering such information in a wonderfully breezy writing style. Though I have no doubt that writing such a book was indeed an effort, the easy manner in which the author writes conjures images of her dashing through the book's completion in a single sitting, interrupted only by a cup or two of Earl Grey and a biscuit! The author clearly had fun writing the book and that sense of excitement and pure enjoyment of the subject pours through ever page. Highly recommended!
J**D
with an overview of Homer and the Iliad which was a nice refresher on Greek mythology
Bought this book in preparation for my first trip to Greece. Based on the description I was hoping it would be a entry point into Greek history. It started off okay, with an overview of Homer and the Iliad which was a nice refresher on Greek mythology. By the middle of the book it became far too tedious and although the writer obviously has tremendous skill and in-depth knowledge of Greek history, it became more of a dissertation on Greek literature than an entry point to the area itself. Only made it halfway through and discarded.
E**N
Great book
How the ancient Greeks shaped our world.
S**E
Beginning to learn about Greek - this is for you!
This is one of the few books that really digs in and provides expansive knowledge on Greek culture and society but doesn't overwhelm you. If Greek is all new to you and you want to learn more - as a beginner I highly recommend this book; it is perfect for starting out. A very easy read,interesting and informative.
A**R
Higgins has witten a great little book
Charlotte Higgins has written an eminently readable book on Ancient Greece that has whet my appetite for more on this subject.I studied Ancient Greek history and mythology at school and, 30 years on, have forgotten just about everything I learned. I am now sufficiently inspired to put together a reading list (and Ms Higgins has some fine suggestions) to remedy this lacuna.Highly recommended to all those wanting to revisit the foundations of our civilisation after a long absence.
A**W
Nice overview of our Greek heritage
Fascinating look back at how Greece influenced our culture. Has a nice recap of Homer's Illiad and Odyssey.Useful timelines, table of the Greek alphabet and a nice map.
J**E
Knowledgeable enthusiasm for ancient Greeks
Amazing book. Higgins shows us how Western culture is in profound debt to the Greeks.
S**2
An intelligent and amusing look at what is known of Ancient Greece
This was a brilliant read! The author clearly loves her subject dearly and provides a modern, sometimes irreverent take on Ancient Greek mythology, philosophy and culture and how they have influenced the way we look at politics, war and much else besides. Full of nuggets of interesting facts as well as flashes of real humour.
P**L
A zesty, accessible and surprisingly informative introduction to Classical ...
A zesty, informative introduction to Classical Greece, Some profound insights, considering the very accessible style.
A**X
Know Thyself - Gnothi Seauton
An excellent, well informed and engaging miscellany about the ancient Greeks, whose timeless and rich material in art, politics, philosophy, sport, architecture, science, mathematics, theatre, mythology, etc. still strongly influnce our western culture. A reminder that perhaps all Anglophones, speak more Greek than they realise. Well done to Charlotte Higgins. Perhaps one day I'll get her autograph on this small masterpiece!
C**S
A love letter to ancient Greece.
Thanks to Higgins, it's no longer Greek to us. I'm speeding back to my Homer with renewed vigour and insight. Wonderful.
J**R
Very fun to read
Very fun to read.Author covers most - all? - aspects of ancient heros and legends of Greece.Nearly brilliant!Highly recommended as tourist literature AND text book for beginners of Greek study...
W**M
Five Stars
One of my favourite authors, great book.
M**E
Wonderfully clever and witty book
Entertaining in the extreme and beautifully written.
S**C
Two Stars
I found it boring, it didn't inspire me.
P**5
For husband
My husband got this book from the library and enjoyed it so much, he had to have a copy of his own.
S**S
A good intro
Decent enough introduction to a rigidly classical classical Greece (almost exclusively fifth century) although not so memorable as to be with me only one month after reading.
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