|
Freethought & Rationalism ArchiveThe archives are read only. |
12-18-2006, 05:02 PM
|
#1 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: the reliquary of Ockham's razor
Posts: 4,035
|
Can someone recommend 10 good books?
I'm looking to get a better education on the history of the world prior to about AD 300 and generally between Mesopotamia and Britain. I have a keen interest in both the period generally, and religious beliefs and social customs particularly. Any good books out there?
No 'pop' stuff please. Stuff that would be worth footnoting. -- Peter Kirby |
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 05:20 PM
|
#2 | |
|
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,289
|
Quote:
Jeffrey |
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 05:27 PM
|
#3 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: the reliquary of Ockham's razor
Posts: 4,035
|
I guess what I'm looking for is a set of case studies in ancient culture and religion, books that look deeply into a particular segment of the times and places that I am concerned with, and don't neglect the social scientific stuff in their historical accounts. No one book is going to cover the sweep.
-- Peter Kirby |
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 05:28 PM
|
#4 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,781
|
The Story of Civilization series by Will Durant. Can't do better than that.
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 05:34 PM
|
#5 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: the reliquary of Ockham's razor
Posts: 4,035
|
Our Oriental Heritage and The Life of Greece were written in 1935 and 1939 (before, as Vorkosigan would remind us, a fresh batch of scholars after WWII gave us new social scientific insight). I hope we can do better than that.
-- Peter Kirby |
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 05:42 PM
|
#6 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,781
|
I wouldn't dismiss a thinker like Will Durant out of hand like that. Newer is not always better, and you simply will not find a compilation more filled with facts and insights than in the Story of Civilization series. You'd be spending a whole two dollars in a used bookstore for a volume, tops. Its certainly a great starting point, and even experts will find things they didn't know in almost every chapter.
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 05:43 PM
|
#7 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,781
|
Ah nevermind, I misread your dates. I thought you meant after 300AD, Will Durant is not your man then, apologies.
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 06:32 PM
|
#8 | |
|
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,289
|
Quote:
And if you join the Classics List and post your request, you will get dozens of suggestions. Jeffrey |
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 06:41 PM
|
#9 |
|
Regular Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 241
|
Not sure if this fits into the "un-pop" category, but "Pagans and Christians" by Robin Lane Fox is an interesting (and well footnoted) book documenting the life and beliefs of elites and ordinary folk in the transition period from the second to the fourth century.
|
|
|
|
12-18-2006, 07:16 PM
|
#10 |
|
Veteran Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,513
|
Yes. Ten good books are always a great addition to your life.
*reads the OP* Oh. |
|
|
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
