| |  | Author: Herodotus
Creators: Robert B. Strassler, Andrea L. Purvis, Rosalind Thomas
Publisher: Pantheon
List Price: $45.00
Buy New: $22.00
as of 3/22/2010 10:39 CDT details
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Seller: threewillowsbooks
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 1024
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.6
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 7.6 x 2.1
ISBN: 0375421092
Dewey Decimal Number: 930
EAN: 9780375421099
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Great Edition of the Histories December 9, 2009
cognate4accusative (WA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm nuts about this edition and translation of Herodotus' Histories, with a couple caveats.
***What I most liked about it:
The maps are unimaginably helpful: the first time I read the Histories I used a different edition, and kept getting lost in some of the geography (especially in the Northern regions, like Thrace). The maps, almost always with multiple insets, allowed me a more nuanced understanding of military movements, among other things. This is a great boon.
The translation, of course, is great. I have read much of the Histories in Greek, and when I've had trouble with a construction, I've sometimes look to see how Andrea Purvis handled it. It's a really smooth english translation, which doesn't compromise too many of the charming qualities of the Greek. When there's an awkward Greek construction, Purvis' english translation is smooth and pretty, while still conveying what Herodotus said.
The extensive index is a great tool which I use frequently.
***The (very slight) caveats:
Around Book 8, there are quite a few typographical errors. Nothing impacts the reading too much, of course, but I like to see a book polished and type-edited well! What *does* impact the reading however, are several printing errors. On too many occasions, the footnotes in Book 8 are cut off. Yikes!
I personally didn't find the appendices helpful. They might be written more as introductions for the novice-classicist, and I can appreciate this. Maybe this isn't even a caveat?
***In Summary:
Although there are some minor imperfections in this edition of the Histories, which show some sloppy type-editing at worst, this is the edition I would most recommend to others, and which I prefer to use above other (also very good) translations.
Maps alone make this book superior December 8, 2009
J. H. Gauthier (Wisconsin, USA)
I bought this book for the maps of ancient locations. The excellent Herodotus is a bonus, but I already have other versions (that turn out to be not quite as good as this one) and I probably would have passed this book up except for the maps.
Having an historic text that actually includes excellent maps that identify all known places mentioned in the text is a dream come true for me. An overview map and one or two "closeup/zoom-in" maps to go with it make finding locations mentioned in the text a snap.
Google searches for ancient locations in the past has been a total frustration for me. Wading through scores of bad sites with no maps at all or very poor maps they are trying to sell has driven me crazy. All books about the ancient world should use this wonderful map system. It solves my problems and ends my frustration.
The maps make it November 18, 2009
Tsuru (Athens, GA)
To me it is all about the maps. Reading other editions of Herodotus I would get lost all the time, but the maps in this edition are superb additions to the text and help keep me on track better. The prose is also pretty good with lots of good notes clarifying points of translation that have been contested or may be different from preceding translations. Very enjoyable.
door-opening August 29, 2009
George I. Chandler II (Los Alamos, NM United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've never been able to read this stuff in the usual dull editions. Scholars of the ancient Greek world (actually the Mediterranean world) seem to get their kicks from providing their readers the least possible information in the most boring formats. This edition really works - Strassler has made it fun and accessible with his extensive, easy-to-reference maps and notes. I read it cover to cover, and when I finished it I went out and bought The Landmark Thucydides. The ancient Mediterranean world has come alive for me.
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