Buy used:
$3.73
$3.98 delivery May 20 - 21. Details
Used: Acceptable | Details
Sold by glenthebookseller
Condition: Used: Acceptable
Comment: Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc...
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Ray Laurence
+ Follow
Alex Butterworth
+ Follow
See all
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Pompeii Paperback – April 5, 2006

by Alex Butterworth (Author), Ray Laurence (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 70 ratings
See all formats and editions
The authors concentrate on the 20 years between 59 and 79 AD, thus beginning with the earthquake which all but destroyed Pompeii and ending with the volcanic eruption which has become part of our collective popular imagination. They have synthesised the latest research to bring Pompeii back to life.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    434 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    W&n
  4. Publication date
    April 5, 2006
  5. Dimensions
    5.12 x 1.06 x 7.76 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0753820765
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0753820766
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A compelling and yet highly detailed narrative. I only wish it had been available when I was researching my novel." - bestselling author Robert Harris
"An immensely evocative, well-written and powerful portrait of what life was really like in Pompeii." - Tom Holland, author of RUBICON
"Brings Pompeii startlingly alive once more" - History Today

"a vivid portrait of place and people before the cataclysms of AD 62 and 75" -Church Times

"accessible, wide-ranging and evocative and makes surprisingly compelling reading." - Catholic Times

"For those looking to be transported back to the living city, it will be hard to resist." - Oxford Times

From the Back Cover

The ash of Mt. Vesuvius preserves a living record of the complex and exhilarating society it instantly obliterated two thousand years ago. In this highly readable, lavishly illustrated book, Butterworth and Laurence marshall cutting-edge archaeological reconstructions and a vibrant historical tradition dating to Pliny and Tacitus; they present a richly textured portrait of a society not altogether unlike ours, composed of individuals ordinary and extraordinary who pursued commerce, politics, family and pleasure in the shadow of a killer volcano. Deeply resonant in a world still at the mercy of natural disaster, "Pompeii" recreates life as experienced in the city, and those frantic, awful hours in AD 79 that wiped the bustling city from the face of the earth.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W&n; Revised ed. edition (April 5, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 434 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0753820765
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0753820766
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 1.06 x 7.76 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 70 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Ray Laurence

    Ray Laurence

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Ray Laurence is Professor of Ancient History at Macquarie University (Sydney - Australia). He has previously taught at the Universities of Reading, Birmingham and Kent in the England.

    He has throughout his career (first book published in 1994) advocated that Roman history and archaeology are two means to the past that need to be studied together.

    Much of his work features an engagement with contemporary thinking from a range of disciplines that are involve the study of urban space, ageing and the life course, and the study of everyday life in the Roman Empire.

    Moving to Australia in 2017, Ray has been struck by the sheer scale of Ancient History in Australia with over 10,000 students taking Higher Schools Certificate (HSC) in the subject, and substantial numbers enrolled at University - actually far higher than in the UK.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Alex Butterworth

    Alex Butterworth

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
70 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

James Jarvis
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent History and Science along with Perspective of the Times
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2013
Verified Purchase
Butterworth and Laurence have put together a work that distinctly separates the known facts from the social/cultural events of the times that we only know by logical speculation. It makes for astonishing, thoughtful reading that is founded on the known history and science into which is woven what was likely to have gone through the minds of the people. I think anyone who has examined the massive eruptions of Vesuvius in 79 AD has been struck by the relationship of two related people (Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger) one of whom dies while trying to marshal a rescue effort and the other who at the same time wrote down the first ever live observation of a volcanic eruption. The book's authors have examined the Roman politics of the times both from the perspective of the Empire's leaders as well as individuals in the city of Pompeii. They have tied physiological and anthropological evidence in ways that are rarely seen. For example, by dental examinations of the remains of large numbers of people, one can get a solid view of the diet and hygiene of people of different social classes. They have tied the interim between the earthquake of AD 62 and the volcano's eruption politically, economically, and socially.

For anyone interested in the big picture of what happened when Vesuvius exploded, along with a substantial number of fine details, this is a solid read. For anyone intending to visit the vicinity of Naples, the depth of this perspective is invaluable.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A good interesting read.
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2014
Verified Purchase
There is a lot of information in the text that is easy to miss if you read too quickly. The authors provide wonderful insights into daily life in first century Rome.
Helpful
 Report
I. Rubin
5.0 out of 5 stars Pompeii what a terrific reconstruction
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
A great readable history book. Draws together so much different information from social class to slavery from religion to food and architecture. With a healthy dose of politics of the time. All integrated in a story that reads like historical fiction. From the sex life of Romans to the fears of gladiators before entering the ring the author lets the reader feel what it must have been like to be in Pompeii before the volcano erupted.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed how the text went from more historical text to vignettes of the actual people living life in Pompeii before and up to the eruption.
Helpful
 Report
Frank J. Konopka
4.0 out of 5 stars Learning from the ruins
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2006
This book takes a very close look at the buried city of Pompeii, and the type of living that went on in it prior to, and at the time of, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It goes into great detail, and even has some fictional episodes done in italics to give more of a flavor to the work. It tended to be a bit dry at times, which cost it that last star, in my estimation. On the other hand, you will learn a great deal that you didn't know about life in Pompeii, and by extension, other parts of the Roman Empire during and shortly after the time of Nero.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
anutany
3.0 out of 5 stars Underwhelmed
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2009
Verified Purchase
I bought this book based on the glowing reviews and was underwhelmed. While it is not bad, in many places I found it dry, confusing and disjointed. I did not particularly like the mix of historical fiction and history. I thought that those fiction vignettes undermined the actual research while not adding anything of interest to the story. Many chapters were devoted to Nero and Roman politics of the time, which was relevant but seemed like filler since it did not contribute much to the Pompeian narrative.
Overall if you haven't read anything about Pompeii I would recommend Mary Beard's work which provided much better and more engaging look into the life of Pompeii.
18 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Denise B
5.0 out of 5 stars A real treat.
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is the best book I have read about Pompeii. Many books deal with the disaster, but this one brings the whole city and society to vivid life as it covers the years leading up to the eruption. Do yourself a favor and buy it.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Joshua J. Humphrey
5.0 out of 5 stars Pompeii: The Living City
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2009
Verified Purchase
The product was in terrific shape as the overview said it would be and the price was very reasonable. I am happy with this product.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Akashdeep Sen
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Star
Reviewed in India on October 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
One of the best books about Pompeii I have come across. A must read book..
Report
Bill Buchanan
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
I liked the combination of fiction (linked to historical figures) and factual information. Very informative and easy to read. For someone who has visited Pompeii, I wish I had read this before going!
Report
eBookomane
5.0 out of 5 stars No a rival work so much as a perfect compliment to Mary Beard's Pompeii
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Purchased as a compliment to Mary Beard's masterly work, when planning a 'holiday of a lifetime' visit that included Pompeii and Herculaneum. While it was a guided tour and the guides were good - very good - there was too much to take in, so relaxing with a cool drink while leafing through making sense of what one has just seen (or expects to see) is no chore.

A must for anyone interested in this quintessential time-capsule into the ancient Roman way of life.
3 people found this helpful
 Report
MadMaggie
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent readable account
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book is very approachable combining scolarship with readability. It is actually written by two people and combines a vividly imagined fictional account alongside verifiable facts. I've used it to study for an academic course but also for sheer pleasure. It proved invaluable preparation for my last visit to Pompeii and also the recent British Museum exhibition on Pompeii and Herculaneum.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
jade
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2019
Verified Purchase
Good in depth look at Ancient Pompeii.
Report