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Book Review
Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth
Francine Prose's Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth is divided into two sections, one focusing on her life and the other on her reception in art. The author draws on all the usual sources to complete the puzzle of Cleopatra's eventful reign...
Book Review
The Sicilian Sorceress: A Historical Fiction Time Travel Novel
If you are a history reader who enjoys historical facts mixed with a feminist-led story, then this novel is for you. This story will transport you to Agrigento, Sicily in 440 BCE. Mary Knight presents a wonderful sensory read which I would...
Book Review
Samuel Pepys and the Strange Wrecking of the Gloucester: The Shipwreck that Shocked Restoration Britain
In 1682, upon the invitation of his brother King Charles II, James, the Duke of York, came back to England after years of exile in Scotland to take up his position as heir to the throne. James first traveled to England without his wife, with...
Book Review
Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture
Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture by Bruce Pascoe is a fascinating contribution to the evolving discovery of the lost histories of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, opening up new pathways...
Book Review
The Ghosts of Cannae: Hannibal and the Darkest Hour of the Roman Republic
In history, famous battles define the generalship and reputation of military leaders, such as Gaugamela for Alexander the Great, Austerlitz for Napoleon, and the Battle of Cannae for Hannibal. Robert L. O’Connell’s book The Ghosts of Cannae...
Book Review
In Praise of Polytheism
Polytheism is superior to monotheism when exchanging religious convictions with others. This is what Maurizio Bettini argues in his brief and clearly written book of short while easily digestible chapters titled In Praise of Polytheism. Published...
Book Review
Profit: An Environmental History
After the Industrial Revolution, factories appeared throughout the world, producing more and more affordable goods while exploiting our environment. Besides air pollution, rivers have been contaminated by waste, and mining has eroded soil...
Book Review
The Roman Empire: Second Edition
In 1995, Colin Wells published the second edition of his 1984 book, The Roman Empire, with the express goals of including newer theories, updating the "Suggestions for Further Reading" section, and correcting various editorial mistakes. The...
Book Review
Women, Peace and Welfare: A Suppressed History of Social Reform, 1880-1920
From the outset, Ann Oakley’s Women, Peace and Welfare: A Suppressed History of Social Reform, 1880-1920 sets an ambitious goal of recovering the memory of the female reformers active during these years who made important contributions to...
Book Review
The Essential Greek Historians
In his introduction to The Essential Greek Historians, an important distinction is made by the editor Stanley M. Burstein: what follows in this book is not "history" but "historiography." History is made up of events and consequences, an...
