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25th out of 105 books
—
60 voters
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter (Hinges of History #4)
In Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea, his fourth volume to explore “the hinges of history,” Thomas Cahill escorts the reader on another entertaining—and historically unassailable—journey through the landmarks of art and bloodshed that defined Greek culture nearly three millennia ago.
In the city-states of Athens and Sparta and throughout the Greek islands, honors could be won in ma...more
In the city-states of Athens and Sparta and throughout the Greek islands, honors could be won in ma...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
July 27th 2004
by Anchor
(first published 2003)
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I rather thought, when I picked this book up, that it would provide a great number of little known facts about the Greeks, that it would draw clearly the often hidden connections modern life has to the earliest democracy, and that Cahill would underline the importance of studying Greek culture for what it can teach us today. Sailing the Wine Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter is not really that book. In fact, Cahill’s book is really a quick dip in the bath of well-known Greek history and art, a cul...more
Book #4 in the Hinges of History series. I enjoyed it, but was also disappointed. When I think of all the Greeks were and did, and how much they influenced modern civilization, I grow almost dizzy. So I was giddily anticipating this book, but it fell short of expectation.
However, I was intrigued by the notion of the Greeks as intellectual scavengers, sailing the Mediterranean to various ports, bringing innovative ideas and inventions back to Athens and integrating them into their culture. Event...more
However, I was intrigued by the notion of the Greeks as intellectual scavengers, sailing the Mediterranean to various ports, bringing innovative ideas and inventions back to Athens and integrating them into their culture. Event...more
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Reading Sailing the Wine Dark Sea was a captivating read, primarily driven by travelling through the setting of his book, Greece. Being in a place of the author’s subject provides undue excellance to whatever you are reading. Thus, having returned from Greece now, I believe I can more accurately portray the book as a bit crass and sensationalist because of his incessant conversation around sexuality. I am no expert on Greek life and culture in the ancient world but I find it hard to believe that...more
I've read at least two other books in Cahill's "Hinges of History" series, and I liked them much better than I liked "Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea." But I read those books and listened to this one, and I think it's the sort of book that is better absorbed when it's actually read.
Here are some things I didn't like:
1. Really long excerpts from admittedly significant writings.
2. Way too much information on Greek statuary. I'm sure glad there weren't any children in the car.
3. A really long excerpt fro...more
Here are some things I didn't like:
1. Really long excerpts from admittedly significant writings.
2. Way too much information on Greek statuary. I'm sure glad there weren't any children in the car.
3. A really long excerpt fro...more
I really enjoyed Cahill's _How the Irish Saved Civilization_ and so passed that on to Scott. He enjoyed it so much that he dug up this book about the Greeks, really enjoyed *it*, and passed it back to me.
I think this one is just as well done, and would be a wonderful read if you either (a) don't know much about the ancient Greeks (Scott's situation) or (b) know some and really want to know more. I, however, was a philosophy major in college, and so read a lot of Greek philosophers. I took an hon...more
I think this one is just as well done, and would be a wonderful read if you either (a) don't know much about the ancient Greeks (Scott's situation) or (b) know some and really want to know more. I, however, was a philosophy major in college, and so read a lot of Greek philosophers. I took an hon...more
This book examines the civilization of the ancient Greeks and shows how their cultural contributions continue to shape our Western way of life even today. He makes use of seven archetypal figures: The Warrior, The Wanderer, The Poet, The Politician, The Playwright, The Philosopher and The Artist to break down the complexities of ancient Greek life into easily manageable sections, then proceeds to show how each of these aspects is relevant to us.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm not an expert on an...more
I really enjoyed this book. I'm not an expert on an...more
1 like · like · see review
A very good, short, overview of Greek culture for those of us who haven't been introduced through school, or have only seen a few references to myths that we don't quite understand. And for those of us who _are_ students of Greek (and, by association, Roman) history, it draws some interesting conclusions, and allows us to step back somewhat from the slightly narrower focus of university courses and see certain aspects of Greek (or I should say, rather, Athenian, for the most part) culture in its...more
This gives a good overview of what kind of society the Greeks lived in, especially from the Greeks' point of view. Divided into seven sections, Cahill (author of How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews) discusses war, art, philosophy, partying, class divisions, and more with an approachable style and plenty of examples.
What I liked most about this book was the ability to get inside the ancient mind via Pericles and Homer.
I also liked a few ahas! that I got, too. The first was...more
What I liked most about this book was the ability to get inside the ancient mind via Pericles and Homer.
I also liked a few ahas! that I got, too. The first was...more
Excellent addition to the Hinges of History series by Cahill. I love ancient history, so this was a wonderful refresher on the pre-Romanized culture of Greece. Cahill is a good writer, and he covers all of the major aspects of ancient Greek civilization: war, politics, theater, art, and philosophy. He also draws connections between the influence of Greek civilizaiton and the modern world. This is all written in highly accessible prose, which is what I like best about this historical series of bo...more
I read Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea several years back for an Ancient World class. My review of it then, and now is that it's decidedly mediocre. Cahill isn't an academic historian, and the book is very much popular history. That's not to say that it's entirely wrong, or even mostly wrong. The best way I can think to put it is that the book could stand to be a lot more right. Some of the basic facts are right, others are iffy. Cahill also frequently comes off as a fan boy, rather than a historian o...more
i liked this better than his book on the irish -- it is clear he had more to work with. he covers greek contributions to science art, philosophy and systematic knowledge. it gives a deep sense of the magnitude of their contribution to western culture.
I guess you could say this is a Time Life version of Greek history, not great, not terrible. One strong positive though is Cahill's style of offering on page tidbits in the form of inserts, sort of a magazine style factoid. Some of those actually add to the narrative somewhat. For whatever reason, it seems like he is writing 'down' to the reader. I don't think it is necessarily intentional. But it is a little annoying. For example, he writes 'A legendary figure called Thespis (whence thespian) i...more
The weakest one I have read in this series, but I still enjoyed it. The other two I have read were How the Irish Saved Civilization and Mysteries of the Middle Ages, and every time you get at least decent history written in well-crafted language, so that always keeps you interested.
I must say I did feel like I was awash in the sea of Greek history and culture, which at times made me cringe. Don't read this book if you are overly punctilious about sexual practices. Sometimes it is easy to see why...more
I must say I did feel like I was awash in the sea of Greek history and culture, which at times made me cringe. Don't read this book if you are overly punctilious about sexual practices. Sometimes it is easy to see why...more
Having read two of Cahill's other books, How the Irish Saved Civilization, and Gift of the Jews, I expected that this book would also shed light on the Greeks' contribution to Western Civilization. That was the stated purpose of the book, but I felt like he got caught up in minutiae and did not make as clear a connection to Western Culture. The best parts of the book were the more human perspective on people like Homer, Socrates, and Plato. But then he would have long passages quoting obscure wo...more
Fantastic. Gotta love the Greeks, they were really something else. They had huge flaws ofcourse, but were able to start that spark of inquiry that has created the modern world. A very dark worldview, but those were some pretty harsh times. It is amazing how well they knew the human condition and how many things they discovered by the pure force of thought (did not believe in experiments!). Cahill is a very good writer, never gets too technical, does a very good job of explaining how the world lo...more
This is the story of the other part of our civilization. The Greeks started the legal and intellectual systems that our civilization is based on. To anyone who loves drama, poetry, literature, the Greeks' gifts were invaluable. Even though I knew many of these things already, Thomas Cahill is able to impart more knowledge at an easily understood level. One has to wonder if the American all powering interest in the military has any ancient Greek connections. Maybe those who are so interested in p...more
I am a big fan of Cahill's Hinges of History Series, having read the first three before reading this one. I found that this was my least favorite. The writing is still engaging and touches on the lasting effects the culture had on Western civilization, as in the first three books, but there was less Cahill here. There was a lot of Homer, a touch of Sappho, a lot of Plato, a bunch of Sophocles and Aeschylus, some Eurypides, and a big chunk of Pericles. Those of us who have read these classical wo...more
I thought this book would be one of those Mall Shopping Expeditions through Ancient Greek history but Thomas Cahill pulls thousands of years of history into one small book with wonder and an irreverent sense of humor. I don't recommend this book to anyone who already knows who the Achaeans were. My education was sketchy. This book helped me to organize a way forward (toward the 'rosy fingered dawn.')
"No wonder that when Virginia Woolf went mad, she heard the birds singing in ancient Greek . . ."...more
"No wonder that when Virginia Woolf went mad, she heard the birds singing in ancient Greek . . ."...more
Mar 22, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
no one with a brain
Shelves:
read-2010,
non-ficiton
Pure, unadulterated garbage. Cahill is not even an historian or a classicist. He aims these books at those unfamiliar with the subject matter, and then treats his audience like idiots. He has no respect for those reading the book, or the civilization he is writing about. He is arrogant and condescending. To use his own words, he is "bellicose, close-minded, pig-headed and absurd". He actually used these very words to describe either those who may not agree with his interpretation, or the Greeks...more
This was my least favorite of Cahill's books to date. I started to tire of his overly casual tone in the first half of the book--he was being way too familiar and childish and he doesn't know me well enough to act that way around me! Towards the middle I got over it, probably coinciding with the philosophy chapter where I got more interested.
Normally Cahill either chooses to write about something that few people know about and hence bring something important and new to the table (i.e. How the Ir...more
Normally Cahill either chooses to write about something that few people know about and hence bring something important and new to the table (i.e. How the Ir...more
While a good, basic, conceptual introduction to the Illiad, the Odyssey,and Greek Theatre--and relatively thorough introduction at that--this was not a useful a text for my requirements. Much of the theories it forwards were presented as fact rather than theory, at while the ideas it foregrounds are coincident with popular ideas about the Greeks, I think it's also important to include a check on our modern, know-it-all perspective by including references to how very little we know on some of the...more
Thomas Cahill was on Billy Moyers Journal earlier. It was clear that Moyers was absolutely fascinated by everything Cahill said -- as was I. This "review" isn't a review of Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea but rather an explanation of why, in general, I'm interested in Cahill's ideas.
In the interview, Cahill referred to a number of his books on history and his latest book on the death penalty.
Here are just two intriguing ideas he shared:
(1) The two major similarities between the fall of the Roman Em...more
In the interview, Cahill referred to a number of his books on history and his latest book on the death penalty.
Here are just two intriguing ideas he shared:
(1) The two major similarities between the fall of the Roman Em...more
Jun 22, 2008
Kirsten
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
readers in the mood for history lite
Recommended to Kirsten by:
Maggie
Less a historical overview of ancient Greece than a gloss on the great works of Greek literature and philosophy (as well as the great men/woman (Sappho!)) who produced these works, I found Cahill's style breezy and accessible. Having read most of the works discussed at some point in my undergraduate career, the earlier chapters retrod fairly familiar ground regarding The Iliad and The Odyssey, as well as Plato's Symposium. Later in the book, when the author switches to a discussion of private vs...more
The last of this series that I had not yet read, and I certainly will be looking forward to the projected final two.
History by a very opinionated writer, and the Greeks besides - what could be more fun? As a Geometry teacher, I do try to distill a proper appreciation of these guys in my students. Accurately measure the circumference of the Earth, and the distance from the Earth to the Sun, using only a stick and a well? No problemo, we got this. Immeasurable awesomeness.
History by a very opinionated writer, and the Greeks besides - what could be more fun? As a Geometry teacher, I do try to distill a proper appreciation of these guys in my students. Accurately measure the circumference of the Earth, and the distance from the Earth to the Sun, using only a stick and a well? No problemo, we got this. Immeasurable awesomeness.
Not nearly so engaging as his first book in this series: How the Irish Saved Civilization. The series was supposed to focus on the "hinges of history," meaning (I assumed) those forgotten episodes that lurk between the major periods/eras/epochs/ages. The first book lived up to the name, but in the subsequent volumes, Cahill promptly shifts his focus to classical Greece, Rome, Early Christianity, etc. - the most well-trodden ground he could have chosen. This book is probably better than I thought...more
Remarkably plainspoken overview. I do not read the word shlong enough (Author indulges in a prolonged sculpture analysis). It's a fun quick read, though probably useless if you don't know anything about Greek thought and history- or if you take the subject too seriously.
Cahill's light treatment does not stand up to the broad and pervasive history of the Greeks, though when he argues that Greek culture can be boiled down to a fucker-fuckee dichotomy, he makes a fair point.
Cahill's light treatment does not stand up to the broad and pervasive history of the Greeks, though when he argues that Greek culture can be boiled down to a fucker-fuckee dichotomy, he makes a fair point.
An easy read, this single volume survey of Ancient Greek literature, mythology, art, politics, history and philosophy is a great way to brush up on what you already now or introduce yourself to this vast and overwhelming subject. Cahill does an excellent job laying out the Greeks from their roots all the way up to Christianity and his prose is almost always smooth and easy to swallow. A definite must for people with an interest in the ancient world.
A complicated an uneven read. At turns fascinating and then mind-numbingly boring. Certainly the most explicit history book I've ever read. Also quite a bit more opinionated and rooted in modern society than I remember from the first two of the series. It tried very hard to convince me to pick up a true classic - so far to little success. I do expect to read the 3rd book in the series (this is the 4th and I own the 1st and 2nd). Call it 3.5 out of 4. But worth a reread.
This is the second of Cahill's series on Western Civ that I've read. The other was "The Gift of The Jews" which was just as good but felt padded to me. I was enthralled by Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea from start to finish. They were first modern people, liberal in the old sense of the word. They didn't justify their actions by saying "this is the way we've always done things," and that was a new idea 2500 years ago.
I had the fortune of reading this book while on a cruise of the Greek Islands. This only reinforced the message Cahill is driving toward in this whole book -- without the Greeks, Western Civilization has no basis.
I love his tone, the way he incorporates modern translations of Classic texts, and how he helps a modern day reader understand how this "dead" culture is very much alive in our everyday lives.
I love his tone, the way he incorporates modern translations of Classic texts, and how he helps a modern day reader understand how this "dead" culture is very much alive in our everyday lives.
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Born in New York City to Irish-American parents and raised in Queens and the Bronx, Cahill was educated by Jesuits and studied ancient Greek and Latin. He continued his study of Greek and Latin literature, as well as medieval philosophy, scripture and theology, at Fordham University, where he completed a B.A. in classical literature and philosophy in 1964, and a pontifical degree in philosophy in...more
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