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39th out of 105 books
—
59 voters
Thucydides: The Reinvention of History
by
Donald Kagan
A reconsideration of the first modern historian and his methods from a renowned scholar
The grandeur and power of Thucydides' The Peloponnesian War have enthralled readers, historians, and statesmen alike for two and a half millennia, and the work and its author have had an enduring influence on those who think about international relations and war, especially in our own ti...more
The grandeur and power of Thucydides' The Peloponnesian War have enthralled readers, historians, and statesmen alike for two and a half millennia, and the work and its author have had an enduring influence on those who think about international relations and war, especially in our own ti...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
October 29th 2009
by Viking Adult
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Aug 09, 2011
Ken
added it
I wondered what the author meant when he said that Thucydides was writing a revisionist history since he was the first one writing a history of the Peloponnesian War. He had two goals in mind to revise what he thought were errors in contemporary thought on the subject and to leave an objective record for future readers. The author disagrees with many of Thucydides' interpretations of event, yet finds that he has left a clear record for later readers to come up with their own interpretations and...more
A friend asked me about this book. Here is what I wrote to him...
Of course I recommend the book...It's Donald Kagan on Thucydides!!! I admit that I have only inspected the book and have not yet given it the complete reading it obviously deserves. But here's my preliminary impression.
First off, the book develops themes that Kagan has presented in some of his previous work, especially in a brief (and quite insightful) article he wrote about 20 years ago called something like, "The First Revisionis...more
Of course I recommend the book...It's Donald Kagan on Thucydides!!! I admit that I have only inspected the book and have not yet given it the complete reading it obviously deserves. But here's my preliminary impression.
First off, the book develops themes that Kagan has presented in some of his previous work, especially in a brief (and quite insightful) article he wrote about 20 years ago called something like, "The First Revisionis...more
Donald Kagan starts out with a simple thesis: Thucydides, who is widely renowned in modern times for giving "just the facts" in his history, is not entirely free from bias in his History of the Peloponnesian War... in fact, his point was to convince his contemporaries to accept a radically different view of the war than was popular in his day. Contemporaries blamed the war on Pericles, but big T, who had long been a supporter of Pericles, argued that the war was systemic and inevitable. They als...more
The cover notes for this book describe it as an example of one great historian engaging another across the centuries. The assessment is entirely sound.
Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War is an intriguing instance of a book which is both a history of a particular historical event, as well as being a historical phenomenon in its own right. One of the points Kagan makes is that Thucydides shaped - indeed, created - the Western conception of what a history (as opposed to an annal or a chron...more
Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War is an intriguing instance of a book which is both a history of a particular historical event, as well as being a historical phenomenon in its own right. One of the points Kagan makes is that Thucydides shaped - indeed, created - the Western conception of what a history (as opposed to an annal or a chron...more
Donald Kagan is the pre-eminent modern historian of the Peloponnesian War, and in this book, he retells the essential parts of the history in the context of Thucydides' aims. Kagan's essential point is that Thucydides, writing for a contemporary audience, is attempting to sway the readers away from popular interpretation of events toward the true, as he defined it, interpretation of events. He uses a number of artistic devices to do this - his selection of speeches and the juxtaposition of event...more
The basic argument here is that Thukydides may well be decently reliable in his reportage, but that his interpretation of the events reported is subject to challenge on numerous counts, such as the causes of the Peloponnesion War, the effectiveness of Pericles, the meaning of Athenian democracy, the scope of the conflict, and the responsibility for the Sicilian disaster (i.e., Kagan makes a decent case that Thukydides' favorite, Nicias, should be cast in judgment).
The fundamental tool of analys...more
The fundamental tool of analys...more
Donal Kagan is a political bad guy. He struck me as a really cool and adorable person when I met him, though, so that sort of makes up for the neocon thing.
Anyway, this book is about neither defense spending nor how to be really nice to people: it's just a really solid book about Thucydides as a historian. While Kagan spends much of the book arguing that Thucydides was far more revisionist - even partisan - than is immediately apparent, his love for the "father of political history" is apparent...more
Anyway, this book is about neither defense spending nor how to be really nice to people: it's just a really solid book about Thucydides as a historian. While Kagan spends much of the book arguing that Thucydides was far more revisionist - even partisan - than is immediately apparent, his love for the "father of political history" is apparent...more
I found that Kagan did a great job taking what Thucydides did and shown how he worked like any other historian, picking his topics and presentations.
To say that he's really 'revisionist,' though I think is misleading. To me, you have to challenge other historians to be a revisionist; and Thucydides, working concurrently with his subject matter could be said to be something more akin to journalism than history.
Kagan, I believe, is the true revisionist,challenging the hallowed name of his subject....more
To say that he's really 'revisionist,' though I think is misleading. To me, you have to challenge other historians to be a revisionist; and Thucydides, working concurrently with his subject matter could be said to be something more akin to journalism than history.
Kagan, I believe, is the true revisionist,challenging the hallowed name of his subject....more
Thucydides wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta and is widely credited as the first modern historian. The book was written by Thucydides while in exile during the war and his based on his research as well as his first hand observations of many of the key debates and votes in the Athens council. This book by Donald Kagan is not so much a biography of Thucydides as it is a critical analysis of Thucydides' history. Kagan's thesis is that Thucydides revised the thinking...more
Kagan's intelligence and erudition are ever worthwhile. This isn't so much a biography of Thucydides as it is a biography of his great history of the Peloponnesian War, its ideas and influence, and also a fascinating look into the practice of history.
Not sure how to classify this one, as it's about a book or author, not a history itself (Thucydides). At any rate, I wouldn't read it until you've read Thucydides and ideally Herodotus, but if you have, it's extremely interesting. I'm reading more history of historians, lately, so this fits in well.
Kagan's popular-level introduction to Thucydides and historiography in general should be mandated reading for all students of history. This is a popular-level book that nonetheless introduces extremely nuanced issues in an accessible way. Kagan refutes the modern concept that "good history is unbiased history," and instead recognizes and lauds the integral role of the historian in history. It's only by recognizing and appreciating the authorial presentation that we can truly value the informatio...more
Lucid, intelligent, compelling. Not sure about the subtitle 'reinvention of history' as Thucydides was the first history using accountable sources.
Looking past the author, this book makes one want to read more of Thucydides. I don't know if a biography can garner higher praise.
Apr 26, 2012
Leif Erik
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ancient-history,
war
It was pretty amazing so I'm going with the five stars. Kagan does an excellent job of examining what Thucydides actually says and even more importantly, what he doesn't say. In addition to a lucid explanation of the Pelopennesian War, you get a seminar in how historiography works. Check it out classic nerds.
If you haven’t read any Kagan before, better to start with his majestic Pericles Of Athens And The Birth Of Democracy.
Pretty boring. It took me months to finish, and it didn't bother me. Not sure what I got out of this. Maybe I learned a little about the Peloponesian war(s)? Will I remember? He seemed to be trying to make a point about how Thucydides treated history different than others. But I think I missed that, too. I guess Thucydides was an exiled Athenian general, and part of the purpose of his writing was to present his side of the story. But most of it seemed to be focused on events he witnessed but did...more
Oct 02, 2010
Alex
marked it as to-read
Read Pericles first to make sure you dig Kagan.
Kagan is the true master of Ancient Greek and Roman history -- and it always an illuminating experience to read virtually anything he writes. Here Kagan reviews Thucydides and his histories, seeking to dispel fact from fiction and thereby giving us a deeper and more robust understanding of this true Father of History. A great companion book to have and read with Thucydides works
I am very happy to be in a book club that asks me to read things I wouldn't have read otherwise. I thought the Peloponesian War was right after the Trojan War until I read this. History books are not generally my thing but this was interesting.
SO BORING.
Dense and academic. I guess you might expect that from a biography of Thucydides, but I have really come to enjoy a much more readable style of writing about dense and academic topics. Kagan is imminently knowledgeable, but his writing his challenging.
May 18, 2011
Wilson Hines
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
History, Ancient Greece
It's too short, therefore he doesn't go into fantastic detail on some things I am particularly looking.
May 17, 2013
Dennis Hazelett
marked it as to-read
May 13, 2013
John Adkins
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Ismael Schonhorst
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Guilherme Amorim
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Pedro
marked it as to-read
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Jan 01, 2012 02:09pm