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Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness
For nearly two and a half millennia, Alexander the Great has loomed over history as a legend–and an enigma. Wounded repeatedly but always triumphant in battle, he conquered most of the known world, only to die mysteriously at the age of thirty-two. In his day he was revered as a god; in our day he has been reviled as a mass murderer, a tyrant as brutal as Stalin or Hitler.
Who was the man behind the mask of power? Why did Alexander embark on an unprecedented program of global domination? What accounted for his astonishing success on the battlefield? In this luminous new biography, the esteemed classical scholar and historian Guy MacLean Rogers sifts through thousands of years of history and myth to uncover the truth about this complex, ambiguous genius.
Ascending to the throne of Macedonia after the assassination of his father, King Philip II, Alexander discovered while barely out of his teens that he had an extraordinary talent and a boundless appetite for military conquest. A virtuoso of violence, he was gifted with an uncanny ability to visualize how a battle would unfold, coupled with devastating decisiveness in the field. Granicus, Issos, Gaugamela, Hydaspes–as the victories mounted, Alexander’s passion for conquest expanded from cities to countries to continents. When Persia, the greatest empire of his day, fell before him, he marched at once on India, intending to add it to his holdings.
As Rogers shows, Alexander’s military prowess only heightened his exuberant sexuality. Though his taste for multiple partners, both male and female, was tolerated, Alexander’s relatively enlightened treatment of women was nothing short of revolutionary. He outlawed rape, he placed intelligent women in positions of authority, and he chose his wives from among the peoples he conquered. Indeed, as Rogers argues, Alexander’s fascination with Persian culture, customs, and sexual practices may have led to his downfall, perhaps even to his death.
Alexander emerges as a charismatic and surprisingly modern figure–neither a messiah nor a genocidal butcher but one of the most imaginative and daring military tacticians of all time. Balanced and authoritative, this brilliant portrait brings Alexander to life as a man, without diminishing the power of the legend.
Who was the man behind the mask of power? Why did Alexander embark on an unprecedented program of global domination? What accounted for his astonishing success on the battlefield? In this luminous new biography, the esteemed classical scholar and historian Guy MacLean Rogers sifts through thousands of years of history and myth to uncover the truth about this complex, ambiguous genius.
Ascending to the throne of Macedonia after the assassination of his father, King Philip II, Alexander discovered while barely out of his teens that he had an extraordinary talent and a boundless appetite for military conquest. A virtuoso of violence, he was gifted with an uncanny ability to visualize how a battle would unfold, coupled with devastating decisiveness in the field. Granicus, Issos, Gaugamela, Hydaspes–as the victories mounted, Alexander’s passion for conquest expanded from cities to countries to continents. When Persia, the greatest empire of his day, fell before him, he marched at once on India, intending to add it to his holdings.
As Rogers shows, Alexander’s military prowess only heightened his exuberant sexuality. Though his taste for multiple partners, both male and female, was tolerated, Alexander’s relatively enlightened treatment of women was nothing short of revolutionary. He outlawed rape, he placed intelligent women in positions of authority, and he chose his wives from among the peoples he conquered. Indeed, as Rogers argues, Alexander’s fascination with Persian culture, customs, and sexual practices may have led to his downfall, perhaps even to his death.
Alexander emerges as a charismatic and surprisingly modern figure–neither a messiah nor a genocidal butcher but one of the most imaginative and daring military tacticians of all time. Balanced and authoritative, this brilliant portrait brings Alexander to life as a man, without diminishing the power of the legend.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 30, 2012
First, it was well-written - that's pretty much a given if I finish a book - my attention span wanders easily if I'm annoyed by an author! It definitely smacked of being thoroughly researched and I liked the way he presented his findings. Basically, it goes a little into Alexander's upbringing describing his relationship with Philip and Olympias and quite a bit of the history of the conflicts/alliances between Macedonians, Greeks, Persians, etc. Although it was written to sound neutral towards the historical legacy of Alexander, it was pretty clear (in fact directly stated many times) that the intention of this book was to counteract previously written works that presented a negative view of Alexander.
To be fair, I think the author did a commendable job of presenting some of those parts of the historical record that are disputed - spending time exploring the range of possible motivations for Alexander's actions (whether positive or negative). But overwhelmingly, I got the sense that the author was suitably awed by Alexander’s accomplishments and both admired him and believed the best about him.
Essentially, the book highlights key conflicts in a fairly detailed way (including maps and diagrams of battle formations) and nicely supports the conclusion that Alexander was able to accomplish so much so quickly because he was unnaturally gifted as a military tactician, leader, and really as an all-around human being.
I could probably go on way longer. As far as whether I’d recommend it – I think so – especially if you were like me and looking for a good primer on Alexander. For as densely packed as the book is, it comes off as an easy and enjoyable read, which a great accomplishment for the author. If you have a firmer background on the time period and cast of characters than I did, you might even enjoy just reading one little chunk of this book here-or-there when the mood strikes you!
To be fair, I think the author did a commendable job of presenting some of those parts of the historical record that are disputed - spending time exploring the range of possible motivations for Alexander's actions (whether positive or negative). But overwhelmingly, I got the sense that the author was suitably awed by Alexander’s accomplishments and both admired him and believed the best about him.
Essentially, the book highlights key conflicts in a fairly detailed way (including maps and diagrams of battle formations) and nicely supports the conclusion that Alexander was able to accomplish so much so quickly because he was unnaturally gifted as a military tactician, leader, and really as an all-around human being.
I could probably go on way longer. As far as whether I’d recommend it – I think so – especially if you were like me and looking for a good primer on Alexander. For as densely packed as the book is, it comes off as an easy and enjoyable read, which a great accomplishment for the author. If you have a firmer background on the time period and cast of characters than I did, you might even enjoy just reading one little chunk of this book here-or-there when the mood strikes you!
December 14, 2017
I can't write this review without admitting that I've had the privilege of taking the Alexander the Great class with Guy Rogers. Having him as a professor, I know him to be both a genius who is extremely passionate about Alexander and to be extremely hilarious and generous.
His dedication to telling the Alexander story is clear in the amount of knowledge contained in this book. Give it a read for a comprehensive and thought-provoking look at the awe-inspiring life of Alexander the Great.
His dedication to telling the Alexander story is clear in the amount of knowledge contained in this book. Give it a read for a comprehensive and thought-provoking look at the awe-inspiring life of Alexander the Great.
March 21, 2020
I think most people talk about Alexander, the Great (at least to some extent), when you go to High School. This book is a historical look at his life. The book describes his exploits as King, his marriages, and discusses his wars -- which were many. The book starts out with his father as King. Of course, his father does eventually die and Alexander assumes the throne. Once on the throne, he begins a conquest of the known world and lays the foundation for what would be the Greco-Roman empire. Alexander only ruled for approximately 12 years. However, in the time of his reign, he accomplished more to that date than anyone had. He defeated the ancient Persian empire under Darius, and even had campaigns going all over all the way into India. Alexander never lost a fight in his life when it comes to war. As I said this is a historical account. There are many version of how certain things happened. For one thing, his death is contested. There are some that say that he was poisoned, but according to the royal diary, he caught a fever that lasted several weeks. It progressively got worse, and he died at almost 33 years old.
This is a book that I found fascinating. However, when you go to High School you did not learn of the brutality of the time period. When you read this book, you find the thousands of people that he had killed during his expeditions at war. He enslaved thousands more. If you enjoy this time period, its a great read, its very informative. I read it because in its own little way, it inadvertently connects to Biblical history as well. As a Bible scholar would know, Persia defeated Babylon, and Babylon before that had defeated the Israelites. That's accounted for in the Bible; and as even the author says, this King paved the path for what would eventually be the Roman empire in the time of Christ. I really enjoyed it and I give it 5 stars.
This is a book that I found fascinating. However, when you go to High School you did not learn of the brutality of the time period. When you read this book, you find the thousands of people that he had killed during his expeditions at war. He enslaved thousands more. If you enjoy this time period, its a great read, its very informative. I read it because in its own little way, it inadvertently connects to Biblical history as well. As a Bible scholar would know, Persia defeated Babylon, and Babylon before that had defeated the Israelites. That's accounted for in the Bible; and as even the author says, this King paved the path for what would eventually be the Roman empire in the time of Christ. I really enjoyed it and I give it 5 stars.
September 11, 2018
A solid survey of Alexander’s life and campaigns. It doesn’t really yield much new on that front if one is very familiar with his history, but this book did better than some others on calling out points of particular debate amongst historians. Four stars largely because it did sometimes come across overlay brisk on that front, despite examination of ambiguity being the central theme of the text. There were also some flow issues.
That said, the author raised good questions around topics that I’ve seen negativity around by the subset of historians on the very critical side of Alexander studies, where said negativity seemed not all that well substantiated in appropriate context.
That said, the author raised good questions around topics that I’ve seen negativity around by the subset of historians on the very critical side of Alexander studies, where said negativity seemed not all that well substantiated in appropriate context.
May 11, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
March 31, 2014
Using extant sources, contemporary, near contemporary (Plutarch, Livy, Arrian, Ptolemy), and historical scholarly treatment to the present. Guy Rogers expertly presents a view of a king whose realm and ambitions were truly monumental. Alexander meant to tame the world and conquer the devotion of divergent cultures by assimilation of values, as well as by force.
Rogers does not portray Alexander as a war monger, rather, he presents a determined military general bent on territorial expansion who probably preferred peaceful surrender over extended battle but was always prepared for any confrontation at any level. If he had a 21st century PR man in his ranks his message to his enemies surely would have been, "bring it on!" He is portrayed as a brilliant strategist and tactician who relied on extensive intel to reduce exposure and maximize impact of his troops.
First and foremost Rogers shows the Macedon ruler as the son of a brilliant despot who taught his son that preparation at every level was the key to success. His father, Philip II, would have been immensely proud of his son's accomplishments. His Mother, a strong and willfully determined woman, whose diligent efforts to provide for her son was astonishing. She was as powerful a personage as her husband and did everything in her power to make certain Alexander was destined for greatness, including suggesting his lineage was from divinity.
All in all, an excellent read with historical disclaimers throughout the text to qualify facts, as presented. Rogers massive bib supports his attention to authenticity, whenever and where ever possible. He is careful to avoid conjecture without first providing as many perspective views, first.
Rogers does not portray Alexander as a war monger, rather, he presents a determined military general bent on territorial expansion who probably preferred peaceful surrender over extended battle but was always prepared for any confrontation at any level. If he had a 21st century PR man in his ranks his message to his enemies surely would have been, "bring it on!" He is portrayed as a brilliant strategist and tactician who relied on extensive intel to reduce exposure and maximize impact of his troops.
First and foremost Rogers shows the Macedon ruler as the son of a brilliant despot who taught his son that preparation at every level was the key to success. His father, Philip II, would have been immensely proud of his son's accomplishments. His Mother, a strong and willfully determined woman, whose diligent efforts to provide for her son was astonishing. She was as powerful a personage as her husband and did everything in her power to make certain Alexander was destined for greatness, including suggesting his lineage was from divinity.
All in all, an excellent read with historical disclaimers throughout the text to qualify facts, as presented. Rogers massive bib supports his attention to authenticity, whenever and where ever possible. He is careful to avoid conjecture without first providing as many perspective views, first.
July 27, 2011
Why only 2 and a half stars? Because I would not recommend it. I had to force myself to finish it, not because it was a bad book but it was not what I expected. I began reading it anticipating fresh and personal insights into the man Alexander might have been. Instead I ended up reading another chronology of his conquests that focused on military tactics. I get it, I really do. Alexander the Great was a brilliant tactician, a superb soldier, and an inspiring commander. These are the things that make him intriguing enough to want to learn more but this book just never seemed to get around to really peeling back those layers and exploring other aspects of his life. After reading 376 pages I feel I should have learned something about Alexander that I did not already know and the fact that I don't is so disappointing.
July 27, 2014
Surprisingly readable but still full of a lot of names and places that are close to impossible to keep straight.
September 28, 2024
A perfectly serviceable account of the life of Alexander the Great. I was surprised by how much value I got out of this book. I thought I knew the story, of the Macedonian king who screamed out of Northern Greece in the 300s BCE and conquered the known world. The Hellenic empires he founded were tremendously influential, mixing Persian and Mediterranean culture in fascinating ways, providing the context that Christianity grew out of, and perhaps even inaugurating the Asian tradition of representative statues of the Buddha. These are the basics that most history nerds are familiar with.
What surprised me was how much value I got out of hearing the day by day details of Alexander's actual campaigns. His struggles, the cities he founded, and his victories provide an invaluable course in historical geography. What was difficult for him? What was not? His extraordinary campaigns provide a sort of balance sheet of the ancient world. He irrevocably changed, or just destroyed, everything he touched, but the chronicle of what he found really fills out historical knowledge of a wide swathe of the ancient world. I'm surprised it took me so long to get to this vital history, and I'm grateful to Rogers from providing it in such digestible fashion.
So why three stars instead of four? Honestly, I just found the narrator's introduction and conclusion irritating. I think it's an artifact of this book's 2004 publication date. The US misadventure in Iraq never comes up, but that cultural era of insane jingoism and open US empire curiosity seems to suffuse the book. Rogers seems to want to make the case for Alexander as some kind of culture war figure, and seems to want to redeem the idea of conquest more broadly. In 2024 this seems like a rather pointless and odd project.
Nobody should have to defend finding Alexander the Great interesting, but Rogers seems to think he has to. He probably handles the fact that Alexander liked to sleep with men & boys (as well as women) better than most classics department professors would in 2003, but his coverage of this still comes off as weird 20 years later. His foreword also promises to provide up to date scholarship and innovative approaches to the topic, which were not much in evidence in his narrative. So solid book, weird attitude. Great intro to the topic.
What surprised me was how much value I got out of hearing the day by day details of Alexander's actual campaigns. His struggles, the cities he founded, and his victories provide an invaluable course in historical geography. What was difficult for him? What was not? His extraordinary campaigns provide a sort of balance sheet of the ancient world. He irrevocably changed, or just destroyed, everything he touched, but the chronicle of what he found really fills out historical knowledge of a wide swathe of the ancient world. I'm surprised it took me so long to get to this vital history, and I'm grateful to Rogers from providing it in such digestible fashion.
So why three stars instead of four? Honestly, I just found the narrator's introduction and conclusion irritating. I think it's an artifact of this book's 2004 publication date. The US misadventure in Iraq never comes up, but that cultural era of insane jingoism and open US empire curiosity seems to suffuse the book. Rogers seems to want to make the case for Alexander as some kind of culture war figure, and seems to want to redeem the idea of conquest more broadly. In 2024 this seems like a rather pointless and odd project.
Nobody should have to defend finding Alexander the Great interesting, but Rogers seems to think he has to. He probably handles the fact that Alexander liked to sleep with men & boys (as well as women) better than most classics department professors would in 2003, but his coverage of this still comes off as weird 20 years later. His foreword also promises to provide up to date scholarship and innovative approaches to the topic, which were not much in evidence in his narrative. So solid book, weird attitude. Great intro to the topic.
December 14, 2018
I've read a few books about the ancient Greeks and Romans, but certainly don't consider myself familiar with the history in general. This is the only book I've read about Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king who united the Greek world and conquered the Persians and much of "Asia" as it was known then. Guy Maclean Rogers explores the term "Great" as it applies to Alexander.
Alexander was the son of Philip, the Macedonian king who began the unification of the Greeks. Not only was he trained in warfare, but he seemed to have an incredible gift for it: "It was as if Alexander could see the impending conflict before it happened and then make the battle at least begin exactly as he envisioned it. It was a gift from the gods, developed and honed to perfection through early and repeated application." (pg 284) And this book is mostly an account of his conquests and political dealings with the conquered people and his associates. As such it often feels plodding, but Rogers does a very good job of putting the history into context. In fact, it often felt like Rogers was an apologist for Alexander; constantly explaining why he was justified in massacring this city or that. I'm not saying Rogers is wrong - my own knowledge is far too thin to argue with him - and it sounds plausible enough to me. He is able to piece together an admirable history of the subject through the fragments that have survived the passage of time, complete with evaluations of the motives behind Alexander's contemporaries who wrote about it.
His discussion about the "ambiguity of greatness" is quite interesting, and he criticizes modern historians who seek to judge Alexander based upon modern sensibilities. Overall, it's quite an interesting book and I learned quite a bit about Alexander, but I'm also glad to be finished with it.
Alexander was the son of Philip, the Macedonian king who began the unification of the Greeks. Not only was he trained in warfare, but he seemed to have an incredible gift for it: "It was as if Alexander could see the impending conflict before it happened and then make the battle at least begin exactly as he envisioned it. It was a gift from the gods, developed and honed to perfection through early and repeated application." (pg 284) And this book is mostly an account of his conquests and political dealings with the conquered people and his associates. As such it often feels plodding, but Rogers does a very good job of putting the history into context. In fact, it often felt like Rogers was an apologist for Alexander; constantly explaining why he was justified in massacring this city or that. I'm not saying Rogers is wrong - my own knowledge is far too thin to argue with him - and it sounds plausible enough to me. He is able to piece together an admirable history of the subject through the fragments that have survived the passage of time, complete with evaluations of the motives behind Alexander's contemporaries who wrote about it.
His discussion about the "ambiguity of greatness" is quite interesting, and he criticizes modern historians who seek to judge Alexander based upon modern sensibilities. Overall, it's quite an interesting book and I learned quite a bit about Alexander, but I'm also glad to be finished with it.
June 11, 2025
MacLean Rogers' book is intended as a counter-response to what he contends is a modern over-correction of the historical narrative, one that he says flattens Alexander into a brutal butcher.
He presents a clean and easy-to-follow chronology, beginning with Alexander's early life and concluding with his death in Babylon. The author does as good of a job as possible to provide an intimate view of the man, impressive given the challenges of not only the time that has passed but the relative paucity of complete primary sources that have survived.
He also succeeds in threading the crucial needle of providing depth without sacrificing readability; no small feat given the scope.
As for the central thesis, the author makes a compelling case overall, and fortunately does not merely use the 2300-year time gap as a shield against any and all modern criticism. MacLean Rogers rather conclusively shoots down the more extreme ideas that Alexander was a fourth-century BCE Hitler or Stalin.
There are, however, times when it seems like he is too quick to dismiss other modern criticisms and too eager to come to Alexander's defense. It would have been appreciated if some of these critiques got a bit more oxygen, even if the author ultimately rejects them ("Ambiguity" is in the title after all).
Ultimately though, MacLean's clear admiration for his subject serves the the text more than it takes away, and lends itself to an engaging character study and view of the period.
He presents a clean and easy-to-follow chronology, beginning with Alexander's early life and concluding with his death in Babylon. The author does as good of a job as possible to provide an intimate view of the man, impressive given the challenges of not only the time that has passed but the relative paucity of complete primary sources that have survived.
He also succeeds in threading the crucial needle of providing depth without sacrificing readability; no small feat given the scope.
As for the central thesis, the author makes a compelling case overall, and fortunately does not merely use the 2300-year time gap as a shield against any and all modern criticism. MacLean Rogers rather conclusively shoots down the more extreme ideas that Alexander was a fourth-century BCE Hitler or Stalin.
There are, however, times when it seems like he is too quick to dismiss other modern criticisms and too eager to come to Alexander's defense. It would have been appreciated if some of these critiques got a bit more oxygen, even if the author ultimately rejects them ("Ambiguity" is in the title after all).
Ultimately though, MacLean's clear admiration for his subject serves the the text more than it takes away, and lends itself to an engaging character study and view of the period.
November 19, 2016
Η βιογραφία αυτή του Μέγα Αλέξανδρου διεκδικεί πληρότητα και λίγο πολύ την πετυχαίνει. Ιδιαίτερα προσεγμένο και με πολύ καλή επεξεργασία των πηγών, μας δίνει πολύ καλή κατανόηση της εποχής, των κινήτρων και του τρόπου σκέψης του Μεγ. Αλεξάνδρου, με έναν αντικειμενικό τρόπο, κριτικάροντας και κάποια μελανά σημεία του χαρακτήρα του. Αν ήταν πιο εύκολο στην ανάγνωση θα έπαιρνε και ένα 4ο αστέρι, άρα ενδείκνυται πιο πολύ για μελέτη, παρά για απολαυστικό ανάγνωσμα (το 5ο αστέρι το βάζω όταν είμαι πραγματικά ενθουσιασμένος). Αναζητώ και άλλον έναν τίτλο για τον Αλέξανδρο να διαβάσω, οπότε συστάσεις ευπρόσδεκτες!
April 12, 2021
Guy Rogers pulls off an impressive feat in this book by fitting a robust story into a breezy 300 page read. It never drags and he's constantly assessing Alexander's actions with a realistic and retroactive lens. I was especially captivated by the battle chapters, which effectively utilized diagrams and written action to capture how innovative Alexander was as a wartime commander.
Highly recommend this book, though the sheer number of names, locations, and gods could be tough to keep track of.
Highly recommend this book, though the sheer number of names, locations, and gods could be tough to keep track of.
March 3, 2018
Good book for a history buff like me.
Describes Alexander's life and his rise to power--his strengths and weaknesses. Striking is the great contrast between his inhumanity, cruelty and ambition with his tolerance and culture. Undoubtedly, his influence on western and middle eastern history has been profound.
Describes Alexander's life and his rise to power--his strengths and weaknesses. Striking is the great contrast between his inhumanity, cruelty and ambition with his tolerance and culture. Undoubtedly, his influence on western and middle eastern history has been profound.
May 9, 2023
A history of Alexander's decade-long march into Asia, with maps and battle plans, which are useful, and a list of main characters, which are less so - there are a lot of generals, advisors, and hangers-on to keep straight. To be fair, though, Rogers isn't particularly interested in anyone outside Alexander - despite the book's excellent subtitle, Rogers sees no ambiguity at all in Alexander's greatness, and this book's central project is to argue against any modern scholar who sees the Macedonian as anything less than a genius and paragon. His argument seems compelling sometimes (especially when Rogers contextualizes Alexander's positionality), but often feels hagiographic and even kind of silly (I'm afraid I laughed out loud when Rogers insists late in the book that we must only judge Alexander by his actions, after the historian had spent a couple hundred pages justifying numerous massacres and murders).
February 13, 2025
A foundational book on Alexander. An absolute must read. Fantastic work.
November 9, 2023
Well-researched and well-structured, with maps every couple of chapters to help the reader follow the progression of Alexander's campaign. The subtitle is a bit deceptive: Rogers is disinclined to criticize any of Alexander's decisions, making for a pretty uncritically approving depiction when I was hoping for something a bit more nuanced.
January 17, 2016
Always a fascinating story, MacLean Rogers tells it very well, though there's little in terms of new insights he brings to the table.
Time and again I'm amazed by Alexander's influence in and around modern day Afghanistan. He founded Herat, Kandahar, Bagram and Merv, all surviving as important cities to this day.
But, at least as fascinating is the distant roots of the Greek pantheon in the mountains of the Hindu Kush: According to Maclean Rogers, Prometheus was said to be bound to a rock near modern day Bagram (though Wikipedia puts this in the Caucasus), Semiramis, a legendary Syrian queen once conquered Bactria, Dionysus, who was said to have conquered India and Herakles, who also was said to have visited India.
Time and again I'm amazed by Alexander's influence in and around modern day Afghanistan. He founded Herat, Kandahar, Bagram and Merv, all surviving as important cities to this day.
But, at least as fascinating is the distant roots of the Greek pantheon in the mountains of the Hindu Kush: According to Maclean Rogers, Prometheus was said to be bound to a rock near modern day Bagram (though Wikipedia puts this in the Caucasus), Semiramis, a legendary Syrian queen once conquered Bactria, Dionysus, who was said to have conquered India and Herakles, who also was said to have visited India.
April 14, 2007
I got this book because I had seen Alexander and wondered how much of it was true and real.This book does that.It doesn't hide any of his shortcomings...doesn't make him into some mystical,god-like being who shaped and conquered all of Asia...and simply tells the truth.It gives you a real look of what made the man Alexander,Alexander the Great who set up cities named after him.You know in this book you learn that the city of Alexandria in Egypt that came to him in a dream with even the lay out of the city.It was to be a melting pot of all people.If you want to learn about Alexander then read this book!!
July 12, 2008
This was a clearly written, in-depth look at the life and influences of Alexander the Great. The magnitude of Alexander's conquests along with his insightful methods of assimilating various ethnic groups into his empire, make for fascinating reading.
It is ever more apparent to me, that the world as we know it today is more readily understood after studying the ancient world. The accomplishments and heroics of this historical figure become even more astonishing when you consider the enormous obstacles which Alexander and his armies were able to surrmount. This is history in a very enthralling format for even the non-history lover.
It is ever more apparent to me, that the world as we know it today is more readily understood after studying the ancient world. The accomplishments and heroics of this historical figure become even more astonishing when you consider the enormous obstacles which Alexander and his armies were able to surrmount. This is history in a very enthralling format for even the non-history lover.
January 4, 2013
In this overview of Alexander's life and times, Maclean Rogers seems so stuck on the idea of ambiguity that it sucks any joy out of the read. At times contradictory, constantly lacking in any impetus, the author plods through the military and social victories of Alexander with a constant nebulous approach that doesn't present any corner you can latch on to and ride to some sort of entertainment in the read. He never seems to reach a point, nor does he engage the reader. Three starts if you didn't know anything about Alexander coming in to the book, but my real rating is two stars, as the ambiguity of the book ruins the information you will get out it.
December 7, 2014
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to find out a little more regarding Alexander the Great and the question what made him Great, or otherwise. Alexander caught the imagination of generations and generations of people, to this present day. His life continues to fascinate and to be questioned by Classical Historians and amateurs. This serious book makes exciting reading but raises so many other questions that I for one feel as though I could go on reading about Alexander's life for ever: A very good introduction to Alexander's enigmatic life story.
November 17, 2011
This is a 'scholarly' book on Alexander, but I sort of feel ashamed expecting something else, like a hollywood take on Alexander. Ha, good thing it isn't (we have enough History Channel interpretations of history) or else this wouldn't be such the good book it is.
The telling may seem a bit bland, but the author tries to gives us only the facts. It's a fantastic blend of Alexander the person as well as his influence & strategy in relation to culture, religion & politics.
Makes me want more!
The telling may seem a bit bland, but the author tries to gives us only the facts. It's a fantastic blend of Alexander the person as well as his influence & strategy in relation to culture, religion & politics.
Makes me want more!
March 20, 2016
A pretty straightforward telling of the story of Alexander the Great. I read it in high school, just when I was beginning my obsession with ancient history and found it interesting. In hindsight, I wish that it had offered more varying viewpoints, but it was informative and interesting. It's a good place to start if you're interested in learning about Alexander the Great.
April 18, 2016
Very typical book of the pro-Alexander persuasion. Useful in discussing Alexander in less obvious ways, such as his approach to empire and in relation to the conquered. Offers a new theory on Alexander's "pro-woman" beliefs, which comes off forced and stilted, in my opinion. Nice breakdown of the major battles, with highly detailed battle maps. Worth a read.
February 1, 2014
A well written and scholarly account of the "how" behind Alexander's political, military, and governance successes (and shortcomings) as he grows an empire and legend. Fine even if one does not know a good deal about this historic period.
January 7, 2009
Good historical look at Alexander...a little dry...some more context of the times would have made it more interesting...but still, all and all, I learned so that makes it good.
September 12, 2011
Lots of excitement, details his adventures from Macedon down to Africa.
July 4, 2014
Very lively biography of Alexander the Great. Read in concert with an EdX course taught by the author, an historian. Highly recommend to anyone interested in this period of Greek-Asian history.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews