What to read?

[Laura Casemir]

I had been hoping that the new top-10 would help me to find literature on Alexander. I have read the book by Lendering and I have read Arrian; what do you think are other good books to read?Laura

[marcus]

I, and probably many other Pothosians, would suggest that you read more of the sources - Arrian's great, but try Quintus Curtius Rufus, too. If you want something a little 'lighter', go for Plutarch's Life of Alexander.I would also urge you to read Diodorus Book 17, and Justin Books 11-12, at some point; but I would do Curtius and Plutarch first.ATBMarcus

[ancientlibrary]

Much depends on why you're doing it, but don't only read primary sources. I'd read Green's biography. (There, I said it. Pothonians are going to eat me.)

[abm]

the above suggestions are good, but i would certainly add Bosworth's Conquest and Empire.regards,abm

[marcus]

*I* certainly won't eat you, Tim. Of course one shouldn't confine oneself just to primary sources ... and I like Green's book myself, so you won't get any argument from me.ATBMarcus

[heinrich]

You should add the Michael Wood TV-series "in the footsteps of Alexander". Not the book, which is bad, but the four hours of TV. Wood has traveled a lot and although his presence is sometimes a bit too prominent (and he increasingly starts to look like Alexander), it is just great to see the Hindu Kush and the Egyptian desert. His images of Gaugamela will make you smile.As for fiction, a Dutchman I once spoke said that he appreciated a novel "Iskander" written in the 1920's. I don't remember the writer, but he was famous in Holland and had a French-sounding name.HM

[Kit]

I would certainly agree that Green is a useful secondary source. If you are interested in Alexander as a military leader then Fuller's 'The Generalship of Alexander the Great ' and Lonsdale's 'Alexander the Great:Killer of Men' are both worthwhile.For a different interpretation of Alexander then Maxwell O'Brien's 'Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy' is worth a read (although I don't necessarily endorse his views or conclusions!).ATBKit.

[louis ferdinand]

The iskander book is written by louis couperus

[marcus]

Hi Kit,Yes, O'Brien is a good one, too, although I'd always advise people to read at least one other biog immediately afterwards! :-)Still, there are so many to choose from - Hamilton's 1972 book is still good, if one can find it; Robin Lane Fox; Richard Stoneman; Ulrich Wilcken; Hammond ... etc. etc.ATBMarcus

[jona]

I hope you liked my book and liked Arrian.Jona

[Kit]

Hi Marcus,I've just recently finished re-reading O'Brien's book for the first time in years, and I must admit that it has grown on me a bit more this time. Still, I agree that you wouldn't want to form a picture of Alexander based soley on that book.Maybe we could devise a list of the worst Alexander literature out there? I'm sure there would be plenty of contenders!regards,Kit.

[marcus]

Hi Kit,I do agree about O'Brien. When I first read it I was very much against it, and it has grown on me. I haven't read it for ages, though - must do so again ...I have a strong contender for the worst Alexander book - the one by Graham Phillips ("Murder in Babylon" I think it's called). It's supposedly a non-fiction book, but about 95% of it is pure fantasy. It's very well written, in that it's very cleverly done, but it's still complete tosh.ATBMarcus

[Dragonlord]

I agree it depends on your particular interest on Alexander- if you're like me who really wanted to know how he defeated the grossly numerically superior Persians or military tactics Theodore Dodge would undoubtedly be the 'bible'.