Non-fiction book reviews #2

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Alexias
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Non-fiction book reviews #2

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NON-FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Alexander of Macedon 356-323 BC: A Historical Biography, Peter Green, 1992
Reviewer: Marcus Pailing


One could come away from this book thinking that Green doesn't really like Alexander very much, but that is too simple a reading. It is a fantastic book and Green elegantly proposes convincing arguments for Alexander's hand in the conspiracy to kill Philip II, and exposes some of the questions surrounding Alexander that other scholars have previously tended to ignore - for example, why Philip suddenly divorced Olympias and repudiated Alexander as his heir. Compare Green's analysis of the sack of Thebes with that of NGL Hammond - an excellent example of how difficult it is to cite hard and fast facts about Alexander's actions and policies.

Three Historians of Alexander the Great, the so-called Vulgate authors, Diodorus, Justin and Curtius, N.G.L. Hammond, Cambridge University Press, 1983
Reviewer: Forum Contributor


Hammond does an excellent job of analyzing the three primary texts of ancient authors that are too-often lumped together without considering the vast differentiation in information to be found in these texts. Hammond argues that, in failing to analyse sources, we can create trends that enforce misinterpretation, misinformation and bad history. While Hammond himself was often guilty of doing just this, I find that a majority of modern writers also pick and choose what they will or won’t include, too often based on what they need to support their own theories- so remember to read everything with caution.

Alexander the Great: King, Commander and Statesman, N.G.L. Hammond, 1984
Reviewer: Marcus Pailing


The late Nicholas Hammond is still considered one of the great Alexander experts, mainly through having been in the field for so long, but he seems always to be under attack nowadays for his rather uncompromising hero worship (which he has, admittedly, tempered more recently). However, this book remains, although rather old, one of the standard books on Alexander and provides a good, though not terribly detailed, resume of the king's career.

The Genius of Alexander the Great, N. G. L. Hammond, Duckworth and Co Ltd, 1997
Reviewer: Marcus Pailing


Hammond has somewhat suppressed his adulatory approach to Alexander in this book and it reads well. My main complaint in the lack of references and footnotes which, while not a problem for some readers, might irritate those who wish to follow up some of his more sweeping statements. On the whole, though, a good read, and perfectly acceptable for those using it as an introduction to Alexander.

The Marshals of Alexander’s Empire, Waldemar Heckel; Routledge, 1992; reprint 2000 (410 pages).
Reviewer: Nick Welman


The price of this book - some 99 US dollars - made me hesitant of buying it. Instead, I bought many cheaper books on Alexander. But once I got possession of Heckel's Marshals, I realized I had been foolish. This book is worth every dollar. In the first place it made me aware that characters as Krateros, Perdikkas and Parmenion have stories of their own to tell. And often quite tragic. If I would have to write a film script about Alexander, I would consider using Krateros as the central figure, not Alexander. So the "life of Krateros" and the "life of Parmenion" make actually good reading on their own account. As Heckel puts it: the very men who had fought to conquer Persia were never destined to rule it. That sums up the overall tragedy. Secondly, Heckel's book clears up many confusing issues. I always got puzzled by the various Amyntas-es, Attalos-es and Philotas-es. Heckel puts all these personages in the correct perspective. Third: Heckel's book continues where other Alexander biographies break off. What happened to Perdikkas, Leonnatos and Krateros after 323 B.C.? So Heckel answers exactly those questions that usually remain after reading the more popular Alexander books. (And many questions that regularly reappear in the Pothos Forum.) If you can afford to spend 99 dollars on a book, you should not be hesitant like I was. Again, Heckel is a true scholar. Half of every page is narrative, half is annotations. But it is a great and invaluable book and a source of inspiration.

Reviewer: Marcus Pailing
If you like minutiae, then this is the book for you! Heckel has provided comprehensive (or as comprehensive as possible) information on all of Alexander's officers, including Philip's Old Guard, Alexander's close friends, and the new breed of officers who rose to their commands during the period of conquest. With detailed source references, it is a fantastic resource, if somewhat heavy going at times.

Reviewer: anonymous
This book offers comprehensive details on the both the Old Guard and the new officers of Alexander’s corps. However, there seems to be some speculative leaps in order to support Heckel’s views. Though he admits some of the work is guesswork, he does so in such a way that the unwary reader might be fooled into assuming the details are fully documented and verifiable. That said, this book is worth the steep price.

W Heckel, The Wars of Alexander the Great, Osprey Publishing (Essential Histories), August 2002
Revewer: Nick Welman


I respect Waldemar Heckel perhaps more than any other scholar. But I figure Heckel just could not resist the temptation of fiyying his academic work into a colourful popular format. This is what this book wants to be. The short bio’s of Alexander’s commanders are just a faint shadow of Heckel’s elaborate work in his famous ‘Marshals’. Just as Justin once abbreviated Trogus into a handsome epitome, this book is just a superficial abbreviation of Heckel’s academic work. But I fail to see the point: it added nothing to my knowledge. Heckel used some illustrations and diagrams already included in earlier Osprey publications. He omitted those (e.g. battle maps) that are subject to debate, leaving us only with two very sketchy maps of Issus and Hydaspes. My biggest disappointment were the clumsy representations of the enchanting Alexander Mosaic: not the real thing but ugly redrawings from the Ann Ronan Picture Library, failing to capture the mood of the original. And failing to capture the looks and expressions of Alexander and Darius. Is this my imagination, or does Darius really look like Saddam Hussein? A book that is obsolete to students of Alexander. Maybe suitable of starters? Bu then, Renault, Fox and Wood have produced far more enjoyable introductory material.
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