Book review - Partha Bose's "ATG's Art of Strategy"

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yiannis
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Book review - Partha Bose's "ATG's Art of Strategy"

Post by yiannis »

I was unfortunate enough to be is such a hurry at Dubai's airport, that I bought this book without having time to first page through it. That, because a simple riffle would've been enough to show what a bore and full of inaccuracies book it is!
I won't comment on the bore part, but here're some of the author's unhistorical writtings:
- The Hypaspists were squires who were being trained to become Companions.
- The Theban Sacred Band was a heavy cavalry unit.
- "As the Macedonian soldiers marched, they were reminded of the experiences of great Greek victories and acts of fammous generals. The lead staff sergeant might yell to the continent, "Who won Leuctra?" And the chorus would ring out, 'E-pa-mi-nonas!" !!! I found that hilarious!!!
- "While the Greeks led a life of leisurely walks on sandy beaches under the year-long, sun-kissed, azure-blue skies..." Did he copy that from a Thompson tourism commercial? :-)))
- "...the Panhellenic games (todayGÇÖs Olympics)". He doesn't know that the Olympics were always called Olympics and were PART of the Panhellenic games which consisted of Pythia, Nemea, Olympics and (which was the fourth one?)
- GÇ£Aristotle was a Macedonian, born on the island of StagiraGÇ¥. We all know that Stageira, build by colonists from the island of Andros was not an island!
- GÇ£Philip had invited to Mieza teachers, poets, artists and scientists from Egypt and PersiaGÇ¥ Do we have such records?!
- On the marriages of Greeks and Persian brides: GÇ£following their example (Alexander and StateiraGÇÖs that is) many Greeks and Persians married each other and settled in each otherGÇÖs landGÇ¥. IGÇÖm not aware of Persians settling in Greece. On the contrary most brides were abandoned soon after AlexanderGÇÖs death.
- GÇ£On the soldiers who died crossing the Hindu kush: GÇ£stones marking where the bodies were buried stand even today, spread out in the circular shape common to ancient Greek burialsGÇ¥!!!So much for criticizing Pressfield research!
Halil

Re: Book review - Partha Bose's

Post by Halil »

Hello YiannisIt might not be historically accurate, but it sounds hysterically funny! You must have had enough good laughs to have shortened your flight considerably.
Thanks for sharing.CheersHalil
ancientlibrary
Pezhetairos (foot soldier)
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Re: Book review - Partha Bose's

Post by ancientlibrary »

Oh dear. That was funny. I noticed on my site
that all the reviews I could find were from
business people. Meanwhile, have you noticed
he's trying to buy his way into sales? He's
buying up Adwords for Alexander searches.
.
If we buy you a copy, will you review Ashkan
Karbasfrooshan's "The Confessions of
Alexander The Great: 33 Lessons in
Greatness"? Someone's gotta do it.
jona
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Re: Book review - Partha Bose's

Post by jona »

More from the same: Manfred Kets de Vries's book on leadership. Jona
boris
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Re: Book review - Partha Bose's

Post by boris »

Sounds appalling! Yet appealing! (in an amusing way) :D Apparantly, Professor Alfred D. Chandler of Harvard Business School and Professor Ernest R. May of Harvard University seemed to like it. Perhaps they should consult their respective classics departments!
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marcus
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Re: Book review - Partha Bose's

Post by marcus »

I have to confess I am quite interested in reading the "Confessions" book - I have *no* idea what it's like, but I am certainly intrigued. I'm not sure whether I really want to take the plunge, however.There's also "Empire of Ashes" by Nicolas Nicastro, that I can buy from Amazon, but which doesn't appear to be on the shelves in British bookshops, at least. Has anyone tried that one at all?All the bestMarcus
Marcus
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At Amazon US
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