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What's the last book you read?


aiden12

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I'm reading "The Roman Amphitheatre in Britain" by Tony Wilmott of English Heritage. It is a very interesting read.

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And now I've come away from the ancient world for a little while, and am revisiting the excellent The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon K. Penman - a novel I first read years ago. Like an old vintage it has matured beautifully with the distance of years, and captures the character of Richard III so beautifully that it must rank as THE definitive Dicky 3 novel.

 

It's not bad, but I much preferred her book 'Here be Dragons' about Llewelyn Fawr, Prince of Wales during the reign of King John. I think she captures my vision of John, as well as enhancing my love of Welsh history.

 

I've never thought of getting this, Sonic. I enjoy her writing, but do you think I'd enjoy the novel? I should say that I have no interest at all in Welsh history (I don't mean that nastily in any way - it's just not an area that grabs me). Could I be converted? I'll give it a go one of these days and let you know.

 

I've now turned to total trash for the daily bus journeys and am wallowing like a pig in..... in Stephen King's Christine After that I intend to get back to serious research - I think my brain will need to be reminded that it works. Ah well, even old Stevie has his place in the dreary agony that is my daily route to and from work. :)

 

I think you'd like 'Here Be Dragons'. Although it's about Welsh history, it ties everything together with English history and her portrayal of King John is just about spot on from what I learnt in the past.

 

You can get it cheap on Amazon too!

 

(Sorry about the delay in the reply: Shingles!)

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I am reading several things at once.

 

Just got done with Taschen's "Gothic Art" overview. Loved it. (No, it's not that type of Gothic. Sorry, Nephele ...)

 

Will be reading "Celtic Mythology" next.

 

Have been reading "Fires of Vesuvius" by Mary Beard off and on for the past two weeks. An interesting and informative book - just a little more involved of a read than I care to entertain right now.

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  • 1 month later...

I've recently finished the third book in the Genghis Khan (Conqueror) trilogy by Conn Iggulden, I know he gets a pretty bad press around here for his "stretching" of the truth but for out and out fast paced entertaining storytelling IMO he's one of the best around.

 

Genghis Kahn, Life, Death and Resurection by John Man.

 

Ancient Warfare: A Very Short Introduction by Harry Sidebottom.

 

Currently reading Warrior of Rome: Fire in the East pt 1 also by Harry Sidebottom.

 

Think I might get the book recently reviewed by Ursus called Black Ships by Jo Graham, sounds like quite an interesting read.

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I've almost finished re-reading Ross Cowan's "For The Glory Of Rome" (Greenhill Publishing). This is such a highly entertaining guide to Roman warriors and warfare that includes one of the best overviews of the Pyrrhic War in any modern source. Cowan's accessible and involving style is a delight and is to be commended. He is also well respected as one of the authors for Osprey - Greenhill's sister brand - where inevitably his style is dryer and more academic, but I would certainly recommend in particular "Roman Battle Tactics 109BC - AD313".

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I've recently finished the third book in the Genghis Khan (Conqueror) trilogy by Conn Iggulden, I know he gets a pretty bad press around here for his "stretching" of the truth but for out and out fast paced entertaining storytelling IMO he's one of the best around.

 

Is the third on the market already? Damn! I just finished the second.

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I've recently finished the third book in the Genghis Khan (Conqueror) trilogy by Conn Iggulden, I know he gets a pretty bad press around here for his "stretching" of the truth but for out and out fast paced entertaining storytelling IMO he's one of the best around.

 

Is the third on the market already? Damn! I just finished the second.

 

 

It sure is!!

 

It's called Bones Of The Hill

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I'm reading as a bed time story a novel by Steven Saylor "The Judgment of Caesar" (of the Roma Sub Rosa series).

 

As non-fiction I'm reading the papers of the Amphitheaters conference in Chester held in Feb. 2007 which have been finally published by BAR International Series 1946, ed. Tony Wilmott.

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I'm reading as a bed time story a novel by Steven Saylor "The Judgment of Caesar" (of the Roma Sub Rosa series).

 

Have you read the rest of the series?

 

I've just ordered the latest in the series, "The Triumph of Caesar" It's been over three years since the last Gordianus book so I hope it's worth the wait!

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"Persian Fire" by Tom Holland and "The Arab Conquests" by Hugh Kennedy. The latter book examines the meteoric rise of Islam in the 7th century.

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The Aztecs by Michael E. Smith

 

This was a decent book I bought cheaply used. Smith is a scholar and archaeologist, and gives a good general overview of the Aztecs. They actually have quite a bit in common with Rome: a warrior civilization, a decentralized empire, engineering capabilities, the centrality of religious rites to the preservation of the state. One fascinating chapter does go into detail about the human sacrifice they practiced.

 

Strange fact: Aztecs weren't big meat eaters, but when they did eat animal flesh, small dogs were on the menu. And you thought only Koreans did such things!

 

 

 

The Incas: People of the Sun. Carmen Bernard

 

Not as academic as I had liked, more of a travel-sized, coffee table presentation. But easy to read, great photographs, and I bought it very cheap from a used dealer.

 

Like the Aztecs, the Incas bore some similiarities to the Romans, only more so. An emperor at the head, an efficient bureacracy, and impressive engineering feats (especially in a public roads system and a series of fortifications and temples).

 

The Incas also had their version of the Vestal Virgins: girls who were picked at a young age to serve religious duties for most of their lives, and if they broke their vows of chastity they were buried alive!

 

And, oh yes, they practiced human sacrifice.

 

An interesting book.

 

Next up: the Mayans.

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