Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Courtesans and Fishcakes : The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens by James Davidson ISBN: 0-06-097766-3 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 01 August, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.79 (14 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: If you have an appetite for Greek history, this is your book
Comment: This is a most welcome addition to my Ancient History bookshelf, and while a knowledge of Athenian history lets you get the most out of this book, those without any background in the subject may find that Davidson will prompt them to dig further into the lives and times of a most intriguing people. I found myself thinking "Aha!" more than once as some facets of Athenian culture were put more firmly into place for me, and the rich fullness of Athenian life put on display.
Granted this is not the most entertaining 'read', but neither is it a dry scholarly tome. Some tables (regarding currency and what it would buy, for example) would have been nice to make some comparisons easier, but that is a minor matter. Any student of Greek drama or history should find this book invaluable in gaining a deeper understanding of their coursework, not to mention the fun to be had in throwing references from this admirable book in to jazz up your next paper.
Rating: 4
Summary: Scholarly & accessible review of Athenian life
Comment: Although I think that the general reader may find some difficulty with the use of transcribed Greek words, the writing is both intelligent,articulate and amusing.
Davidson has delved into some of the lesser known aspects of Classical Athens, although perhaps has ignored the (already well documented) enthusiasms for theatre, war & politics that also engrossed the Greeks This gives the impression that all the Greeks were interested in was fish, wine and sex. Obviously, he has wanted to create an interesting and sale-able book, but no reader should forget that, as in the modern world, such pursuits formed only a part of most people's lives or indeed of the lives of a small section of society. And, as today, they are by far the most interesting things to read and write about, but they are only a part of the whole.
His arguments provide a neat counterbalance to the rather one-sided products of recent years. I could detect quite a few axes being ground, quietly, in the background against many of his scholarly contemporaries. Such disputes are always gratifying to the non-combatants.
I would recommend the book to any reader interested in a wider appreciation of Ancient Greek society or just for an amusing read.
Rating: 3
Summary: brings the ancient world to life but tough to finish
Comment: The best part of the book is how it brings the ancient world to life. What did these folks do day-to-day? That said unless you're doing an academic thesis on this topic you might lose interest halfway through.
 |
Title: Greeks and the Irrational by E.R. Dodds ISBN: 0520003276 Publisher: University of California Press Pub. Date: 01 June, 1951 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title: The World of Odysseus (New York Review Books Classics Series) by M. I. Finley, Bernard Knox ISBN: 1590170172 Publisher: New York Review of Books Pub. Date: 10 August, 2002 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
 |
Title: Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity by Sarah B. Pomeroy ISBN: 080521030X Publisher: Schocken Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
 |
Title: Greek Homosexuality by K.J. Dover ISBN: 0674362705 Publisher: Harvard University Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1989 List Price(USD): $20.95 |
 |
Title: Women's Life in Greece and Rome: A Source Book in Translation by Mary R. Lefkowitz, Maureen B. Fant ISBN: 0801844754 Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1992 List Price(USD): $20.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
