Reviews for Paradise, Death and Doomsday in Anglo-Saxon Literature

The average rating for Paradise, Death and Doomsday in Anglo-Saxon Literature based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-12-30 00:00:00 Fernando Maciel Between the time of Athens and the time of Rome, the ancient world had a third city that served as a center for culture and progressive thought. The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid celebrates Alexandria as a planned metropolis, chosen by the whim of Alexander but grown and flourished under the will of Ptolemy. Ptolemy would convert the Egyptian satrapy of Alexander into the last dynastic family of Egypt, culminating in the Roman intrigue surrounding the reign of Cleopatra. The book details the scientific and philosophical growth of the city and its famous citizens like Euclid, Archimedes, Philo and Hero. As a home to intellectual thought (as well as a world renowned library and a famous lighthouse) ancient Alexandrians conceived of ideas hundreds of years before they were made more famous by later Arabs and Europeans. Finally, the authors detail the city's effect on the birth and growth of Christianity. An erudite historical record, well researched and well written, this work entertains and educates.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-07-20 00:00:00 Scott Stone I learned so much from this book about not only Alexandria but of Egypt and the Mediterranean. The book covered the economy, history and existing knowledge of the ancient era. I guess if you think of the library and museum of Alexandria in modern day terms, it would be called a university, a think tank as well as a library. I did note that Alexandrea was a diverse city of Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, Romans and people from neighboring countries. It is amazing to realize the city was designed to have a sewer system, running water, as well as the city was laid out with streets and buildings. The book was well written and meticulously researched. I found the section about Hypatia (350-370-415 A.D.) to be most interesting. The way the author told the story has triggered me to want to learn more about Hypatia. She was a mathematician and philosopher in the later days of Alexandria and was considered a great teacher. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. It is eleven and a half hours. Simon Vance does an excellent job narrating the book. Vance is a well known award-winning audiobook narrator.