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Review Date: 6/18/2009
Very good book on the life and times of Cicero. It goes pretty in depth into Roman society and politics for someone who is jumping right in. However, having taken two years of Latin, I would've liked a little more. Everitt writes very efficiently, as is easy to understand. I would've liked a bit more Latin in the prose, with definitions. Especially when talking about "Long Haired Gaul"....it would've sounded better to use Gallia Comata after it was first defined. Overall, a good intro into the life of Cicero and the most exciting time in Roman history.
Review Date: 9/20/2009
Helpful Score: 1
An interesting book, and more than an interesting take on Monticello and Jefferson. Pretty well written, though dry is some places. Also, unless you're a builder, there are numerous areas in which the book bogs down in describing the minutiae of specific parts of building such as boards, bricks, windows, etc. As a student of Jefferson, this was an interesting read which shows a different side of the man than I'm used to. A solid book, but it would be enjoyed more by a builder who likes history than a historian.
Review Date: 8/8/2009
What a wonderful book! Comprised of seven short stories regarding Mississippi families in different time periods, going from contemporary (written in the 50's) back to 1787, Foote weaves his fluid writing with the history of Mississippi. To call Foote's writing wonderful is an understatement. His prose is such that you can imagine him reading it to you, with the syrupy drawl of the Mississippi combining aristocratic manner with the sharp prickly nature of the country boy. His stories aren't always the happiest, but reflect a certain realness of character. These are people he knows, he understands, and takes you into their world and you're more than happy to go on the journey. Thank goodness Foote was so eager to write about the war itself, because his style of writing and brazen realism is what brought me to the field of history in the first place. Jordan County is a wonderful novel, you'd get a lot out of reading it.
Review Date: 1/15/2009
This is a great textbook for an intermediate study of the Latin language. The vocabulary is rooted in the works of the major writers, focusing primarily upon the Aeneid of Virgil.
Review Date: 9/8/2009
A wonderful novel recreating the famed battle of Shiloh. An eminent writer combines the scholarship of the historian. It doesn't get much better than this.
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