Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness

by Guy Maclean Rogers

Book Overview

For nearly two and a half millennia, Alexander the Great has loomed over history as a legendand an enigma. Wounded repeatedly but always triumphant in battle, he conquered most of the known world,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400062616
• ISBN13: 9781400062614
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Random House (NY)
• Length: 420 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

best book about alexander the great

wow! in my mind this is the best book for alexander the great. I like this book so much cause type face is clear and big so my eyes is not hurting after few hours reading this kind of scholarly work,and he talked about diffrent views about alexander's opinions.most alexander's biography talks about only authors own view point,but this book shows how much impact was given to us causing alexander's campaigns... I recommand this book to who want to know more about the greatest general of all time ALEXADER THE GREAT!

Wonderful account of the life of a living god

Much of Alexander's life is shrouded in myth, and legend. A legend himself, Alexander conquered most of the known world, before his untimely and mysterious death in Babylon. The young conquerer was renowned for his military tactics and power, yet cursed today as a mass murderer, a tyrant. Is the god-like enigma a genocidal butcher, or a hero? In this down to earth account Guy MacLean Rogers accurately paints a picture of Alexander's life and times, his victories and...well, victories, the young king never lost a battle. The author clearly displays respect for the conquerer, but in a way not making his biography too bias. Overall, this scholarly and fascinating work, drawing not only on modern evidence, but the accounts of the ancient world, is amazing and interesting in its words, and awing in its message. After more than 2000 years, Alexander comes back to life. However, I was a little dissapointed with the final chapters summarizing his life and trying to analyze the king himself, his personality and role in history. The author seemed a little too wowed by the conquerer, and basically stated that he was not a tyrant, that he was a just ruler for his time, without giving thought towards the other side of the argument. I found this assessment less useful than just the history of his life.

Who'd have thought a history book could be this much fun?

First of all, I'd just like to correct a previous reviewer. Guy Rogers is a professor at WELLESLEY College, not Wesleyan. It's a very common mistake. :-) Wellesley, for those unfamiliar with it, is the number 4 liberal arts school in the country, and a women's college to boot. Well-known alums include Madeleine Albright, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nora Ephron, and Diane Sawyer. Now on to the book. Rogers does a fantastic job breathing life into what could be a very dry biography about a long-dead conqueror. His style is wry and witty, but not flippant. He is very careful to remind the reader of the current relavence of his tale. I got rather the opposite impression than a lot of other readers; Rogers's discussion of Alexander's bisexuality did not strike me as "uncomfortable." I'd recommend this book for just about anyone (not kids, though; Rogers writes in a rather convoluted style, using words one would expect of a Princeton PhD), but particularly for history buffs or just anyone looking for a good yet educational read!

Christopher Hitchens Says Rogers Has it Right

You don't need my opinion. Consider Christopher Hitchens' remarks on Rogers' assessment of Alexander: "But should he [Alexander] be compared with the other great despots of antiquity, or with more modern totalitarians and butchers? A very absorbing recent book, Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness, by Guy MacLean Rogers, argues that this modern temptation should be avoided. Alexander's tutor was Aristotle (a fact that supplies endless fascination to those who study the relationship between philosophers and monarchs, from Machiavelli to Leo Strauss). And Aristotle, perhaps sharing in the continuing rage and shame at the Persian desecration of the Acropolis in 480 B.C., urged his pupil to treat the peoples of the Persian Empire as coldly as he would plants or animals. The available evidence is that Alexander did not take this advice." Read the whole thing: http://slate.msn.com/id/2110188/

An excellent and provocative book, a must read

For those who anticipate Oliver Stone's much hyped upcoming film "Alexander", this eminently readable book by the eminent historian Guy Maclean Rogers will serve as the ideal historical companion. Rogers stays close to the original sources, and gives a reasoned, balanced, and judicious assessment of this most important figure. What is most engaging about this book is Roger's willingness to assess the validity of various claims about Alexander's personal characteristics, and his historical significance. Readers of this book will be well-prepared to separate fact from fiction regarding Alexander, and will be well-rewarded.