The Trojan War: A New History
by Barry Strauss
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barry StraussEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-08-21
ISBN: 0743264428
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Reviews of The Trojan War: A New History
Book Review: "...Homer is truer to the Bronze Age than is usually recognized ..."
Summary: 3 Stars
The reviews written by other voices on Amazon - both in praise and criticism - are valid. Strauss does re-hash _the Iliad_ and he does make a lot of conjecture about what the characters may have worn, may have thought, and might have done. I found this a bit tiresome. To his credit, he also provides some great insight into Bronze Age strategy, insightful analysis of the possible motives for the war (Helen leaving with Paris was less an issue than the fact that they also emptied the Spartan treasury, for example), and his explaination of the actions of heroes (both Trojan and Greek) demonstrated an intimate knowledge of Bronze Age epic story telling.
While I had anticipated a more archaelogical and historical analysis of the confilct and less of a blow-by-blow historical deconstruction of _the Iliad_, Strauss seeks to strike a balance between the two. I assume in order to provide necessicary background for the layperson (or those who had not read _The Iliad_.) It seems this is a major point of contention. For those considering buying the book, keep this in mind.
The other issue I had was Strauss' choice of the translation he used in weaving the text into his history. I much prefer Robert Fagles' version The Iliad (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) for its language and vivid details that breathe life into the poem. My second choice would be Richard Lattimore's translation, Iliad of Homer; Translated with an Introduction by Richard Lattimore which I am told, is closer to the original Attic Greek. Instead, Strauss chose Alexander Pope's translation, The Iliad of Homer - Alexander Pope which I think is a bit klunky and forced. Its minutae, I know, but it bothered me.
For serious students of the time period, the anatotated bibliography is almost worth the price of the book - it is comprehensive, detailed, and provides a wealth of information for further reading on the Trojan War, Homer, Troy itself, the archeology of the area, and the Ancient Near East in general: the Hittites, Mycenaeans, Trojans, and ancient warfare. The book has its merits, to be sure, but I don't think they outweigh the problems I had with it to warrant more than 3 stars.
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