V.Massimo M. nos trae en esta oportunidad una intriga apasionante, contemporánea, bien escrita y cautivadora. Nos hace partícipes de un hallazgo arqueológico fundamental que trae la desgracia a los jóvenes que protagonizan la historia, pero que los hace crecer en fuerza, audacia y solidaridad. Hace referencia no sólo a su caudal de información arqueológica, también a la crisis política griega de los 70. Sería una historia fantástica para verla en el cine. Y tiene todos los ingredientes necesario para pasar un excelente rato de lectura.

For a volumous 400-page hardcover this is quite a bargain. The intro chapter is confusing for those unfamiliar with Roman architecture as it casually quotes and references. The rest of the book, I feel, lacks a certain focus and consists of mouthing off dry facts, though the writers objectively portray some of the palace owners as unsymphathetic. The book is divided according to the various villas and palazzi around and about Rome. There are some of the most impressive exterior and interior photos ever printed on a book. These include Palazzi on Campidoglio, Villa Farnesina (where Rapahel's GALATEA resides), Palazzo Farnese (where Caracci's TRIUMPH OF BACCHUS graces its ceiling), Villa Madama with its delightful rustic gardens, Villa Medici, the majestic Quirinal Palace, Palazzo Doria Pamphili where you can find Caravaggio's FLIGHT TO EGYPT, and among many others. The huge disappointment: the Vatican Palace section is only accompanied by 6 pictures, with no details on the Raphael and Fran Angelico frescoes. In addition, the text often mentions images that are absent in the book. For example, the writer uses the words "unrepeatable" and "impressive" to describe the equestrian monument of Marcus Aurelius on Campidoglio, but all we see is a miniscule figure in a half-page aerial photograph of the piazza.

I happened to stumble on this enjoyable reading piece while waiting for my flight at Heathrow airport. I am an avid reader of historical books dealing with military antiquity-based themes. When I read the back cover of the book, it oddly reminded me of Steven Pressfield's "Gates of Fire" dealing with the courageous suicide defence of Greece against invading Persians by a hundred brave Spartan warriors (by far one of the best books I have ever read!). Additionally, I have always been intrigued by Alexander the Great and the military accomplishments he made at such a young age. Thus, picking up this book was a no-brainer...

First of all, "Alexander" is one of three books in a trilogy spanning the entire life of Alexander. The first book deals with his childhood up until he leaves with his troops to conquer the Persians in the far East. I really enjoyed the vivid detail the author provides in describing Alexander's life and modus operati or way of thinking. We learn about his childhood and overbearing father Philip of Macedon who was both cruel and compassionate as well his scheming mother Olympia, who herself was portrayed as both a revenge seeking wife and yet someone who had been greatly hurt and was justified in her actions.

Through his upbringing, we get a clear inclination of the facets of both childhood and destiny that were to shape Alexander's life as a world conqueror. I really enjoyed learning not only about Alexander's life as a child and youth, but also understanding Macedonian life in general. The author really understands the subject he writes about and uses his vast knowledge of history to mold a story that is both historic and entertaining.

Instead of being a bland biography of Alexander, we really get to learn what he is made of and what drives him to become who he is destined to be. I look forward to reading the next two books and "Highly" recommend this book to anyone looking to have a little adventure in their lives and follow Alexander's exploits as the story unfolds. My only complaint is the author seems somewhat biased in glorifying Alexander as an untainted individual. It is widely know that Alexander and his mother were behind Philip's assassination, but the author tends to steer pretty clear of portraying Alexander as a perpetrator and places more blame on Olympia as the mastermind. Perhaps, this will be rectified in the next two books as Alexander's true nature opens up even more...cant wait to find out!!

Valerio Manfredi has a very original way of telling us Great Alexander story. The spirit and atmosphere of this period is well described and we are really able to feel it. Gods seems to intervene by dreams and oracles even if we can say it is superstition. But is it real? Doubt is always there! At the same time we meet famous past characters such as great philosophers as Aristotle or Diogenes. Great Alexander has met legendary people but he is himself a legend. And this legend has hidden an other great character , Alexander's father, king Phillip of Macedonia. A good book!

The book retells Alexander's childhood and adolescence, growing up in the Macedonian city of Pella and moving to the town of Mieza, where he commences his studies with Aristotle as a tutor. Manfredi utilizes a great amount of detail and creates fantastic images. The novel includes suspense, allowing the reader to lustfully engage him/herself. The adventures of Alexander are told in way, evoking sympathy and coompassion and bringing the protagonist of the novel close to heart. I recommend this great book to all people interested in an exciting story of a powerful boy with infite power and a great future ahead, aswell as readers interest in historical information of this era.

I found Manfredi's first volume in his Alexander triology interesting enough to proceed with this, the second volume. Rarely would I abandon an author, but after reading The Sands of Ammon, I will not finish the trilogy. I've considered that maybe something got lost in the translation, but I am not convinced of that theory. Alexander and his companions are presented as NSYNC, or maybe the Backstreet Boys; I was expecting Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table or something equally as Wagnerian. Throughout the volume, Alexander seems to make off-the-wall, uninformed decisions that just happen to work out. The fact that he was schooled by Aristotle hardly enters into the formula. The romantic escapades that Manfredi inserts actually detract from the progress of the story and only interfere with the meat of the tale: how did this young man conquer the world. Clearly, it wasn't by luck or reliance on chance and uninformed decisions.

Whether it was Halliday's translation or Manfredi's lack of research, this just doesn't cut the mustard. No thanks. I'm content to wait two years for Steven Pressfield's next book.

I am about half way through reading the last of the three books in the "Alexander" trilogy. "The Sands of Ammon" delves deeper into Alexander's journey to conquer the world and we are taken from Macedonia to the gates of the Persian Empire. Unfortunately, I have to say, the second book, while an integral part of the series, was not as interesting as the first book, "Alexander: Child of a Dream". I admit at times some of the writing was corny, particularly the cheesy "love scenes". In any case, the book is still fairly enjoyable, and if you are like me and plan to read all three books, this is a must. I found Alexander's nemesis Memnon of Rhodes an interesting character in the book and I wish the author spent more time developing his character. All I know is Alexander sure had his fair share of the local women (and boys for that matter) which he conquered as well.

Regardless of some of the cheesy writings, the book still does manage to get deep into the mind of Alexander and his fellow Macedonian soldiers. I feel I dont have too much to write about since I am almost finished with the third book, which as a teaser (sorry, you will have to wait for the review) is far more interesting and tends to close the loop on this adventure. Enjoy.

I had a hard time deciding whether to give this three or four stars, but in the end, it wasn`t that bad. Mary Renault is a bit truer to the facts, especially in her history of Alexander, but this book still makes an interesting read. Some of the ideas are a bit far-fetched, but readers should keep in mind that this is first and foremost, a "novel". It:s main object is not to present a historically perfect Alexander, for which you had better consult other sources, but to provide an interesting story for those not so interested in the exact facts. It will still give you a fairly accurate idea of the life and times of Alexander though. I would recommend it for someone not too critical who just wants a good book to read.

Para quienes han leído otros textos de Manfredi, este queda fuera de lote, aunque no precisamente por ser mejor. Sin embargo, los conocimientos arqueológicos del autor, hacen muy creíble este suspenso de ciencia ficción. Nos traslada a épocas remotas y hace renacer a un terrible monstruo para tener en vilo al lector.

It is a very good police story, but the facts that happened with the greek things and the story of the doctor that found that thing has nothing to do with the story of the book or the revolution of Greece

This book was required as part of my culinary history class. It is easy to read, but I didn't find it very entertaining. I know that it is supposed to be informative, but I didn't find it attention grabbing. I felt like I had to look up every word to understand what the book was trying to say. I didn't see where it actually flowed with the class syllabus. The book talks about the history of food and how religion and culture are incolved. I didn't have a hard time reading the book, but I had a hard following where the book was going with the information. I thought that some of the information was interesting, but most of the text was all facts. I guess if you want to read about culinary history, then this is the book for you. If you read this book for enjoyment and pleasure I'm afraid that this book won't be very entertaining. I'm glad that I have read the book for future information and knowledge.

I tend to really enjoy books on culinary history; unfortunately this one left me wanting more. The chapters are disjointed, with no true unifying theme. The prose is stilted, though I suspect alot of this is due to poor translation. The information itself is good, but badly presented; overall a boring mess of a book. Pick up Tannahill's "Food in History" instead.

This is an academic study filled with essays by forty contributing authors. "FOOD: A culinary History" has been compiled by two of Europe's great food historians. This is more of a textbook than a book you can simply enjoy reading one afternoon on the couch. It is a hefty 553 pages plus Index. This is for the serious student or overly ambitious cook. I read it because I'm darn curious.

This book took me about a week to read. It is extremely well written and yet somewhat dry in places with the occasional oasis. You cannot skim over the pages, you have to analyze the sentences at times and then look up a few words here and there. I also thought the organization of the essays could have been greatly improved to provide more interesting reading. I wanted maps, timelines and perhaps more pictures of actual food from the time periods. There are a few pictures of famous art displaying food.

While reading, you will soon realize how fortunate we are to live in America in the present day. In general, the world has not eaten very well according to the descriptions in this book.

Some comments on the essays:

Some of the authors neglect to take religious beliefs into consideration when they discusses why man became an omnivore although he does touch on some facts about the Ancient Hebrews.

Evolution is presented as a "fact," while creation is presented as a "myth." I feel we have more evidence that points towards a creator and evolution seems somewhat illogical to me at least. Cooked meat is a natural byproduct of forest fires? Oh, I had a good laugh over that one. Sure, it could have happened, but what about considering what we do know about the past.

What about cooked meat being a natural result of sacrifices to the creator or even a goddess? I guess it is just a different way of looking at the past. I'd say you should take the first few chapters with a grain of "Fleur de Sel/French Sea Salt."

Francis Joannes writes a wonderful essay on "The Social Function of Banquets in the Earliest Civilizations" and mentions the epic of Gilgamesh and explains some details about a marriage in Assyria.

Jean Soler writes a fascinating chapter on "Biblical Reasons: The Dietary Rules of the Ancient Hebrews." I had never understood the concept of "culinary incest" which completely awakened my curiosity and Jean Soler provided well-thought out explanations as to why prescribed rituals had to be observed. I didn't realize that many cultures in history actually only consumed meat after ritual sacrifice. The taking of an animal's life takes on an entirely new meaning after reading this chapter. There are reasons why humans did not originally eat meat and they are very complex and have to do with a Creator having the power over life and death. In a way, humans were given the right to take away life in certain instances.

I enjoyed reading Chapter 18 which deals with "Mediterranean Jewish Diet and Traditions in the Middle Ages." Here you can learn the basics of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth, Purim and Passover.

If you are especially interested in Medieval Life, then you will love this book for the content on Medieval Cooking. It really is extensive.

Things you might learn from this book:
That the sycamore tree has fruit. Who knew.
How beer played a role in the invention of yeast breads
That the Etruscans had cheese graters
What "Dionysiac possession" means.
How we have the luxury of avoiding wheat while the Romans embraced it
as a buffer against famine.
That ale was used in pagan rituals since wine was sacred to Christianity.
That the cultivation of oats and other wild grasses began in Medieval times.
The reasons why peasants boiled meat and the nobles preferred roasting methods.
How the Arabs contributed to Medieval European culture.
Why Byzantine cuisine was mostly found in taverns.
Insight into why Muslims don't consume alcoholic beverages.
How Persia's culinary traditions influenced Arab cuisine.
How the European conquest of the Seven Seas influenced cooking.
How the tomato, potatoes and corn transformed European cooking.
Lists of Table Manners from the past.
That chestnuts are ground into flour and can be used to make polenta.
That the bread in Europe contained "peas."
Why people needed a kneading trough.

It does seem that in the past, many ate to live while today we have the luxury of living to eat. The way we cook does seem to be a result of lifestyle choices. If you like to study and read, you will more than likely spend less time cooking and have simple methods of combining foods without recipes. If you want to spend time reading this book, may I suggest Lean Cuisine? I did not have as much time to cook while trying to read this book.

However, you have to have a good laugh at all the "forbidden" foods and drink. Even today, this trend continues. One day we are told not to eat fat, the next not to eat as many carbohydrates. I'll say eating more protein and less carbohydrates does seem to have some charm and I'm seeing results. Bread = Bad in my present world of weight loss. At least, with certain diets, you are not supposed to eat bread or highly processed grains. They are also doing studies that point towards skin conditions caused by the way in which we process wheat. Time will tell. In the past, humans relied on bread in a big way. Today we have the luxury of saying no and reaching for a soy protein shake.

If I learned anything from this book it is that most of us have slowly freed ourselves from "culinary" tradition and regulation. While still clinging to some semblance of food preparation, we are advancing into a world where food preparation seems less important than getting a meal on the table fast. We freely make use of canned foods and boxed mixes. I think the new term is "Semi-Homemade."

Recommended for Serious Food Writers and Serious Students of Culinary History.

I had a copy of the edition of this book that covered "The first three decades", but bought the new one, expecting some interesting information. The new edition, covering "The first four decades" has only 20 pages devoted to the last decade. The information, detail and writing in Karnbach and Bernson's "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll", which covers the same time period, far surpasses this book.

I'm sorry for mr. Bonanno but this chronicle is really disappointing. It doesn't really tell you very much about the Stones, since it is mainly a list of all the shows they ever gave, a list which you can find everywhere. Except for the period of the sixties hardly any background information is to be found here, it's way too generalistic. Another annoying fact is that the book pretends to include the Bridges of babylon tour. This is not true, only the concert data are included, many of which were changed or cancelled. If you want to read a really good chronicle about the Stones, read the fabulous 'Good times, bad times' by Rawlings & Badman, which describes (unfortunately only) the period 1960 - 1969 day by day and gives you an incredible amount of facts and inside information. This book however seems not to be available.

I was hoping for a book about Super Sport history with a serious discussion of technology development and performance. Instead, the book focuses almost exclusively on cosmetics. Where technology is discussed, it is mainly to mention the substitution of this or that model of carburetor or disk brakes without any real discussion of the reasons for or consequences of these changes. The book seems geared towards collectors for whom minute details of paint scheme and turn signal location are significant. On the plus side, the photographs are numerous and beautiful, and the overall print quality is excellent.

This is the same moran reporter, Calabresi, who interviewed Scott Ritter, the former UN weapons inspector, and asked him about what he would call his exercise video (implying that he is like Jane Fonda). Talk about BAITING. Calabresi claimed Ritter was a traitor in the interview. I wouldn't put much TRUST in whatever this reporter claims.

This article is fish food. One has to wonder if this reporting is true. Contrary to the usual image of journalists as cantankerous, obstinate, and ubiquitous in their search for truth and defense of justice, in their actual practice they defend the economic, social, and political agendas of the elite groups that dominate domestic society, the state, and the global order. This article systematically fails to provide the kind of information that people need to make sense of government security agencies.

Calabresi was paid to change the subject and to frighten us instead of really exploring venality and corruption in government.

This article is an excellent example of the baseless, harmful paranoia spread by our mass media. These two journalist are clearly lusting for readership attraction by scare tactics (following the dictum, "if it bleeds, it leads").

Calabresi and Ratnesar hype alleged dangers and exploit readers to fear the wrong things, instead of doing hard investigative journalism. Our attention on these fears diverts us from examining more difficult societal issues, such as global dependency, alternative energy sources, state of Israel, gun control, and global poverty.

Since 9/11 the US has had proposals for a national ID card, a missile defense system, legalized torture, suspension of writ of habeas corpus, a homeland security infrastructure that is heavily reliant on security technologies of questionable value. Essentially the only thing that has changed that would have prevented 9/11 is locked airline cabin doors and the recent general awareness that cooperating with a hijacker might not be the best policy for passengers.

Unless you enjoy being manipulated, this article will help you recognize fear mongering for what it really is, and rationally and skeptically evaluate how your emotions are played like a fiddle.