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In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great [Paperback]

Michael Wood
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Book Description

7 Oct 2004

Michael Wood retraces Alexander the Greats amazing journey from Greece to India, searching for the truth behind the legend and experiencing the tremendous scale of his achievements.

Using the ancient historians as his guides, Wood follows Alexanders journey as closely as possible, crossing deserts and rivers, from Turkey to war-torn Afghanistan. As the journey progresses, he recreates the drama of Alexanders epic marches and bloody battles. All along the way he finds proof of the survival of the legends surrounding Alexander, a leader whose life has excited the worlds imagination for the 2,000 years. 'Wood tells a glorious story with some very dark shadows.' New York Times 'Wood is a perceptive, entertaining and enthusiastic companion.' Sunday Times 'Wood is a lively storyteller.' The Washington Post


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Product details

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: BBC Books (7 Oct 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0563521937
  • ISBN-13: 978-0563521938
  • Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 1.9 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 130,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Product Description

Amazon Review

More than two millennia ago, Alexander the Great changed the course of human history in an astonishingly short time: He acceded to the throne of Macedon at the age of just 20, and by the time he was 30 he had conquered the known world. At 32 he was dead. His 22,000-mile journey to India and back opened up connections between the East and West, and even today its traces can be found throughout Asia-- in cultures, legends, place names and traditions. Filmmaker and journalist Michael Wood has retraced Alexander's journey--by car, horse, camel, boat and even on foot-- resulting in the engaging In the Footsteps of Alexander. (He travelled with a small, hardy film crew, and together they also produced a PBS documentary of the same name.) Wood's text vividly brings Alexander's times to life, as he mixes accounts of his own adventures and encounters with the story of Alexander's journey. Accompanying the text is a well-chosen assortment of maps, photographs and reproductions of artwork and artefacts. Alexander aficionados and neophytes alike will find much to inform and delight them in this handsome volume. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars A lightweight introduction to Alexander. 18 Aug 2004
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Michael Wood's book on Alexander the Great came as something of a disappointment to me, having read and enjoyed his book "In Search of the Trojan War". In this book, Wood follows the route taken by Alexander and his army from their starting point at the Dardanelles to their conquest of Northern India and Pakistan, to Alexander's untimely death in Babylon.

It has to be said that this book is rather thin, and I was often left feeling that some of the details had been glossed over, perhaps in an effort to appeal to a wider audience.

It's very interesting to read about some of the facts that Wood uncovered on his journey, and some of the Alexander legends that have been preserved by local people brought the story to life very well, but perhaps Wood was too influenced by local people who regard Alexander as a murderous devil, as his description of Alexander focusses far too much on his atrocities, alcoholism and egotism to the detriment of his generalship. Clearly, Alexander was a despicable tyrant, but his military achievements were enormous, and didn't get the attention they deserved here.

On the whole, the book is enjoyable, and well worth reading for anyone with an interest in the subject, particularly if it's the first book on Alexander that you read. However, I was disappointed in how far short of the author's other work this book fell. Michael Wood is a gifted writer with an ability to bring his subject to life, and he is clearly a fine historian, but I wonder if this book was written to a tight deadline. I recommend "In Search of the Trojan War" far more than "In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great".

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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fantastic 8 July 2001
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
After I watched the TV series, I didn't feel that Michael Wood would be able to improve on the subject when putting it into book form. After having read the book, I have to say that he has indeed managed to improve upon the series with a sharp, pacy book with fascinating and breathtaking descriptions of places and people. This book is even better than the series and is an absolute must buy.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars DIFFERENT 24 Dec 2001
Format:Paperback
A different approach from other Alexander books, and well worthwhile. It is remarkable how much remains to be seen on the ground and compliments to Michael Wood for an excellent travelogue in this respect.

As history, the book is weaker, the military side of the campaigns is very understated, although the attempted psychological profiles of Alexander and Hephaistion are surely not too wide of the mark.

I sometimes had the feeling that Wood considered his own voyage to be almost as remarkable achievement as Alexander's; and there was a general sense of disapproval of drinking and violence which in the columns of the Guardian or in a BBC book is surely not out of place, but considering the norms of the Hellenistic age should perhaps be judged less censoriously.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great service
This was bought as a prsent and I was very pleased with it. It arrived within a few days of ordering
Published 2 months ago by wend
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
I'm a big history fan, and this account by the popular TV historian and presenter does not disappoint. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lincs Lass
4.0 out of 5 stars Preferred the original hardback to the new paperback edition
I came to this book via the TV series, being aware that Michael Wood's books often have more to say than is relayed on screen. Read more
Published on 16 Dec 2010 by Nicholas Casley
2.0 out of 5 stars Bad History
This book is only good for describing the journey that Alexander took. As far as the historical content is concerned, I would give it a minus 10. Very bad.
Published on 30 July 2003 by John L.
5.0 out of 5 stars Alexander's Conquests Brought To Life
This is the book of the extraordinary T.V. series. Michael Wood has obviously followed the conquests of Alexander the Great in detail in the sources, and in this book he brings... Read more
Published on 13 May 2002
3.0 out of 5 stars Expected More.
Surprisingly, this did not offer the interest of the documentary. Without a real knowledge in Ancient Greek history and mythology it was quite easy to lose interest in the book. Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2002 by Ceri Jenkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks Michael Wood!
Actually I haven't read this book yet, but have just finished watching Wood's documentary of the same name. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 1999
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