The ruined silhouette of the Parthenon on its hill above Athens is one of the world's most famous images. Its 'looted' Elgin Marbles are a global cause celèbre. But what actually are they? In a revised and updated edition, Mary Beard, award winning writer, reviewer and leading Cambridge classicist, tells the history and explains the significance of the Parthenon, the temple of the virgin goddess Athena, the divine patroness of ancient Athens.'Sophisticated, engaging ... she unravels the intricacies with the light and deft touch which characterises the whole book ... something for classicists and laymen alike' Gavanndra Hodge, Independent on Sunday 'The classical world still rouses fierce passions, and books like this help to make the study of ancient Greece urgent and relevant' Tom Holland, New Statesman
The Parthenon
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.40
Trade in The Parthenon for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.40, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
"'Sophisticated, engaging... she unravels the intricacies with the light and deft touch which characterises the whole book... something for classicists and laymen alike' Gavanndra Hodge, Independent on Sunday 'The classical world still rouses fierce passions, and books like this help to make the study of ancient Greece urgent and relevant' Tom Holland, New Statesman 'A classic in every sense of the word' John Julius Norwich * 'An extremely entertaining read... a book that is both learned and eloquent' Erich Segal * 'She succeeds brilliantly in bringing back [the ruins of the Parthenon] to imaginative life' Joan Smith, Financial Times"
Book Description
'A classic in every sense of the word' John Julius Norwich Revised and updated to include the story of the New Acropolis Museum, the controversies that have surrounded it, and whether it makes a difference to the 'Elgin Marble debate'. As so often with the Parthenon, there are all kinds of surprises.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a delight to read. It tells a fascinating history clearly and in a way that makes you want to read a few more pages before you put it down. It spells out how little we really know about the original uses of the building whilst describing the rich history it has had down the ages. However much you think you know about this building, this book will add to that knowledge. It is not afraid to handle controversial issues such as the Elgin marbles but does so in a fair and even handed way. If you haven’t been to the Parthenon yet this book will make you want to go. If you have been before this book will make you want to go again and look at this iconic building in a new light. Could the writer or publisher have done it better? Well, the quality of photographs is less than we should expect in the digital age. Mary Beard’s excellent text deserves better. I look forward to reading the other volumes in the series.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Piers Harper
Format:Paperback
I loved this book straight away. It displays a thorough knowledge of the subject without being dry, dull and just plain tedious like so many others. Beard writes in an approachable and often witty way and I particularly like the way she bursts the balloon of so many pompous and seemingly unquestioning statements about the Parthenon. There are many temples in the Greek World and, although they may not be as refined as the Parthenon, many are more interesting in a variety of ways. Personally I've always preferred the early Doric ones and The Parthenon has stopped me feeling guilty about this. That said, this book is a wonderful read. It may well knock on the head many ideas you had on this subject, but I doubt you will be disappointed.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Reading this book is like having a private tour of this most iconic of buildings with the author as one's highly knowledgeable guide. I loved the down-to-earth, almost chatty style, which is highly readable whilst nonetheless imparting a huge amount of information. I also particularly loved the 'further reading' section included at the end of the book which manages to be suitably thorough to satisfy Classics geeks like me, whilst at the same time being accessible for anyone with a keen, but perhaps less academic, interest.
I found this book almost by accident whilst looking for the one the author has been written about Pompeii. However, it is anything but a second choice. I am a Classics graduate with a particular interest in the Partenon, and the city of Athens in the Classical period. I have also been lucky enough to go inside the current building to look at the reconstruction/restoration work, and visited the new Acropolis museum shortly after it was opened. So, I considered myself to be fairly well informed about the Parthenon, particularly during its early history. This book has helped me to better understand both the building, and the Acropolis in general, particularly in its later history.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who has been, or is planning a trip to Athens.
I found this book almost by accident whilst looking for the one the author has been written about Pompeii. However, it is anything but a second choice. I am a Classics graduate with a particular interest in the Partenon, and the city of Athens in the Classical period. I have also been lucky enough to go inside the current building to look at the reconstruction/restoration work, and visited the new Acropolis museum shortly after it was opened. So, I considered myself to be fairly well informed about the Parthenon, particularly during its early history. This book has helped me to better understand both the building, and the Acropolis in general, particularly in its later history.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who has been, or is planning a trip to Athens.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Mark
Format:Kindle Edition
Erudite, beautifully written and entertaining, this is a wonderful read. Professor Beard has an amazing capacity for writing as if she knew those she writes about. This book is, if anything, better even than her previous works
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Sharon
Format:Paperback
The Parthenon
This is a very easy, enjoyable read. The book gives a comprehensive history of the parthenon and the Elgin marbles in a very short, sharp satisfying way. it is not dry or boring and is invaluable if you are thinking of visiting Athens and the acropolis at any time. It will enable any visitor to view the the Acropolis, Parthenon or Elgin marbles with fresh eyes and possibly a great deal more curiosity.
This is a very easy, enjoyable read. The book gives a comprehensive history of the parthenon and the Elgin marbles in a very short, sharp satisfying way. it is not dry or boring and is invaluable if you are thinking of visiting Athens and the acropolis at any time. It will enable any visitor to view the the Acropolis, Parthenon or Elgin marbles with fresh eyes and possibly a great deal more curiosity.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed Beard's 'Pompeii' and this is every bit as good. She draws out the history of the Parthenon, largely through the eyes of visitors from different periods. In doing so we get a wonderful picture of the Parthenon without being weighed down in technical detail. It's a story very economically told - you're through the book before you realise it... leaving you wanting for more at the end. As in 'Pompeii', Beard's writing is clear and clever.
Of course the real controversy is the British Museum's possession of the 'Elgin' marbles. Again this is a strong story concisely told and we get an excellent summary of the arguments. Although we get her views on some of the actions and characters on both sides of the debate, Beard does not commit herself one way or the other. I think this is a shame as surely her views are worth airing too. i particularly like her account of how the British Museum is shifting the argument from repatriation of the marbles to reunification of their disparate parts. How and where is this to be achieved, I wonder?
In all an excellent little book, strongly recommended.
Of course the real controversy is the British Museum's possession of the 'Elgin' marbles. Again this is a strong story concisely told and we get an excellent summary of the arguments. Although we get her views on some of the actions and characters on both sides of the debate, Beard does not commit herself one way or the other. I think this is a shame as surely her views are worth airing too. i particularly like her account of how the British Museum is shifting the argument from repatriation of the marbles to reunification of their disparate parts. How and where is this to be achieved, I wonder?
In all an excellent little book, strongly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Will Staffs
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you are studying Classics at Undergraduate level, or are broadly interested in the subject then I thoroughly recommend this book. Beautifully written and engaging it captivates from start to finish.
Another winner from Mary Beard!
Another winner from Mary Beard!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mary has a very easy and almost conversation-like writing style, which makes the book that much easier to read. It tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the Parthenon, including the design and the art work, right up to the new Acropolis museum. The only reason I didn't give a fifth star is because of the black and white photos, as the Parthenon is so magnificent that a few colour photos would have been a lovely and interesting inclusion.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 8 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting
Very well researched. Very readable.it makes the Parthenon come alive in all its centuries of history.it makes you want to visit the Parthenon again.
Published 23 days ago by Ian S McDonald
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not about the Architecture
This is an enjoyable general history of the life of the Parthenon, how it was used and abused through its entire life. Read more
Published 3 months ago by S. Tierney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent background for a visit to the Parthenon
I bought this book, on the strength of Amazon reviews, before a visit to Athens in November 2012. It was a perfect introduction to the Parthenon, scholarly yet very easy to read,... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Gail Naughton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, informative and most certainly witty!
Mary Beard has such an organic style of writing which is simply fascinating; she makes the already rich history of the Parthenon even more dynamic. Read more
Published 8 months ago by CoJoRo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compact, informative, funny and even emotional!
The Parthenon is one of the most famous and controversial buildings in the world. Furthermore, the whole 'Elgin marble thing' is so complicated and the disputes so old that it is... Read more
Published 9 months ago by JennyD
4.0 out of 5 stars
ODE TO A GRECIAN METOPE
An excellent and informative book written in a cool, clear and precise style. While Mary Beard's prose may not be as lyrical or as all encompassing as that of Gibbon (it isn't) it... Read more
Published 19 months ago by A. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reality or Myth? An overview of the history and politics of a cutural...
Mary Beard has produced an exemplary guide to the historical, political and artistic context of the Parthenon. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. Jaj Richards
4.0 out of 5 stars
Educated modern view that is good to read
Mary Beard makes the story of this venerable icon of modern Greece interesting and readable. I cannot check detail because I enjoyed it so much I gave it to a friend for her... Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2010 by Lisa, Bucks
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Art, Architecture & Photography > Architecture > Types of Architecture > Religious Buildings
- Books > History > Ancient History & Civilisation > Greece
- Books > History > Ancient History & Civilisation > Rome
- Books > History > Archaeology > By Period > Classical Greek & Roman
- Books > History > Religious History > Other Religions
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
