The Ancient Greek World

Jennifer Roberts and Tracy Barrett bring together their respective mastery of scholarship and storytelling to tell the history of a place, a people, and a culture that has left some of the most beautiful art, the greatest stories, and the most magnificent cities and buildings that the world has ever known. The Ancient Greek World uses primary sources such as Homer's Odyssey, Herodotus' Histories, a Minoan drinking cup, and a child's grave epitaph to present a balanced and lively narrative history of ancient Greece. A chronology, cast of characters, maps, pronunciation table, further reading, and index supplement the main text.

About the Author :
Jennifer Roberts is Professor of Classics and History at the City College of New York and the City University of New York Graduate Center. Tracy Barrett is the author of numerous books for young readers, including the award-winning Anna of Byzantium (Laureleaf, 2000) and Cold in Summer (Henry Holt, 2003). She teaches courses on writing for children and on children's literature and is on the faculty of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Review :
"A thoroughly researched political and cultural history. The writing is lively, often using humorous titles for chapters and sidebars: Always Look a Gift Horse in the Belly: The Trojan War, Everybodys Got a Sore Spot (referring to Achilles). Extensive quotes from primary sources, attractive page layouts, numerous good-quality color photographs of ruins and artifacts, plus the infusion of humor make for a palatable, solid resource for any collection. Included are a time line, a lengthy list for further reading, and Web sites." -- School Library Journal, August 2004 "In the wake of Joy Hakim's fabulous A History of US, the publishers are pairing historians and novelists for similarly readable, meaty tours of more ancient cultures. Here, paying particular attention to the roles of women and repeatedly noting that the cultural and economic achievements of the Greek citystates rested solidly on the backs of farmers and slaves, the authors trace the rise and fall of Crete, Mycenae, Classical Greece, and Alexander's empire, interspersing topical chapters, illuminating side notes, and even an interview with a working archaeologist. Photos of artifacts and ruins, plus an admixture of carefully identified Renaissance art, support it all nicely....For clarity, scholarship, and readability, it rises easily past the general run of assignment titles." -- Kirkus Reviews "With the continuing discoveries of archaeologists and researchers, history is constantly changing...and so is learning about history thanks to this series." --Growing Minds "For fans of Joy Hakim's wonderful History of US series, Oxford University Press is publishing The World in Ancient Times, the multi-volume world history equivalent....This series is a great idea." -- Home Education