Best of
Greece

1980

Thermopylae: The Battle for the West


Ernle Bradford - 1980
    The bloody stand made there by Leonidas and his small Spartan army in 480 B.C. has been hailed ever since as an outstanding example of patriotism, courage, and sacrifice.

Socrates and Aristophanes


Leo Strauss - 1980
    Looking at eleven plays, Strauss shows that this confrontation is essentially one between poetry and philosophy, and that poetry emerges as an autonomous wisdom capable of rivaling philosophy."Strauss gives us an impressive addition to his life's work—the recovery of the Great Tradition in political philosophy. The problem the book proposes centers formally upon Socrates. As is typical of Strauss, he raises profound issues with great courage. . . . [He addresses] a problem that has been inherent in Western life ever since [Socrates'] execution: the tension between reason and religion. . . . Thus, we come to Aristophanes, the great comic poet, and his attack on Socrates in the play The Clouds. . . [Strauss] translates it into the basic problem of the relation between poetry and philosophy, and resolves this by an analysis of the function of comedy in the life of the city." —Stanley Parry, National Review

Islands and Beaches: Discourse on a Silent Land: Marquesas, 1774-1880


Greg Dening - 1980
    

The Search for Alexander


Robin Lane Fox - 1980
    In his 20s, both tactitian & intellectual, Alexander struck out on an adventure from Greece, leading 50,000 men. It would span 10 years & 11,000 miles on foot & horseback, beginning in 336 BC. At its end, he was by conquest king of the Greeks, pharoah of Egypt, ruler of Persia, master of the known world. By age 32, he would be dead. A comprehensive & wonderfully illustrated & documented biography of Alexander the Great, published to coincide with a national television special & a major international art exhibition held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC & museums in Chicago, Boston & San Francisco. Published in conjunction with a television series & an art exhibition, this is a comprehensive biography of Alexander, focusing on what is actually known, beautifully illustrated with over 220 photographs throughout.

Maria Callas: The Woman behind the Legend


Arianna Huffington - 1980
    Huffington makes this struggle, which was at the center of her life, also the center of the biography. Using a wealth of previously unpublished material and numerous first-hand interviews, Huffington documents Callas' interminable conflict with her mother, her deeply emotional relationship with her voice, the gradual unraveling of her first marriage, her passionate love affair with of Aristotle Onassis, her agony and humiliation at his leaving her, and her secret abortion.

Mystery of Hidden Harbor


Phyllis A. Whitney - 1980
    

Alexander the Great: King, Commander and Statesman


N.G.L. Hammond - 1980
    Each age produces its own interpretations of him. Alexander remains a fascinating subject for specialists, and this study is very able. The author is a historian of note, an Honorary Fellow of Cambridge University, and a lifelong student of his subject. "This book has been eagerly awaited. It presents Alexander as he functioned. The hero-worship came later." (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)

Greek and Roman Slavery


Thomas Wiedemann - 1980
    The material is arranged thematically, offering the reader a comprehensive review of the idea and practice of slavery in ancient civilization. In addition, a thorough bibliography for each chapter, as well as an extensive index, make this a valuable source for scholars and students.

Aegean Rivals: The Persians, Imperial Greece: (The Rise and Fall of Empires: Imperial Visions Series: Vol. 2):


Daisy More - 1980
    

The Search for Alexander: An Exhibition


Nicholas Yalouris - 1980
    Catalogue focuses specifically on Alexander the Great and the art his time. 173 works of marble, gold, silver, bronze, ivory, and terracotta of the 4th and 3d centuries B.C. from Greek, European, and American public and private collections included portraits of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great. A gold casket, a gold wreath of oak leaves, and armor from the royal tomb at Vergina, thought to be that of Philip, were among the highlights loaned from the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, where the larger original exhibition was first shown. This blockbuster exhibition, in preparation with Greek authorities for many years, included recent finds from Macedonian tombs from the age of Alexander.The exhibition was coordinated by the National Gallery with the cooperation of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sciences, and supported by the National Bank of Greece and Time Inc. for the participants in its United States tour. Gaillard Ravenel and Mark Leithauser designed the exhibition and Gordon Anson designed the lighting for the National Gallery.

The Greek World


Eliot Porter - 1980