Books for/about - History of Roman

Publisher: For Dummies
Authors: John Trigilio Kenneth Brighenti

ISBN: 0764553917
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 5
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Summary: Outstanding introduction or re-introduction!
This book explains the major (and many minor) components of catholic faith including- The structure of the church (with a good&short outline of history in the back), the total outline of the mass and what it means, what the sacraments are, how the cathlic church interprets the 10 commandments (very enlightening- for any Christian!), the steps one takes to becomming catholic, the eucharist and transubstantiation, and the church's position (and biblical basis) for issues on the death penalty, abortion, euthenasia, birth control, etc. It even devotes an entire chapter to what the Virgin Mary is for catholics. It includes how to say the rosary in detail and gives several other common prayers. The ONLY thing I didn't find in here were mass responses.

This is well thought, humorous, and an easy read. Very informative! Definately recommend!

Summary: Good reference book. Answers FAQs.
Often looking for a book to recommend to those who ask me for an introduction to Catholicism, I pick up a number of introduction books on a regular basis. I came across "Catholicism for Dummies" in a bookstore while browsing and picked it up with the expectation of being disappointed. To my pleasant surprise, I was not.

While this book is composed of "just the facts" with little breadth, it is a surprisingly complete basis for further inquiry. I found that this is more appropriately a reference book than an introduction. Composed in a systematic way, this book outlines those issues of greatest import and most likely the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). While it clearly lacks the ability to do any reasonable justice to the depth of Catholic theology and teaching, it is a solid starting point.

If you are looking for a sound reference book that calls for your attention with its distractingly bright yellow cover - this book is for you! If you don't mind being a dummy.

Summary: Catholicism for Anyone...
This book was helpful and fun to read! I found myself highlighting tidbits and it answered many of my questions. It is filled with so much useful information, including technical stuff, and random trivia. After my husband reads it, I'll probably go through it again.

I was born into a Catholic family and attended Methodist Church growing up. My husband was raised Southern-Baptist and now wants to join the Catholic Church. I bought the book to refresh my memory on why we do the things we do at mass - and I was extremely pleased.

Whether you are Catholic, are joining the church for the first time, or just curious and like to have all the answers - this book is a really good read.

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Double Crossed: Uncovering the Catholic Church's Betrayal of American Nuns

Publisher: Doubleday
Authors: Kenneth Briggs

ISBN: 0385516363
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Summary: Errors, misinformation and unproven thesis
This book promotes the tired 40-year-old thesis that conservatives blocked the implementation of the Catholic Church's Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). The author alleges that the Catholic sisters who pushed radical reforms in religious life were merely trying to follow the teachings of Vatican II. But, he goes on, misogynist bishops who feared losing control over this "servant class" of women, tried to "turn back" the renewal dictated by Vatican II, thus causing the decimation of women's religious orders.

And what proof does Briggs offer for this thesis? Ten-year-old interviews with the very sisters who perpetrated their own version of renewal on religious orders. The author gives no thoughtful analysis to the actual Vatican II documents, though he does admit that the progressive sisters arrived at "their own vision of the religious vocation" and pushed changes in religious life far beyond the renewal anticipated by Vatican II.

Clearly the author's sympathies lie with these progressive sisters, for they have challenged the Catholic Church, which Briggs criticizes as sexist and hierarchial, and not the "fellowship of equals" he prefers. Briggs is particularly critical of the late Cardinal John O'Connor, who became archbishop of New York when Briggs was religion editor of the New York Times, making the reader wonder what happened to make Briggs so antagonistic toward O'Connor.

The author's overt sympathy with Church progressives destroys the credibility of the book, as do the many errors and pieces of misinformation that permeate the pages. For example, Briggs writes that only sisters were told by Vatican II to renew their orders, when actually, all religions orders were told to renew, including the men's. He also decries the "2000" canon laws that governed "every aspect of a nun's life," when in reality there were only 200. And he explains to readers that 90 percent of all sisters are "progressive," when there is really no way to verify that claim. In fact, I personally know dozens of sisters who feel "double-crossed" not by the Catholic Church and its bishops, but rather by the sisters Briggs interviewed who ruined their orders with unauthorized changes.

This book is not an accurate representation of what happened to Catholic sisters.

Summary: Great read on a topic I didn't think I was interested in
Not being either a Catholic or a woman, I didn't think I would be interested in this book, but once I started reading it I discovered that Mr. Briggs found in the decline of nuns a canvas to say so much about many issues of the last 50 years. Would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding women and/or church autority in our society. Very well written and researched. Many fascinating stories between its covers.

Summary: History Proves Briggs Wrong
Briggs has missed the point. It is the orthodox women religious, from Mother Tearesa's Missionaries of Charity to the Nashville Dominicans that have experienced an explotion since Vatican II while those orders who have (miss)interpreted church teaching in un-orthodox way have declined to nothing. Briggs does a noble job of trying to rationalize his politics, but fails to understand the overwhelming facts before him.

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	The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Authors: Peter Heather
ISBN: 0195159543 List Price: $40.00 Amazon Price: $25.20 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 5 Reviews: Summary: Excelsior! Heather tells the complex story of the Fall of the Roman Empire in a writing style so accessible that you feel like he is talking to you. He clearly presents his thesis (oversimplification: there was no "decline". There was a loss in revenue when North Africa was lost. Barbarians eroded the western empire and a disasterous armada ... to get Africa back... nailed the coffin) so that lay people can understand it. When he presents evidence he also notes what is missing from the evidence, or how reliable/unreliable it might be. This way, we know how he came to his conclusion, leaving the door open for future discoveries. Heather, the editor and publisher (Oxford University Press) have done their team work. The maps are excellent and they are placed with the text they illustrate. There are referals to a previous pages, something you rarely see since books are routinely published in such haste that this is not possible. The biographies (of people and peoples) in the back help you keep the players straight. Heather says a full study of what happened in the provinces is worth another book. I hope Heather writes it! Summary: A brilliant account of the last hundred years of the Western Roman Empire This magnificent book is accessible to the history buff or general reader and provides an extensive, logical and easy to read account of all that went wrong in the last hundred years of the Western Roman Empire. Mr. Heather's extensive research combined with attention to detail has produced a brilliant, well argued revisionist account of why the Empire eventually fell to the barbarians. Essentially the volume of the various incursions of barbarians from the late 4th century AD was too much for the Western Empire to sustain and gradually wore it down. Heather is able to clarify the external and internal reasons why the Empire was worn down by the barbarians. The Empire was still prosperous with an army but it was not enough to withstand the series of invasions. Heather provides a good explanation of why the Western Roman Empire army was much less formidable after the defeat at Hadrianople. From reading Gibbon l thought that Stilicho was the last great General of the Western Roman Empire, not so, l enjoyed the account of the life of the general and consul Flavius Aetius. Heather is able to transport the reader back in time and bring ancient persons back to life so l was able to imagine the political and social environment they lived in. Mr. Heather also explains why the end of the Western Roman Empire was not a certain event and how it could have remained viable. The final nail in the coffin was the failed attempt to invade North Africa in 468 AD to regain land lost to the Vandals. The author's last paragraph in the book is brilliant and challenging but l will not reveal it to spoil the effect for anybody else. Summary: A NO-BRAINER, FIVE-STAR, READ-IT-NOW NARRATIVE Peter Heather's THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE is an exciting book because it peels away the pasted-on theories of the fall of the Roman Empire and replaces them with a logical, coherent theory of what happened. For some reason, known only to my shrink, I am a fan of the Roman Empire. And so, while reading THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, I kept rooting for the Romans to win, hoping that the conclusion might turn out differently and the Empire would survive. But, alas, it did not. Still, it's that kind of book: it reads like a novel, with clear, easy-to-read prose. The next time you travel to Hungary think of Attila the Hun whose fierce, stretched-skull Huns, wielding deadly bows that could pierce armor from horseback a hundred-plus yards distant, smacked into the Germanic tribes to the west and sent them carooming like billiard balls across the Roman frontier. I won't spoil any more of the plot for you because this well-researched and entertaining book deserves your full ruminations. (There are 16 maps and the many footnotes are tucked away in the end papers, out of sight.) THE FALL is a no-brainer, five-star, read-it-now narrative that makes the political, economic, military and social aspects of the fourth and fifth centuries seem like they happened yesterday, and that the Romans of these times, whose orderly world was slowly unraveling into a kind of chaotic darkness, were people much like you and I, struggling to save their way of life in vexing, dangerous times. Summary:

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The Last Days of Socrates (Penguin Classics)

Publisher: Penguin Classics
Authors: Plato Harold Tarrant Hugh Tredennick

ISBN: 0140449280
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 4
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Summary: let's not argue
First, let me commend this book on it's ability to maintain relevance over the course of hundreds, even thousands of years. It is a necessity to any "rooty" student of philosophy.

Secondly, let me acknowledge that Socrates was a seemingly unhuman grace to the acomplishments of the human race. However, as he encouraged us to face rational facts as opposed to common beliefs, you must face the reality that in fact Socrates had sex with young boys, as was the norm for that era in Greek history. There are no questions. Most of the great minds did, though I am both a devotee to their teachings and wise to the ugliness of those actions.

If Aristotle killed a stranger would that make his work of lesser importance?

Let me stress that dignity in experiences (your 4 years of study) should not extend to close the mind but to expand it. We are reading passionate works of a man who shaped our world.

To argue irrationally on the topic of Socrates is to hit a man who disrespects Gandhi.

Summary: W.J. Knapp is quite ignorant!
Just like the other person who said that W.J. Knapp's review is, essentially, incredible and ridiculous, I, too, think that he knows nothing of Socrates. I have studied ancient philosophy for the last 4 years, specifically Socrates and Plato!, and this "Baptist Minister" is quite ignorant of Socrates and his ostensible love affairs with young men. There is NO evidence for any claim that says that Socrates slept with young men. He even resisted Alcibiades when Alcibiades wanted to sleep with him (read Alcibiades, by Plato)! He also died for a cause; he did not die for nothing! Besides Jesus, and possibly the apostle Paul, Socrates was the best man who had ever lived--and I am a devout Christian saying this! HE WAS A MARTYR! HE DID NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE GREEKS OF HIS TIME BELIEVED AS REGARDS GOD! In sum, do not pay heed to what W.J. Knapp says; he is obviously ignorant about the TRUTH! And you, W.J. Knapp, call yourself a Baptist! Besides bashing Knapp's comment, I would like to say that this book is great; an excellent read, and it stimulates one's mind, challenging one to consider things anew. It is also a wonderful story about the most influential philosopher who died for what he belived in: the TRUTH! I hope that each one of you finds this book as enjoyable as I do each time I read it! God Bless!

The following is a reply to Eric's recent comment (January 20, 2005)

It seems as if Eric does not know what he is talking about, for his logic is both fallacious and implausible. Just because many male Greeks in that era had sex with young boys, this does not necessarily prove that Socrates did. Not everyone in that era had sex with young boys; now did they, Eric?! His argument would not be right even if, say, 999,999 male Greeks out of 1,000,000 did have sex with young boys. If anyone was the exception, it would be Socrates. Moreover, as a philosophy professor (who is knowledgable specifically in the ancient philosophy period), I have studied this man quite in depth, and his character and daimon would certainly proscribe such immoral conduct. For, even if it was not deemed heinous or immoral in that era, that does not mean that Socrates deemed it moral. Lastly, perhaps you have not read many of the Platonic dialogues, but in one of them Socrates even had a chance to sleep with the finest young boy in Greece (Alcibiades); but he refused! Socrates did not have sex with young boys. There are no questions! Let us hope that this argument has eliminated any difficulties you, or anyone else for that matter, are struggling with. All in all, the book is wonderful, and I recommend it to anyone, even if he thinks Socrates did have sex with young boys!

Summary: great book
The only "sad case" is for the critic below, who while being an independant baptist minister, is so blinded by his prejudice as to ingore the universal truths in this book. The archetypal death of a martyr is described here in all its glory. Great Book!

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Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church

Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
Authors: Michael S. Rose

ISBN: 0895261448
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Summary: Ought to be a documentary about this
This story isn't told as much as it needs to be. I knew things were bad in some parts of the church, but some of the details here will positively floor you. After years of putting problem-priests and others into the administrative side of the house, this habit resulted in a seminary system that rewards radicalism and false teachers. Examples: a seminary class which taught wiccanism at the request of a student who planned to practice it as a catholic priest; a nun who spoke to others about her "upcoming" ordination as a priest (she and others planned to go through with the idea); a seminary in Maryland so gay it was nicknamed Pink Palace: they used to load up the cars and cruise the gay bars on Friday nights. There are several instances, probably still occuring, where men who wanted to become priests were rejected because they were not gay. Our church cannot afford to have the inmates running the asylum, as this book illustrates was, and perhaps still is, the case in many semenaries.

I could go on, but the story must be read to understand just how bad things got before the scandals were finally revealed in 2002. Even then, the news didn't cover the story in depth, probably out of a fear of appearing "homophobic."

The bright side is that there are some changes, slowly but surely. A documentary version of this book could wake even more people up to how bad its become in the semenaries.

Summary: HOMOSEXUAL UNDERCULTURE STILL PRESENT!!
Many priests in the "know" have said that this book must be taken with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, they don't know how true Mr. Rose's book is. The previous review mentioned a seminary in Indiana. I happen to know for a fact that this seminary has a homosexual underculture manifested and the rector and vice-rector are indifferent and think nothing of expelling good, holy and orthodox seminarians while advancing the gay culture. Sure, they put on a good act of piety, but they demoralize, rob the dignity and integrity of the good seminarians and push the development of the "evil". Yes, evil is still thriving in our seminaries. I know, I have experienced it. I was a seminarian in this seminary for 2 years.

Summary: YES ITS STILL GOING ON!!!
I entered seminary last year and believe me, if you aren't part of a clique or kiss up to the formation staff of this seminary in Indiana, then look out for some not very nice surprises during the annual evaluation. This happened to a good, orthodox, holy seminarian (who because he didn't play the political game) was given a bad evaluation and he left the seminary sadly disillusioned and heartbroken. The formation staff never took into consideration the good he did.....untiringly faithful as head sacristan and heading up the teams to deliver wood to the poor on weekends. Yet, there are gay seminarians here...who are deemed ready for ordination who are out visiting priests who they became good friends with while they were here and they are propositioning them. So, yes, good holy men are still being told to tone down their "piety" while the "gay cruising" seminarians advance to the highest heights. Then they wonder why they leave the priesthood after a few years. Its sad, but true.

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	Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Authors: A. A. Long
ISBN: 0199268851 List Price: $21.00 Amazon Price: $21.00 Usually ships in 24 hours Buy this book from amazon.com or from amazon.co.uk	Avg Cusomer Rating: 4 Reviews: Summary: One of the best contemporary books on Stoicism and ancient philosophy in general The great strength of A. A. Long's book on Epictetus is that Long views Epictetus, and Stoicism in general, as being firmly rooted in the broader tradition of ancient philosophy. This is reflected in his reference to Socrates in the book's title. Throughout the book Long engagingly draws the reader into the world of philosophy as it was lived. Especially in the first half of the book Long emphasizes Epictetus' humanity - as well as that of his students. The result is that anyone who reads this book will, if they haven't already, be compelled to read Epictetus. The two things that I wasn't crazy about are (1) Long's dismissal of the Epictetus' "Handbook" as unimportant (Long prefers to only look at the "Discourses"), and (2) the second half of the book is more technical and less fun to read than the first half. Long is, after all, a contemporary philsopher, and the second half of the book seems to be more aimed at his colleagues and students of academic philosophy rather than the general public. Summary: Philosophy as praxis This is a fine introduction to the thought of the ex-slave Epictetus. A.A. Long is a well-established specialist in the philosophical schools of the Hellenistic period. While professional philosophers have paid attention to the technical and "academic" side of this period, it is finally refreshing to see serious, thoughtful engagement with the practical and humanistic thinkers. Philosophy used to be a guide for living and perhaps it can be again some day. The work of Pierre Hadot, especially his studies on Marcus Aurelius or Plotinus, is also be recommended. Summary: Grateful Autodidact. Professor Long is an outstanding scholar, but as important, he is an excellent writer and a genuine pedagogue. Not content with a vehicle for academic display, he manages to produce an extremely readable book. I am most impressed with his obvious devotion to teaching, as his careful presentation makes evident. After reading this book, I am very impressed with Epictetus, but even more impressed with Professor Long. Thank you Sir. Summary:

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Meditations (Modern Library Classics)

Publisher: Modern Library
Authors: Marcus Aurelius Gregory Hays

ISBN: 0812968255
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Avg Cusomer Rating: 4
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Summary: Wisdom for Today
Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is really a manual for living. So much of what he teaches is very relevant for today. "If you don't have a consistent goal in life, you can't live in a consistent way."

The book is actually a lot of short to the point lessons for living a better life. "If you seek tranquillity, do less." "Which brings a double saftisfaction to do less, better." That is a philosophy that we all would do well to ponder and then employ.

Another of my favorite bits of wisdom, "Not to assume it's impossible because you find it hard. But to recognize that if it's humanly possible, you can do it too."

Marcus Aurelius spends a lot of time on death and how to approach it. Some of that is very good. However he also spends a lot of time thinking about man's right and priviledge of deciding if and when to end live voluntary.

There is an excellent though somewhat long introduction to the book. Hays also provides a list of persons referred to in the book. This is very helpful to at least know who Aurelius was talking about.

I only rate the book four stars because I found The Emperior's Handbook by David Hicks easier to read and understand. I recommend that everyone read at least one of the books by Marcus Aurelius. If you can only read one, pick The Emperor's Handbook.

Summary: meditations
this is the finest translation of marcus aurelius's meditations that i have read. previous translations i have read were loaded with so many thee's and thou's that the reading was tedious and slow. i found my self scanning the pages instead of reading until i would come across an obvious jem. this made me oblivious to the hidden jems that make up this excellent work. this book gives the emperor's words a modern flair that doesn't lose the original flavor. i highly recommend it.

Summary: More of a reference
As part of the Dover Thrift Editions, this is a very affordable look into Stoic philosophy and insight into one of the emperors of the Roman Empire.

As with most books from this collection, there is around 100 pages of text and no more. Rather than reading like a story, these are aphorisms, which are more or less grouped into similar subject matter, but if you want to get the most out of it, you should aim for reading, at most, a couple at a time to really reflect on what Aurelius is saying.

An example would be number 15 from Book VII, "Whatever any one does or says, I must be good, just as if the emerald (or the gold or the purple) were always saying "Whatever any one does or says, I must be emerald and keep my color." This is a very profound and pithy saying. To get the full effect, think about what this is saying and how it applies to us and our doings. Reading many of these in a row would just blur them together.

I would recommend this as a reference for helping to reflect on our lives.

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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. 1-3: Volumes 1, 2, 3 (Everyman's Library (Cloth))

Publisher: Everyman's Library
Authors: Edward Gibbon

ISBN: 0679423087
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Summary: One of the best history books I have ever read!
I have only read about 25% of this book since it is a very large one (over 1000 pages), but I can say The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon is one of the best history books I have ever read.
Thought english is not my native language, the book is, with a few exceptions, very easy to read. It is loaded with a lot of history since it covers over 1000 years, but this fact does not give you a headache if your not into learning everything in it.
The book covers the history of the Roman Empire from the 1st century A.D. to the final collaps of it in the 11th century. What I like about Gibbon's writing style is that he follows every emperor's reign and (not going into very much details) explains the ups and (mainly) downs of this great empire.
That is why I wormly recommand this book to any history lover and specially to the ones interested in the reasons of the great fall of The Roman Empire.

Summary: Exceptional, though time consuming
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is undoubtedly one of the best works of narrative history, if not the best. It spares absolutley no facts, giving an absolutley complete chronology of the Roman Empire from the death of Marcus Aurelius to the fall of Constantinople. Gibbon writes in a prose style, which appeals to some but had often been the subject of criticism to others. This style makes it somewhat difficult to read, and also more time consuming, especially factoring the massive length of the set (This particular set of Volumes 1-3 is only half of the total publication) make it difficult to read quickly, I took nearly 10 months of reading it from time to time to finish it.

Undoubtedly, reading this takes a great amount of patience and dedication, though often, Gibbon will interject chapters or comments into the narrative work dealing with analysis of certain events, most infamously, the rise of Christianity, which Gibbon writes of very negativley, equating it together with the growth of barbarism. Gibbon's view of Christianity is undoubtedly very hostile, even going as far as to partially blame it for the fall of Rome, this subjective view is also demonstrated when he discusses the Sassanian empire, openly speaking positivley of the Emperor Julian's war with the Persian king Shapur II, referring to the Persians as barbarians when they were in fact, perhaps the only civilzed society which Rome bordered. While this is not a good example of the objective standard history should be held to, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire excels when speaking in a purely narrative way, giving the reader who completes it an excellent understanding of the fall of Rome.

Summary: Review of the Gibbon the Decline and Fall Volumes 1-3
Extremely through, thought provoking analysis of the key events that occured under each Roman Emperor over the period 180 - 495 AD; along with the primary causes of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.

Gibbon's history lacks maps and does not spend enough time on Attila the Hun. The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome provides many maps that can be used to help the reader understand the location of cities and provinces cited by Gibbon.

I found Gibbon to be excessively critical of early Christians, although he does present reasons for his criticisms. The conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity was one of the key events in later Roman History. Gibbon did a through job covering this.

This is a MUST read for any serious student of Roman History, and deserves the reputation it has. I would not recommend attempting to read Gibbon's history before first reading Livy, Suetonius and Tacitius to become familiar with Roman History leading up to this period.

Gibbon makes many references to the Roman Historian Ammianus Marcellinus who wrote a history covering much of the same period covered in Volumes 1-3.

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