Thread by @VeraCausa9

1st thread on some of the books I
acquired during 2019 regarding Classical studies.

"Why Homer Matters" by Adam Nicolson @anicolson
Insightful book on Homer's epics lasting influence & why it matters to keep reading them as we discover our fallibilities in his farsighted wisdom

"The Quest for Ulysses" by W.B. Stanford & J.V. Luce. A wonderfully comprehensive study on Odysseus.

"The Ulysses Voyage" by Tim Severin. Tim & his crew sail on a replica of a bronze galley to find the mythical lands Odysseus encountered on his homeward odyssey.

Correction: *Bronze Age galley [1]

Two very important books on ancient Greek Literature, both studies are full with insightful analysis & erudition.

"Early Greek Poetry & Philosophy" (1962) by Hermann Frankel.

"A History of Greek Literature" (1958) by Albin Lesky.

An immensely enjoyable book on the lasting influence of Ancient Greeks.

"Greek Fire:The Influence of Ancient Greece on the Modern World" (1989) by Oliver Taplin.

2 books on my favorite pre-socratic philosopher

"The Logos of Heraclitus" by Eva Brann. A wonderful intro.

"The Veil of Isis: An Essay on the History of the Idea of Nature" by Pierre Hadot. A magisterial & wide-ranging study based on Heraclitus' aphorism: "Nature loves to hide"

What can we inferred from Socrates' early life that illuminates the making of the philosopher? How influential was the fascinating Aspasia in shaping Socrates' revolutionary questions on human nature?

Socrates in Love:The Making of a Philosopher by Armand D'Angour @ArmandDAngour

A highly readable & relevant book on the first polymath. Let Aristotle's phronesis or "practical wisdom" help you discover your innate telos or human potentiality.

"Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life" by Edith Hall @edithmayhall

A passionate & learned study on the leadership of Pericles, the educator & statesman commanding the first democracy through war & civic virtue. What lessons can our age draw from Periclean Athens?

"Pericles Of Athens and the Birth Of Democracy" by Donald Kagan.

A relevant book for our times.

"How to Be a Leader: An Ancient Guide to Wise Leadership" by Plutarch. Selected & translated by Jeffrey Beneker.

The chapters are titled:
1-To an Uneducated Leader
2- How to Be a Good Leader
3- Should an Old Man Engage in Politics?

Why read the Greek tragedians?

Because they show us that human nature hasn't changed. Holding up a truth-telling mirror where we'll glimpse the face of our known & unknown tragic flaws.

"Tragedy, the Greeks, and Us" by professor of philosophy Simon Critchley.

Personal & imaginative study on our enduring fascination with the Minotaur's labyrinth from Daedalus to Borges.

What your inner self brings will thread what you're destined to find at the center of the labyrinth

"Red Thread:On Mazes and Labyrinths" by Charlotte Higgins @chiggi

One of the most illuminating books I've read on Greek Myths. The human drive on myth-making has never died, still residing in the recesses of our minds.

"The Nature of Greek Myths" (1974) by the great classicist G. S. Kirk

This brilliant study is the best book you will find on Greek religion.

"Greek Religion" (1985) by the great German classicist Walter Burkert.

P.S. Tomorrow morning I'll continue with the 2nd part of this thread of books I bought regarding Classical studies. Thank you all for reading.