tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post5001778004138701502..comments2024-02-29T02:54:19.767-05:00Comments on Babbling Books: Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization by Lars Brownworth Brian Josephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-19148551730964010802013-08-06T21:58:19.953-04:002013-08-06T21:58:19.953-04:00Hi Jane - Not only did the time period seem obscur...Hi Jane - Not only did the time period seem obscure but so does the place, I for one focused upon the formation and early centuries of the Western and Northern European States. Throughout this period the Byzantine Empire was a major force in the East.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-43994324291052530512013-08-06T19:21:28.150-04:002013-08-06T19:21:28.150-04:00I will definitely be adding this book to my shelve...I will definitely be adding this book to my shelves--while too short, as you suggest, it does sound like a great introduction to a time and place I don't know much about. Like many people, I tend to skip from the "Fall of the Roman Empire" to the Norman Conquest, and my reading about Venice and it's spot straddling East and West has whetted my appetite for more.JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-84843242121660899222013-08-04T16:12:25.638-04:002013-08-04T16:12:25.638-04:00Hey Maria - One cannot read everything as we have ...Hey Maria - One cannot read everything as we have discussed there is so little time. I would say that one should have a fair grasp of the history of Rome before trying this 0one as it is a "sequel" of sorts.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-11391916797362326662013-08-04T15:56:30.550-04:002013-08-04T15:56:30.550-04:00Hey, Brian!
OMG....you make me feel so ashamed fo...Hey, Brian!<br /><br />OMG....you make me feel so ashamed for not reading more history....but in a good way, never fear! You motivate me to investigate and read about this fascinating topic! So I'm very much indebted to you for publishing these very interesting posts on history books, and thus, rounding out my wish list and TBR pile, which are crammed full of fiction and other types of nonfiction!<br /><br />Thanks so much for sharing!! : )Maria Beharhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13635809880830316283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-86462928437127781532013-07-26T20:11:03.423-04:002013-07-26T20:11:03.423-04:00Hi Naida - The thing is that I knew little of the ...Hi Naida - The thing is that I knew little of the Empire before reading this. I learned so much from this work despite its relative brevity.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-3626728690338137722013-07-26T18:33:08.455-04:002013-07-26T18:33:08.455-04:00Sounds like a great history book especially if you...Sounds like a great history book especially if you wanted it to be that much longer. I know next to nothing about the Byzantine Empire but this sounds like an informative book.The Bookwormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10217390642323530030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-75443278550054492082013-07-22T00:35:27.584-04:002013-07-22T00:35:27.584-04:00Hi Ryan - Very true. I am a bit of a history buff ...Hi Ryan - Very true. I am a bit of a history buff and I knew very little about the Empire before reading this book. Yet it had such an impact.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-74352291815631321692013-07-21T20:30:17.801-04:002013-07-21T20:30:17.801-04:00The Byzantine Empire fascinates me for the very re...The Byzantine Empire fascinates me for the very reason that it is largely forgotten. It was such an influential culture on Europe and most people will stare blankly at you when you bring it up. Thanks for this. I'll keep an eye out for this title.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07998996750944114185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-36142297826791368222013-07-18T19:37:06.259-04:002013-07-18T19:37:06.259-04:00Hi Caroline - I agree that every piece of writing ...Hi Caroline - I agree that every piece of writing has some bias. However, when it becomes that a writer is favoring or excoriating a historical figure this much, I would call it a flaw.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-87891385169970680152013-07-18T07:38:18.897-04:002013-07-18T07:38:18.897-04:00I'm not keen on fat books but I know what you ...I'm not keen on fat books but I know what you mean and agree in this case. It's a long period and 300pages seem short. <br />I agree with Violet. I think it's very difficult to imagine that a historian is not biased. Is it not already a bias to choose a topic or time epriod over another and very likely your reasons will influence? Carolinehttp://beautyisasleepingcat.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-12776715355778940402013-07-17T04:21:54.804-04:002013-07-17T04:21:54.804-04:00Hi Violet - Agreed that bias in history is inheren...Hi Violet - Agreed that bias in history is inherent. Even if one only sticks to the facts, the particular facts chosen will have an enormous impact upon how history is interpreted. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-38800941912697053022013-07-17T01:43:50.832-04:002013-07-17T01:43:50.832-04:00History is such a contested field of scholarship, ...History is such a contested field of scholarship, isn't it? I don't think it's humanly possible to be "objective" and not to engage in bias, but some historians are better at covering their tracks than others. :) I like fat history tomes too and always wonder what has been edited out when the book is short. Violethttp://still-life-with-books.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-40005624928271868152013-07-16T18:44:30.028-04:002013-07-16T18:44:30.028-04:00Hi Lucy - At least according to this book the &quo...Hi Lucy - At least according to this book the "Dark Ages" were not so dark in the Eastern Mediterranean. <br /><br />This really was well written as well as entertaining.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-48944772574716472252013-07-16T15:09:19.989-04:002013-07-16T15:09:19.989-04:00This book seems fascinating, particularly the elem...This book seems fascinating, particularly the elements about the empire's rich culture. I'm also amazed that the empire managed to sustain such a high level of civilisation.<br /><br />If I finish a book and wish for more pages, I can always tell it's well-written!<br />Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15103141646225036708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-74538342809472907642013-07-15T22:23:37.789-04:002013-07-15T22:23:37.789-04:00Hi Sharon - A fair number of pages were devoted to...Hi Sharon - A fair number of pages were devoted to the conflict between the Roman church and the eastern Church.<br /><br />Speaking the history of Christianity, Brownworth makes the contention that had the Byzantine Empire not existed, no other power would have stood in the way of the Islamic Empire from conquering all of Europe. I admit to not knowing enough to really have an opinion on this claim.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-19433842951043646012013-07-15T22:19:22.450-04:002013-07-15T22:19:22.450-04:00Hi Suko - Indeed, this book was not just informati...Hi Suko - Indeed, this book was not just informative but entertaining.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-68215375650829503492013-07-15T22:18:14.593-04:002013-07-15T22:18:14.593-04:00Hi Harvee- The thing is that I did not know much a...Hi Harvee- The thing is that I did not know much about the Byzantine Empire before reading this either.It is amazing just how much history that there is out there.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-2975462868820600932013-07-15T13:39:43.517-04:002013-07-15T13:39:43.517-04:00Great review! I am reading an encyclopedia of Chr...Great review! I am reading an encyclopedia of Christian World History. It's very involved and doesn't gloss over the shortcomings of leaders pagan or Christian.<br /><br />However, other than going into the irreconcilable differences the Roman and Byzantine churches had over doctrine, their battle for leadership and eventual victory of the Roman pope over the Byzantine Bishop, it doesn't focus as much on what came to be the Orthodox church.<br /><br />This book sounds like it would cover a lot of material the books I've been reading lack.<br /><br />I'm glad you're able to discern author bias. That's one reason why I would like to read this book: to get another perspective from a different source.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-81933855247916241802013-07-15T12:42:42.448-04:002013-07-15T12:42:42.448-04:00This does sound like a terrific history book. Than...This does sound like a terrific history book. Thank you for your honest review. Sukohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11893742747135555499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-55961817064442164832013-07-15T09:24:56.801-04:002013-07-15T09:24:56.801-04:00Isn't history fascinating. I did not know much...Isn't history fascinating. I did not know much about the Byzantine Empire and that it continued what we knew as Rome. Sounds like an excellent but short book!Harveehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03490108303790217277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-67706960540558797872013-07-14T20:21:16.621-04:002013-07-14T20:21:16.621-04:00Hi Guy - It is amazing how much information that B...Hi Guy - It is amazing how much information that Brownworth packs in here. In addition he concentrated on the lives of the Emperors in order to narrow things down a bit. If one knows little of the Byzantines, and I did not, this is a great introduction.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-87112008459246959512013-07-14T19:11:06.239-04:002013-07-14T19:11:06.239-04:00This may sound weird but whenever I am considering...This may sound weird but whenever I am considering a history book, I look at the number of pages. 300 pages just can't cut it for a book that hopes to cover the promised material. Had a laugh at the author's bias. That sounds like something I'd do. Guy Savagehttp://www.swiftlytiltingplanet.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com