Download The Peloponnesian War Audiobook

" a well-written account of the peloponnesian war, this book provides you with everything you want to know this period in history. It is fast-paced and never dull. It also has excellent maps that will allow you to see the grand scale of this conflict. My only comment is that all maps should have been put in one place, like at the start, so i wont be flipping around the book looking for a particular map. "

" easy reading and very informative; much easier to read than Livy "

" Possibly the most enjoyable book I've ever read. Kagan's politics aside, he knows how to tell a story. "

" Donald Kagan, one of the foremost scholars of Ancient Greek history, wrote a concise but thorough history of the Peloponnesian War for a general audience based off his four-volume academic masterpiece on the same subject. From the start Kagan brings the reader to the time period of the war with enough background information that someone not familiar at all with Ancient Greece will understand the circumstances of the beginning of the war from each side's viewpoint. Throughout the work, Kagan brings in a modern military and political view to help examine decisions of either side that the ancient sources' explain as social virtue or vice. This supplement to the ancient sources helps give a fuller view of the decisions of the Athenians, Spartans, and their respective allies. If you want to learn about Ancient Greek history beyond Marathon or Thermopylae, I fully recommend this book. "

" A straight forward account, told in very readable prose, centrally focused on the thirty years of conflict that torn Greek culture asunder. If you admire and love ancient Greek history, this is a must read. Lots of useful maps are included! "

" A good book on all the chaos involved in even the best planned strategy, and it also ties together with all those greek plays you read in school, a lot of the playwrites were creating their plays while Sparta and Athens were competing with each other. Also interesting is the contrast between the two city-states, Athens a colonial democracy, and Sparta a monarchy without colonial ambitions. "

" Fine history of the war; a condensed version of Kagan's magisterial multi-volume work. An excellent read for any lay student of ancient history. "

" fascinating look at ancient greece, including early accounts of genocide. "

" read as background material for Thucydides selection. "

" Great book, very interesting. It really got me to crave more information about that period in history. I actually do like it that he works in his opinions on actions rather than just trying to provide a timeline. "

" A truly magisterial account of the war(s). A heavy read, but worth it. "

" Great coverage of the war and easy on the eyes. "

" A useful accompaniment to Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War, this is a synthesis of Yale maven and neocon luminary Donald Kagan's four-volume summa on that conflict. "

" I loved this book - it`s chock full of details and exciting scenes, with outstanding characters and fascinating facts, all well told as a thrilling read. I liked this one more than most modern books on the topic. Just writing this makes me want to go read it again... "

" If you like history you will love this work. "

" ok I didnt have the time to wade through Thucidycles but Kagan's synopsis is lively and quick moving. Bottomline: the more things change the more they stay the same. Really a good primer on international relations. "

" A very good overview of Donald Kagan 5 books on the Peloponnesian War. Highly recommended "

" Kagan is obviously a brilliant scholar, and I find his books very challenging to read. "

" Really enjoyed this book. Kagan's history of the decades-long conflict between Athens and Sparta does not supplant Thucydides, but it is tops of the modern treatments. Objective (I'm not; I kept yelling at those arrogant Athenians for screwing things up!), great maps, a great read. "

" An extensive volume that explains the geopolitical relationships in Greece, and how -- in spite of all the encouragements to avoid war -- how Athens effectively mishandled its foreign relationships, and how its disastrous interest in Sicily (Syracuse) spelled its ultimate doom in the war. "

" Possibly the most enjoyable book I've ever read. Kagan's politics aside, he knows how to tell a story. "

" I loved this book - it`s chock full of details and exciting scenes, with outstanding characters and fascinating facts, all well told as a thrilling read. I liked this one more than most modern books on the topic. Just writing this makes me want to go read it again... "

" An extensive volume that explains the geopolitical relationships in Greece, and how -- in spite of all the encouragements to avoid war -- how Athens effectively mishandled its foreign relationships, and how its disastrous interest in Sicily (Syracuse) spelled its ultimate doom in the war. "

" Really enjoyed this book. Kagan's history of the decades-long conflict between Athens and Sparta does not supplant Thucydides, but it is tops of the modern treatments. Objective (I'm not; I kept yelling at those arrogant Athenians for screwing things up!), great maps, a great read. "

" Fantastic narrative history of the Peloponnesian war. Written clearly and with a fast paced narrative. Excellent companion to Thucydides, fills out the picture and helps make his narrative more understandable. "

" Kagan is reputed to be a master of the Peloponnesian War. I found all 493 pages of fine print to be full of more minutia than my mind could keep track of. "

" A very good overview of Donald Kagan 5 books on the Peloponnesian War. Highly recommended "

" interesting to read in light of Viet Nam - or Afghanistan...and equally distressing...
Democracy can be perverted - whether by definition or by the action of democrats (note lower case "d") "

" fascinating look at ancient greece, including early accounts of genocide. "

" read as background material for Thucydides selection.

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" A great companion piece to Thucydides. "