Customer Reviews

Ancient Rome: How It Affects You Today (Uncle Eric Book)

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was surprise to see so few reviews of this seventh book in the nine book series from Mr. Maybury. It astonished me even more to find a library review that seemed to attack him. This could not have been a person who has given the "Uncle Eric" series a fair and balanced hearing.

To attack Mr. Maybury for presenting a compressed view of history on the grounds that they put forth, proves that they do not fully understand nor comprehend the overall spirit and intent of his books. As a matter of fact I found that review rather childish, inept and unjustifiable.

In any case I find this book no different than all the rest, a good read, informative and thought provoking. Mr. Maybury tells us way back in his first book of this series...that they are all simply one man's opinion of how we have arrived where we are today. It is up to the reader to research futher and consider whether they want to accept his evaluation or not. Surely tolerance itself would dictate he get a just hearing in that regard. Big government does oppress the people, and anyone who does not agree with that is just plain simple-minded.

I found this book thought provoking, challenging and educational on a level that I guess the library in queston cannot comprehend.

As a primer to history, economics, moral issues, government, polictics, money and countless other subjects Mr. Maybury brings a method that should be more widely used to educate our children. At least on the most basic level to spart their interest and bring such matters down to a level of simplification that does not turn the young reader off.

Surly we must instruct them that they should never take one persons opinion as a gospel to the truth or history or anything but to deny them the benefit of his rather extraordiary talents is a much worse sin upon enlightenment than anything Mr. Maybury has perpetrated.

All writings, no matter how well cloaked or clothed in the dust jackets of the historian, journalist, constitutional scholar or other famous authors is after all "just opinion" derived at by looking at something someone else has produced, and trying to glean what was in their minds when they put pen or quill to paper or parchment.

Librarians should remember that and not be so harsh upon people like Mr. Maybury for there is no more truth and fiction in his works than in many many others that sit upon the library shelves.

Great introductory book to history as it relates to todays world. I would strongly recommend it to the beginner.

This is one of a series of facinating books made by Uncle Eric.One very good point he makes is that history can seem like a meaningless arangement of dates unless we have a model to base it on.The book also discuses the history of the roman model and its influence through WWII.A very interesting point in this book is the power matrix. What is the power matrix you ask? Well the power matrix is the main powers that are fighting today. The old power matrix used to be Soviet Socialism vs. US Democracy.The power matrix today is Fuedalism vs. Facism vs. Islam,if your wondering why it has changed I recomend you read the book.It goes in to much more detail. Many more points are brought up in this book and I recomend it to anyone who wants to gain further knowledge of Gov. and Econ!

These books are fun to read and make some interesting assertions. The origins of common law, higher law and the laws we have in America are a conglomeration of ideas, hammered out by the founders of our system of government not without much compromise. I find no particular fault with the research in this book. I haven't traveled to 40 different countries as Uncle Eric has, or spent a lifetime researching economic changes and how they play out over time in relation to shifts in politics, and legal trends. My situation lends iself to research and the historical facts Uncle Eric presents are accurate, his intrepretation is certainly not mainstream and that is appealing to the study of history as it makes the study of the past more human in that there are many sides to any issue and each persons set of experiences will lead them to a different conclusion. Uncle Eric is not a rabid dog for his point of view as some authors I have noted lately can be, no name calling in these books or denegrating a political party. Excellent reading for the family who likes thoughtful discussion!

Richard Maybury hits, very succinctly, the important points we should know about the Roman Empire. We all suffer from the Roman Disease today and we haven't begun to see the effects yet. I can't recommend this book highly enough. A smooth, quick read and intelligent too.

I was very pleased with the condition of the books that were purchased. The books were received in a very prompt manner. Will not hesitate dealing with this web site again.

This review is for those, like me, who happen upon this title by accident.

Nota Bene (please, note the irony): this series is propaganda and should be treated as such.

Mr. Maybury's historical scholarship is suspect--if not delusional. The title suggests the proliferation of Roman thought, culture, history, and ideals througout Western society. No, it does not address this.

He asserts that Europeans are the most martial people in the world, owing in large part to the continued influence of Rome and its fascism. This is his "Roman Disease:" when the government assumes that there is no natural law (God, the Order of the Universe, what-have-you) and suppresses the rights of those it governs--like now. The American government even put a fasces with a laurel wreath on a dime many years ago! This proves that the U.S. government is Fascist! Furthermore, the European lust for blood and conquest has served to quash the liberties of individuals.

The problems with this work are obvious to anyone with ten spare minutes to verify Maybury's suppositions. No--the Roman fasces does not represent Fascism. The fasces no more represents authoritarian rule than a Liberty-head dollar represents nuclear war. He also asserts that late Roman Antiquity was a lawless wasteland. This period, in part, is also known as "The Golden Age of Roman Jurisprudence!" The argument that Rome is responsible for the world's imperialism is equally flawed. The historical context for wars of conquest was set thousands of years before Rome!

Mr. Maybury may be adept at analyzing financial systems. He may even give sound financial advice. "Uncle Eric," however, is a negligent historian.

If you know very little about Roman history, and you like to read conspiratorial books about the evils of government, this may be your cup of tea.

No historian, drawing from a few resources, Maybury spins a tale of the genesis of large, centralized governments spawned from fascist Rome, plaguing libertarians such as himself even today.

God help the person whose primary experience of history is books such as this