Customer Reviews

Byzantine Women: Varieties of Experience 800-1200 (Centre for Hellenic Studies, King's College London) (Centre for Hellenic Studies, King's College London)

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I discovered this book while looking up information on the woman who is my patron saint. In the book she is identified as Kassia, but she is St. Kassiane the hymnographer. It was really neat to see an entire chapter devoted to this poet and songwriter. My only real complaint with the book is that there are no picture in it. I like having illustrations, and goodness knows there are plenty of wonderful examples of Byzantine art not to mention Orthodox Icons that could've been featured. Oh, well, perhaps if a new edition is printed someday?

It's true the writing isn't super riveting, but it's still readable and sufficient for those who are new either to Byzantine or Eastern Orthodox history.

Ok book. Lynda Garland's chapter in this book is good, but most of the rest of the writers are so pedantic as to make the material boring. If there is anything that the Byzantines weren't, it was boring. The Byzantine culture and civilization is, to me, endlessly fascinating, but so many of the books on the subject (possible exception of John Julius Norwich's books) are dull to the nth degree. Please, Byzantine scholars, improve your writing style!!!