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A Dictionary of the Ancient Greek World

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David Sacks spent four years writing this clear and comprehensive compilation, and the results reward his efforts. The title is a bit of a misnomer -- this is really a one-volume encyclopedia, not a dictionary of simple definitions. Laid out from A to Z are descriptions and analyses of politicians, poets, playwrights, and philosophers, gods and myths, cities, historical events, and the many civic and social institutions that comprised Greek civilization over a span of two millennia, with emphasis on the classical era of the 400s and 300s B.C. He is as informative about colonization and kinship as he is about painting and warfare. Cyclops, mathematics, the Seven Wonders of the World, it all seems to be here. If the subject you are curious about doesn't have an entry of its own -- which it probably does -- the book's extensive index will direct you to the right page. The author is as even-handed about the great achievements of the Greeks (philosophy, democracy, art) as he is about those aspects more troubling to moderns, such as homosexuality, slavery, and the treatment of women. Sacks writes in a remarkably easy and engaging style without sacrificing detail, which enables the reader to absorb a great deal of information quickly. Aimed at high school and college and general readers who are hungry for knowledge, this book is an excellent quick reference for advanced students as well.