Customer Reviews

The Life and Times of Constantine the Great: The First Christian Emperor

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This history writing at its best. Simply put, it is one of the best history books I have ever read (and I have read hundreds). It is an easy read and written in the narrative style.

Unfortunately, learning about a subject is not what every reader is looking for, as evidenced by the comments of the reviewer who gave this book one star. I am always baffled when people criticize a product or book for doing exactly what it states it will do. Kousoulas cleary says in the beginning of the book that this biography is meant for the masses, intentionally not scholarly (more on that in a moment), and that the reader should look elsewhere for a more in-depth and "scholarly" treatment of the subject. Yet, the reviewer gives the author one star for DOING EXACTLY WHAT THE AUTHOR SAYS IS HIS INTENT. It is like criticizing a refrigerator for not heating your food or an automobile for not flying.

If I want a giant thousand-page, multi-volume opus about Constantine filled with footnotes, is intentionally written in an obscure venacular, and can devote several months to the book, I will buy it. But, as a person who must work, has multiple interests, and is curious about history, I simply do not have the time to devote to the type of book described in the last sentence, which is why Kousoulas' book is perfect. The one-star review is unwarranted and undeserved.

If you want an obscure book written in an obtuse style, written not for people to learn about the subject but to impress other professor colleagues, than this book is not for you. Learning has never been on the agenda of the people who teach in research universities anyway, as evidenced by the poor knowledge of history by most Americans. If you are interested in learning about Constantine, and want to have fun while doing it (people learn more when having fun, by the way), than this book is for you. Throw your college textbook away and pick this up.

This is history writing at its best. I had read in the past other books on Constantine, including Burckhardt, and I can say that Kousoulas takes a page in history - a subject many find dry and even boring - and breaths life into it. This book shows that extensive research into the life of a towering historical figure does not prevent a capable author from writing a fascinating story that an ordinary reader can enjoy while learning at the same time. For anyone interested in Constantine the Great and the time when human history took a new direction, this is the book to read. The author writes with equal candor and intimate detail about Constantine's accomplishments and his acts of cruelty, but also about the men and women in his life, not as cardboard characters but as human beings with their own virtues and foibles.

An important book, "Constantine the Great" is a concise history about the first Emperor to legalize Christianity after a three-hundred-year struggle for survival. D.G. Kousoulas brings into focus the diversity of religious culture and political intrigue that helped to shape Christianity's long standing tradition and doctrinal values. The figure of Constantine is carefully portrayed in the mutifaceted aspects of his ever changing family, political, and social world. Individual chapters grant the reader a well-focused account of specific events without distraction or confusion. D.G. Kousoulas bases his findings on well documented facts without appology for any of history's blank pages. Rather, he uses them to enhance the reader's sense of involvement in the making of history. Also, Kousoulas' gentle narrative style was a refreshing, much appreciated change of pace, the likes of which I hope to see more of in the future.

This is a vivid and dramatic reconstruction of the life of the first Christian emperor. The research seems thorough with extensive use of ancient Latin and Greek sources. I especially enjoyed the author's effort to uncover the actual causes for major events including the tragedy in Rome in the summer of A.D. 326. With its absorbing and enlightening style, the book would be attractive not only to scholars, but also to the general readers.

I had read a little about Constantine the Great before, but this book filled in a lot of the gaps. It also made me extremely glad that I did not live during his period of time! While he justly deserve the title "The Great".(No one else could of pull off the stabilisation of the tottering and rotten Roman Empire as he did even for a little while or establish the Byzantine Empire)The reader also is made aware by the Authors excellent writing and storytelling skills of certain not so nice facts. In that Constantine was one very hard, ruthless and extremely dangerous man to have around. Just ask his murdered by his orders & hand Son and Wife. I just wish the Author had spent a little more time on the founding of Constantinople but hey you can't have everything! Right?

D. G. Kousoulas has created a remarkable treatment here, bringing to light many aspects and details not present in other works. He takes a subject like history which most people find a dry to begin with and he breaths life into it. This book was very difficult to put down. I just couldn't do it. I would have liked the book to be longer with more detail but it was a great book nonetheless.

While I some what agree with some of the points made by another reviewer I think he goes a bit too far in some of his baser asertions, such as the insinuation that D. G. Kousoulas' Constantine is more of a work of fiction than a study of historical fact surrounding an actual individual. This is of course ridiculous. By the reviewers own admission he only wanted to break up the 5 star rating Kousoulas had achieved and for no othe rreason than that. How completly shallow. He also postulates that D. G. Kousoulas' work is not based on scholarly research. D. G. Kousoulas researched Constantine in historical documentation for over 25 years, how much more scholarly can you get than that... really.
In short, this book is truely well written and very informative. The best book on Constantine in the market today in my opinion. This book is an excellent addition to anyones library.

This is an excellent portrayal of Rome's first Christian Emperor, Constantine I. Kousoulas gives the reader a thorough history of the Emperor's life from his birth to death. His account of Constantine's life is very detailed yet never dry. Rather, I found his style to be on the humorous side. His writing is pallatable to the scholar and general reader alike. I look forward to reading this book again.

Honourable and well-balanced account of the Life of the Holy Emperor and Equal to the Apostles Constantine. Even the account of the Church matters were balanced and well-researched. This is usually where the western historians and anti-christian authors writing on St. Constantine spill their hatred, but not in this wonderful book written with a good flow and much wit.

I must admit I had so many misconceptions about Constantine before I read this. It is a great read, written in a narrative style that made me finish it in one weekend. Highly recommended.

D.G. Kousoulas's "The Life and Times of Constantine the Great: The First Christian Emperor" was for me a wonderful book.

The author takes you on a enlightened journey without coloring or prejudicial treatment of the landscape of the time. Where chronicling of the past has left gaps in the events, he informs the reader. Kousoulas will offer believed accounts and hypothesis base in facts to give the reader pause so they can decide for themselve what probably happened. Many times he will point out that one historian of the past may have been prejudiced on certain points and will give both opposing view if appropriate.

The author's treatment of Constantine is not hero worship but a appreciation of the man as a survivor of turbulent times. Other prominate figures of the time were treated as fairly as the Great Emperor.

I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter when ever the book was in my hands. Which I will leave as the best compliment I can give to Kousoulas's writting.