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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In Search of the Trojan War, December 13, 2000
Only someone like Michael Wood could breath life into such a subject as Troy; his 6 part P.B.S. "Trojan War" series back in 1985 is one of my favorites! The only other author who is as passionate about his subject matter is John Romer. His "Ancient Lives" series is not to be missed. What I found almost as interesting as the search for Troy, were the varied personalities in the search. Frank Calvert, for example. Were it not for his direction, Schliemann may have never have uncovered what he did. Sir Arthur Evans died a spent man, both physically and financially, due to the intensity with which he approached Troy. Carl Blegen's 7 season dig was carried out the with a surgeon's precision. He seemed so passionate about Troy, yet in thought and appearance, so restrained. Did the war actually occcur? After reading the book, seeing the video, I believe it did; however, still doubts remain. Homer and The Iliad await vindication thirty-two hundred years after the "fact". After reading the book, I became very interested in archeology. I have visited Ephesus and Herculaneum. Heretofore, having no interest in the subject at all; this, I feel, is the greatness of an author and his/her subject matter. To convey to the reader the excitment, intrigue and triumph that stories like this offer and to draw the reader into the mystery. That an author can inspire, stir up enthusiasm and interest in this way is a triumph! This book get a "Two Thumbs Up--Way Up!"
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent View Into the Dawn of Western Culture, August 15, 2003
In this excellent book, Michael Wood covers the history of the modern search for the Troy of Homer's Iliad, and makes a strong case for the Trojan War being a historical occurrence, with most of the details in the Iliad being likewise historical. About half the book is devoted to the major archeological digs at Hisarlik, a site in northwest Turkey, that is the likely site of Troy. Wood puts the discoveries at these digs in a broad context, both geographically and economically, for example in terms of archeological discoveries about contemporaneous sites in Greece and Crete and their implications about trade and warfare, and historically, in terms of the development of the archeologists' own theories over the last century and a half. He also pinpoints which archeological layer is most likely the city that was sacked by the Greeks - specifically, a layer called Troy VI, with n grand, imposing city wall surrounding a stately central city of broad avenues. What I found most interesting, though, was the discussion of historical accounts from the various major powers of the day - the linear B tablets from the Greek city states, the diplomatic archives of the Hittite empire in what is now Turkey, and accounts from the Egypt of Rameses II and III. To me, these really brought to life the late bronze age civilization of the Eastern Mediterranean - arguably a higher civilization than the early iron age civilization that followed. Overall, this book does a terrific job of not only showing when and how the Trojan War actually occurred, but also why, in terms of the dynamics between the 'great powers' of the day.
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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic Classicist, June 15, 2000
Here's the thing I like about Wood; he gets excited about the little things. It comes through best on the BBC/PBS specials, but when going through the book, you see it shine through as well. He absolutely *loves* what he writes about, and as a result, he's one of the most entertaining authors I've come across. I read this book for one of my mythology classes, and it's one of the few that I kept. It's very well-written, and just utterly fascinating. It's interesting to know just how sophisticated Bronze Age civilizations really were, and that we're not that superior to them after all. Reading about the Hittites made me want to visit Turkey (after hitting Hissarlik, of course!). The best part, though, was an anecdote about a clay tablet found still in an oven, composed by a king calling for assistance from his overlord. Reading the emotions of the writer between the lines, thousands of years after this tablet was made, was incredibly moving. Darn, I love this book.
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