Albert Schweitzer - Out of my life and thought

I bought this slim paperback perhaps 30 years ago, for $0.40 at McKay Used Books in Knoxville.  In need of a quick palette cleanse, I ripped through it this week.

Although most well known for the hospital he founded and led in equatorial Africa, it turns out that Schweitzer was something of a polymath, a latter day DaVinci.  I would estimate only 5-10% of the book recounts his time spent in Africa.

He was also renowned as a preacher, a writer of philosophical works, and a celebrated organist and Bach expert.

Schweitzer hailed originally from the Strasbourg region, which began his life as part of Germany, ending as part of France, changing hands as a result of WWI.  This unique perspective over the course of both WWI and WWII elevated him in my mind to a man-of-the-world, the very opposite of a nationalist, a concept which he abhorred.

I skipped over most of his philosophical and religious thinking; my interest centered on his philanthropic work, which was ground breaking and thoroughly interesting, if only one part of his prolific life.

Istanbul by Bettany Hughes

 I needed a refresher on Istanbul's long, complicated history, and this book by Bettany Hughes fit the bill.

With our trip to Istanbul less than three months away, I'm now reminded of the cultural prominence of this remarkable city.

I can hardly wait to experience it in person, after reading about it for 25+ years!

Philip & Alexander by Adrian Goldsworthy

I'm diving into the Hellenistic with this book on the father-son legends of Philip and Alexander of Macedon.  I debated whether to read one book on each, but am happy with this singular study of both characters.

Goldsworthy makes a strong case that Alexander's success wouldn't have happened without Philip.  The latter elevated Macedon from a struggling, weak, regional power, to the most ascendant state in the Greek world of that time.  Philip innovated the art of war in ways without which Alexander would have struggled profoundly, and likely would have foundered had he launched his conquest of Persia.

Having said that, Alexander was obviously an extraordinary specimen.  His fortitude and single-minded effort to conquer Persia was unprecedented.

Yes, it was the combination of Philip and Alexander that led to the greatest conquest the world had yet seen.

Their stories are that of war, a fact that I did not necessarily look forward to.  But Goldsworthy admirably broke the monotony of battle, siege and warfare with stories of the personalities, politics and cultures that shaped the conquest.

As I wind down the book, I look forward to exploring the post-Alexander period of the Hellenistic and the cultural achievements of that age.

The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle by Russell Miller

For a number of years now I have been wanting to read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories, something I recently began to do.

And as part of that same project I've read this biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in an effort to better understand the man, the time and the stories.

I always love reading about writers; they always seem to live such interesting lives.  Doyle didn't disappoint, with a life that reached far beyond Holmes.

Doyle was the reluctant creator of Holmes, whom he felt placed limits on his acceptance as a writer of more serious works.

The first 3/4 of the book was quite interesting; I skimmed through the last 1/4, covering Doyle's foray into the world of spiritualism, a belief that consumed the last decades of his life.  If anything was to diminish his legacy, it would not be Holmes, but his prominent leadership of this spiritualist movement.

Nonetheless, the book helped create context for better understanding and a deeper appreciation of the Holmes stories, something I hope to enjoy for a long time to come.

Greek Art by John Boardman

This beautiful book closes out a major chapter in my literary life.  It's the last book in my official study of the Classical Greek period, as I continue to charter the highpoints of the ancient Mediterranean world using the Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization as my syllabus.

I began this journey during the COVID pandemic in September of 2020, and it's been a joy so far.

So it has taken me nearly five years to conduct this deep study, which puts me about 1/3 of the way through my syllabus.  It's hard to imagine that I will be about another decade older, God willing, by the time I conclude this process.

For now, on to the Hellenistic period!

The Secrets of Ephesus by Izabela Miszczak

In preparation for our upcoming trip to Turkey I've been wanting to read some books about the specific sites that we are visiting.  I've been reading about Turkey for 25+ years, so it's not new territory for me, but I felt like a refresher on these sites would deepen the experience of actually visiting them.

I feel like I've struck a little bit of gold with Ms. Miszczak, a Polish scholar who has written several books about historic sites and regions around Turkey.

I've never seen this book format before, part history and part travel guide for the serious history audience.  It's exactly what I was looking for.

This particular book on Ephesus was a joy, taking me much deeper into the site than I've ever read before.

Looking at our itinerary, I'm sure I will enjoy her other books on Istanbul, Troy and Antalya, at a minimum, before we leave in September.

The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Greek Religion

I'm winding down my study of ancient Greek religion with this massive "handbook" - word that seems misplaced in a 750 page analysis of 43 chapters - from the venerable Oxford.  It's been interesting, informative, mostly enjoyable, and very thorough.

With the exception of the last section, which discussed the relationship between Greek religion at the center of the Greek world and that of the outlying regions (The Black Sea, Egypt, the Near East, etc.), I've found it quite compelling.

I thought I might continue on with another book or two on the subject, but the thoroughness of this book renders that unnecessary.

My only criticism is that some chapters spent more time talking about the history of the study of a given topic than the history of the topic itself.  I found this off-putting at times.  I don't need to know how scholars were misinformed during the 18th century; I just want to know what scholars believe now, based on the accumulation of research.

Still a great read, all 43 chapters!

And that brings me to my final topic on Classical Greece: Art & Architecture (coming soon)!