In Search of the Trojan War
by Michael Wood
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Description
Based upon the BBC TV series. A study of the archaeological, literary, and historical records which describe the siege of Troy.Tags
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Member Recommendations
ed.pendragon Another accessible book by the enthusiastic Michael Wood, historian and presenter of many BBC TV programmes such as the ones on which these are based.
Member Reviews
This is a must read for anyone seriously interested in the Trojan War. The pioneering work of Schliemann at ancient Troy and Mycenae is described and illustrated in detail of course, but more exciting for me was the extent to which Homer's Iliad is much more than just a legend, and with careful textual analysis can be demonstrated to contain a solid core of actual history, backed up by the surviving archives of the meticulous Hittites. One trivial example - I was delighted on my recent visit to Homer's "Windy Troy" that the breeze was stiff enough to blow my hat off!
5659. In Search of the Trojan War, by Michael Wood (read 12 Nov 2019) This book, published in 1986, assiduously details the study of the site of Troy in Turkey, telling of Schliemann's archaeological work on the site beginning in the 1870's and reminding me of the great work, Gods, Graves, and Scholars, by C. W. Ceram, which I read on 27 Jan 1953 as I was cruising around in the Mediterranean and have never forgotten. But this book by Michael Wood is written for the serious student and is often very dry. So for me the book was not attention-holding. The author concludes if there was a Trojan War it was in about 1270 B.C. and Homer, if he existed, did the Iliad in about 800 B,C, And Helen? And Achilles? And Hector? I think the author show more feels that those people are fictional and he may be right--but it takes a lot of interesting things out of the story, and while this book is carefully researched it was a drag to read, for me.. show less
This was originally a television show, Mr. Wood takes us past the short history of the excavation of the site by Schliemann, to more modern workings. He has a lively style and pretty good illustrations, though I would have liked more reconstructions of what the city looked like at various periods. One discovers that the city had a certain vogue as a tourist trap in Roman times. But there is evidence of a destruction by fire in the level called Troy VIII.
The Trojans and Achilles and the great ancient war always seemed to be just a myth, as first told by a blind poet. But Michael Wood brings the reality to life with the exhaustive research on the actual historical city of Troy, brought to ashes by the revengeful Greeks.
The author keeps the reader involved with descriptions of the archeological digs and even illustrating how the city of Troy was closer to the sea thousands of years ago. The Bronze Age comes to life here and even includes the re-discovery of the long-missing Hittite empire.
I rank this highly as an adventure for the armchair.
Book Season = Summer
The author keeps the reader involved with descriptions of the archeological digs and even illustrating how the city of Troy was closer to the sea thousands of years ago. The Bronze Age comes to life here and even includes the re-discovery of the long-missing Hittite empire.
I rank this highly as an adventure for the armchair.
Book Season = Summer
Michael Wood takes the reader on a journey into the past, making the Trojan War realistic and an enjoyable read!
Read this a few years ago now and do not recall much about it unfortunately although as a child I was very interested in Greek mythology.
Text, photos, paintings, maps; everything you want to know about Troy.
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Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1985
- People/Characters
- Heinrich Schliemann; Frank Calvert; Sophia Schliemann; Achilles
- Important places
- Troy
- Important events
- Trojan War; Bronze Age
- Related movies
- In Search of the Trojan War (1985 | IMDb)
- Dedication
- 'It is irrelevant how many centuries may seperate us from a bygone age. What matters is the importance of the past to our intellectual and spiritual existence.'
Ernest Curtius, speech in memory of Heinrich Schliemann,... (show all) Berlin, 1 March 1981. - First words
- A hundred and twenty-five years after Heinrich Schliemann first put spade into the fabled mound of Hisarlik in northerwest Turkey, the greatest archaeological mystery is still capturing the headlines.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)On Homer, I leave the last word with Alexander Kinglake, who in 1834, standing on the Trojan plain, fondly recalled his childhood teaching 'that the Iliad was all in all to the human race -- that it was history, poetry, revelation, that all the works of men's hands were folly and vanity, and would pass away like the dreams of a child, but that the Kingdom of Homer would endure for ever and ever,' Eothen, or traces of travel ... brought home from the East, 1844, (Century , 1982; OUP, paperback 1982).
Classifications
- Genres
- Anthropology, History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 939.21 — History & geography History of ancient world (to ca. 499) Other parts of ancient world Western Asia Minor Mysia, Troas
- LCC
- DF221 .T8 .W66 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Greece History of Greece History By period Bronze Age, Minoan, and Mycenaean ages
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 1,055
- Popularity
- 24,260
- Reviews
- 10
- Rating
- (3.93)
- Languages
- 8 — Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 21
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 18