The Alexandrine Scripts: A Sketch of Sand and Other Stories

Five delightful stories written as the conceit that these were works not destroyed in the Library of Alexandria fire and were considered good enough to translate into English. Although the author [ahem, editor] considers the 19th century translation good, he's seen fit to modernize the language somewhat. Stories all have a quiet, smily-type humor [ "Sacred Geese of Juno"], straight biography "Life of [Hannibal" purportedly written by his secretary], two others that point up the results of intolerance or greed. We end with "Stretch of Sand", title story but which I consider the best one and a should-be classic, an anti-war story set in North Africa [Nova Hippo--colony of Carthage-- and the rival Cyrene. The two cities dispute land show more boundary and two useless deaths result. As the author, Philaenus of Carthage laments: "I do believe it is a sin before all the gods of heaven, if we the people lay down the lives of our boys for no more than a stretch of sand."

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