The Greeks and Greek Civilization - Hardcover

Burckhardt, Jacob; Murray, Oswyn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312192762 ISBN 13: 9780312192761

Publisher: St Martins Pr, 1998

Synopsis

From one of the greatest historians of our modern age, a masterpiece too controversial to be published in his own time

About this title

Review:

"Not only a rich overview of Burckhardt's learning but a precious glimpse into the intellectual world of the late nineteenth century." --"The New Yorker"
"A corrective to the rather gaga idealism of 'the Greek spirit'...lively." --George Wills," The New York Times Book Review"
"This book will become a necessary tool in courses not only on nineteenth-century historiography, but on the ancient world as well." --"Publishers Weekly"

Not only a rich overview of Burckhardt's learning but a precious glimpse into the intellectual world of the late nineteenth century. "The New Yorker"

A corrective to the rather gaga idealism of 'the Greek spirit'...lively. "George Wills, The New York Times Book Review"

This book will become a necessary tool in courses not only on nineteenth-century historiography, but on the ancient world as well. "Publishers Weekly""

"Not only a rich overview of Burckhardt's learning but a precious glimpse into the intellectual world of the late nineteenth century." --The New Yorker

"A corrective to the rather gaga idealism of 'the Greek spirit'...lively." --George Wills, The New York Times Book Review

"This book will become a necessary tool in courses not only on nineteenth-century historiography, but on the ancient world as well." --Publishers Weekly

From the Back Cover:

Jacob Burckhardt, one of the most outstanding historians of classical and Renaissance art, architecture and culture, was also the inventor of a new approach to history – 'cultural history'. His famous lectures are here available in English for the first time, translated by Sheila Stern and introduced by Oswyn Murray's long essay which places his ideas in their historical context. In 'The Greeks and Greek Civilization', Burckhardt rejects idealized descriptions of Greek culture, revealing instead a tyrannous state with minimal personal freedom; that Athenian democracy provided a forum for demagogues and the individual was powerless against decisions of the 'demos'. A brilliant account is also given of Greek pessimism, despair and attraction to suicide. 'The Greeks and Greek Civilization' is the greatest work of nineteenth-century cultural history and the most convincing portrait of the Greeks in the modern age.

"This is certainly, in one sense an old book but Oswyn Murray's introduction and Sheila Stern's fresh translation make it new and supply a wonderfully fat and vivid reminder of the splendour and miseries of Hellenism...enlightened and enlightening, a joy to read, delicious with anecdotes and a manifest labour of love, candour and openmindedness."
Frederic Raphael, 'Sunday Times'

"A volume of great significance...Burckhardt's lively intelligence and massive learning create ideas that shoot off the page like fireworks, some illuminating the scene with impressive clarity...a fascinating summation."
Peter Jones, 'Sunday Telegraph'

"Stimulating, a heady cultural brew...Burckhardt has long been an icon. This vigorous translation by Sheila Stern will bring his analyses to a new generation of readers...A hero to conservative scholars of today, he believed that he could gather together his own significant reports from the Greek world and thus display the true spirit of Greece. To achieve this end requires both an extraordinary range of reading in the ancient texts and a rare capability to construct cultural edifices from the best pieces. Burckhardt had both – and many of his constructions have lasted. A challenging writer...he had the best pessimist's sense of frailty of human civilization."
Peter Stothard, 'The Times'

About this edition

• Publisher: St Martins Pr
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0312192762
• ISBN 13: 9780312192761
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 449