The March of Folly - From Troy to Vietnam (Barbara Tuchman, 1984)

(411 pages)

Somewhat similar to this collection by the same author - she writes a number of essays each interesting in its own right, the puts them in a book and seeks to bind them together by a theme that feels a little forced.  But each is valuable, and the whole is much worth reading.

Four essays here -

First she reviews the "folly" of the Trojans in accepting the Greek gift.  I was reading this concurrently with the Odyssey, and hadn't recalled that the Trojan horse story is recounted in the Odyssey (not the Iliad).  Also hadn't recalled the role of Laocoon, and the serpent-y events that inspired the famous statues.  Cassandra's gift/curse.

Next - she discusses the Renaissance popes and the events just prior to the Reformation.  I've oft read about the sale of indulgences but she provides an interesting discussion here; the idea of expanding the market by ruling that indulgences can benefit poor souls in purgatory - profitable!  Also interesting to think about this book about the early Church, and just how far the Church of Rome strayed from its roots by this era.  Consequences of Constantine. 

Third is a section reviewing the "folly" of the British government in dealing with the colonists - the view that independence was not inevitable.  Lots of detail from the British perspective, most of it new.  I do like that she points out that Britain wasn't "ruined" by loss of the colonies - instead Britain advanced to its apogee - mistaken belief that colonies enrich the mother country - individual entrepreneurs can and do make out quite fabulously (especially if armed with government-sanctioned monopoly) but mother country as a whole doesn't seem to profit.

Fourth is a discussion of the folly in Vietnam - so resonant with today's Middle East/Afghanistan errors.  More of a focus on World War II and the French days - that part was new to me.  The other aspects have been covered pretty well via the Ken Burns documentary, I also liked this book quite a bit.

The Odyssey (Homer, 8th century BC (7th century?)) (translated by Emily Wilson)

(525 pages)

I much enjoyed reading this then-new translation back in 2008; this 2018 translation was receiving rave reviews so I gave it a try. 

It's great - highly recommended.  Translator is remarkably skillful at using short words, active phrases.  In the introduction she explains that she decided to use iambic pentameter - different than the original Greek, but customary/suitable for English.  She also states that she decided to restrict herself to the exact number of lines used by Homer - a "difficult constraint" - she "wanted a narrative pace that could match its stride to Homer's nimble gallop".  (That phrase from the introduction gives a glimpse of what she did with the translation.)

Her introduction runs 80 pages and is uniformly helpful, interesting.

I'm not seeing a reason to recount the plot because it's so well known (and because I briefly did so in the above 2008 link anyway).  So many stories that are essentially immortal in their own right, let alone to consider that they are all collected in this single epic. 

Also needless to say - this has been read and enjoyed for centuries (millennia, actually) - that won't stop.

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume I (Edward Gibbon, 1776)

(567 pages)

Volume 1 of 3. (Volumes 4-6, which I've not purchased (and not sure whether I will), address Constantinople.)

"Introduction" is excellent on its own - discusses why someone like Gibbon (and others of Enlightenment era) were so interested in Rome's failure - considering potential seeds of failure in their own intellectual/political world, what could they learn from the Roman experience?  Gibbons's interaction with David Hume, Adam Smith, Johnson & Boswell (unfriendly); Joshua Reynolds does his portrait - what an era.

Gibbons commences with a summary from the second century AD (now CE); this volume moves into the fourth century.  The names of the emperors; all of the battles; the dates; the details - little of this will remain in memory - yet the work seems indispensable.  All the familiar issues.  The Praetorian guard getting out of control - reminds of the Janissaries or the Streltsky.  Dictatorial powers.  Several "good" emperors who can hold the borders and generally restore internal order.  Many bad emperors - they are vilified, while the good/popular ones are deified.  Succession challenges - family members by birth or adoption, etc.  Long stretches where no emperor dies a natural death.

Lengthy discussions of the barbarians, including the Germans in particular.  Hiring barbarians to assist with defense; significant downsides from doing so.  Battles in east and west.

Discusses Rome's use (or non-use, in the early days) of physical walls in various areas, in a manner consistent with the discussion in this book.

Emperors recognize that the size of the empire had made governing unwieldy for a single individual.  Experiments with more than one emperor (groups of two and even four), designated successors; eventually the eastern and western parts split permanently.

The famous passages considering the effect of Christianity on the empire; recall that Gibbons is writing during the Enlightenment and with awareness of clerical issues over the centuries.  He takes widespread criticism for these passages, seeks to defend them.

His writing style is quite wonderful.  Dense; can pack contrasting concepts in just a few words, often landing in an unexpected place.  It draws the reader along.

The discussion of religion among the pagans is similar to that included in this work.  Lengthy consideration of Constantine (also as done in that same work).

I'm genuinely looking forward to volumes 2 and 3.

The Ghost Map - The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World (Steven Johnson, 2007)

(256 pages)

Book club selection (via Nick; session held 17 February 2019).

I liked this - a good reminder of medicine's primitive state in mid-19th century.  Main objection (from me and the other readers) - the author probably had enough material for a lengthy article, but not enough for a book.  Much of the second half was just meandering on more or less related topics.

I refer to medicine's then-primitive state - yet much of the discussion reminded of how humble everyone should be to this day when it comes to medical matters.  Confirmation bias continues to reign; widely-accepted recommendations continue to be drastically changed; etc.  Such a difficult field.  (Said from the perspective of a thoroughly uninformed layperson.)

Many echoes for this so-interesting book - some progress by 1918 but not all that much.

The hero of the story - John Snow - very impressive - from a time when an individual could be an expert in more than one area.  In addition to helping track cholera - he had a very successful pioneering career with anesthesia (hired to assist Queen Victoria).