If you’ve spent more than five minutes (awake) in an undergraduate history seminar then you know this moniker refers to that wanderer of wanderers, Herodotus. There’s a lengthy and sort of interesting review of an new illustrated version of his iconic The Histories in The New Yorker (you know, the guys with the racy cartoon covers…). Mentioned the old man in connection with the post-modern bloodbath epic 300 many moons ago, a post you can find here.
Wonder if there is an illustration of him sharing “herbal remedies” with Egyptian priests in this new edition…Unlikely. Still worth a look…I guess.
Via Arts & Letters Daily.
August 1, 2008 at 8:18 am |
He’s an absolute hoot to read especially in short spurts and as soon as I get my copy out of storage it’s going back beside my bed…
August 1, 2008 at 11:46 am |
I think that’s how the The New Yorker piece can be summarized — “Herodotus: An absolute hoot”. ;)
August 15, 2008 at 2:52 pm |
Coincidentally, I just checked out his Histories from the library. It’s sitting on my bedside table waiting for me to finish at least one of the other books I’m reading.