History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

A Sourcebook on the Roman Games (Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History) (Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History)

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A Sourcebook on the Roman Games (Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History) (Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History)

Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1405115696

Book Description

This sourcebook presents a wealth of material that casts light on the rich tradition of Roman spectacle, with special focus on gladiatorial combat and chariot racing. Drawing on literary descriptions, inscriptions, reliefs, mosaics, and archaeological features, The Roman Games offers a range of political, social, and religious perspectives.Featuring the accounts of eyewitnesses and participants, the book reconstructs the experience of "a day at the games " and the expectations of "the life of a gladiator. "The editor provides historical framework and analytical commentary for each of the entries, as well as a glossary of technical terms and a timeline to give additional context for students and general readers.

Magic Tree House Research Guide: Ancient Greece and the Olympics (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

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review on ancient greece and the olyimpics

Magic Tree House Research Guide: Ancient Greece and the Olympics (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Mary Pope Osborne , and Natalie Pope Boyce
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375823786
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Book Description

What was it like to live in ancient Greece? What gods and goddesses did Greeks believe in? How did the Olympics start? What was the winner’s prize? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this Magic Tree House Research Guide. Includes fun facts from Jack and Annie, fantastic photos and illustrations, and a guide to doing further research!

Customer Reviews:

review on ancient greece and the olyimpics.......2005-04-13

(......) My Summary on Ancient Greece and the Olympics 4/13/05
Book by Mary pope osborne

This book is about two kids Jake and Annie are kids who like to find thing out about the Titanic, twisters, and the Olympics.

In this book they want to find out about ancient Greece and the Olympics. So in this book going back in the past and try and figure out how the Olympics worked in the past.

I like the book because it gives you the idea of what the people in Greece lived. The book over all the book is great.

I recommend this book so that boys and girls age 10-14 can read this book. It is so great that I want to read it again.

Medieval Celebrations: How to Plan for Holidays, Weddings, and Reenactments With Recipes, Customs, Costumes, Decorations, Songs, Dances, and Games

Average customer rating:

Planning a medieval Party?
So-So Information for Event Planning

Medieval Celebrations: How to Plan for Holidays, Weddings, and Reenactments With Recipes, Customs, Costumes, Decorations, Songs, Dances, and Games
Daniel Diehl , and Mark Donnelly
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0811728668

Customer Reviews:

Planning a medieval Party?.......2002-12-27

If you are planning a Medieval Celebration of any kind this is a great book to buy. My Fiancee and I have been looking for medieval books to plan our wedding by and I stumbled across this one its been very helpful and I'm sure it will get alot of use. It has many tradations recipes and lots of fun games a must have.

So-So Information for Event Planning.......2001-08-24

My fiance and I purchased this book as we are planning a medieval wedding. The title and description of this book implied that we would find lots of valuable information on that topic. Well, we found lots of valuable information for feast planning, or putting on a re-enactment (a la Society for Creative Anachronism), and very little concerning period wedding traditions. The most interesting parts were the recipes/redactions and the instructions for medieval dance steps. There are also several pages that contain sheet music for period songs. If you are looking to put on a reenactment or feast, this is the book for you. If you are looking for anything else, I suggest you look elsewhere.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Riddle of Scheherazade, The: And Other Amazing Puzzles, Ancient and Modern

Average customer rating:

Some hard some simple
The value of logic, or the illogic of value?
Good book---too much algebra
Better than Sam Loyd!
The only logic book you'll ever need

Riddle of Scheherazade, The: And Other Amazing Puzzles, Ancient and Modern
Raymond M. Smullyan
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Logic & Brain Teasers | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679446346
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Customer Reviews:

Some hard some simple.......2007-01-06

Some of the puzzles are really great brainteasers a few of them are pretty simple....

The value of logic, or the illogic of value?.......2005-08-31

This book, by a well-known poser of puzzles, sets out of the order of a thousand logic puzzles in a format loosely styled upon the presentation of Scheherazade, but in a somewhat less entrancing way. The problem with logic is that there is just so much of it about. Perhaps the axiom 'less is more' might have been applied and some judicious excision of the more mechanical or repetitious examples been performed. The jewels are lost amongst the glass beads. Obviously by its nature mathematical logic eschews value judgements, but in the present case this seems to have been taken rather too literally.

Good book---too much algebra.......2004-09-01

This book is a good source of riddles, old and new. Unfortunately, a lot of the riddles are just basic algebra problems... and that's not very fun. But if you skip (or quickly work out) the silly algebra riddles, there are still a lot of other interesting riddles. And also there's a neat way to prove Gauss's summing rule in this book.

Also, I was looking for an errata for this book, but I couldn't find one, so I will just mention here that the answer to number 71 is incorrect. But, if you just remove the last sentence from the answer, then it is right.

Better than Sam Loyd!.......2004-07-27

This is probably the best book on logic puzzles ever written (aside from other Smullyan books, that is). It is witty, challenging, and has problems of all kinds. The first half is framed as a continuation to the Arabian Nights, with ingenious and original puzzles (aside from the occasional oldy snuck in) given an Arabian touch.
However, after those brilliant puzzles comes the greatest part of the book. The second half is a collection of puzzles, paradoxes, and even has a couple of chapters on coercive logic, invented by Raymond Smullyan himself.
I reccomend this book to any logic buff, or indeed to anyone who's ever enjoyed a logic puzzle. And if you don't fall into either category, then you need this book all the more.

The only logic book you'll ever need.......2001-02-02

Seeing my frustration at being thoroughly unchallenged in logic in my math class at school, my mom bought me this book. I owe her one. There are coercive logic puzzles, easy but sneaky riddles, and math games. There are liar/truthteller problems to keep you guessing for hours. That said, this is also a great book to read on a plane. It is so complete, you will never need another brainteaser book. That is, until you memorize all the questions.

Secrets in Stone : All About Maya Hieroglyphics

Average customer rating:

Great Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphics!
It's alright..

Secrets in Stone : All About Maya Hieroglyphics
Laurie Coulter
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ancient | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0316158836

Book Description

Until about forty years ago, the ancient Maya hieroglyphics and the world they described remained virtually indecipherable. Now Secrets in Stone takes readers into the world of the ancient Maya code and explains how it was deciphered and what it all means. Not only is this the first book on the subject for children, this book also comes with its very own UV-raised "Glyphmaster," which allows budding archaeologists to create glyph rubbings, just like real archaeologists, Ancient Egyptians hueroglyphics have long captivated the interest of children. Now, inquisitive minds will relish developing their own secret codes and messages with over fifty Maya hieroglyphs.

Customer Reviews:

Great Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphics!.......2004-04-15

My 5 yo daughter pulled this off the shelf of our local library and said, "I want to read about Egypt." I glanced at the book and almost put it back when I saw what the topic really was. But, then I decided, "Hey, if she thinks it looks interesting, let's read it." Surprise! My 8 yo, she, and I all loved the book! We checked it out again recently, and my older child (who is now 9) devoured it in one sitting.

Learning how to read the hieroglyphs is a blast, and I loved the puzzles that the author sets for the reader. He has you find particular hieroglyphs in actual Maya inscriptions. I have seen some of the Maya ruins and loved them long before this book was published, but this book adds so much depth to the study of Maya history.

Plus, the book has raised hieroglyphs on the inside covers. You can then make rubbings of the hieroglyphs to form different words. A great purchase!

It's alright.........2003-12-02

well done, but I could have done without the part about burning blood as a sacrafice. Also the story about the vampire bat.My daughter is in third grade,I am not sure if that story would scare her, but it certainly is not necessary. Seems to me like the author added some gore just to keep older kids reading. The book is well done, I would have liked to have given it 5 stars.

Mage Legacies the Ancient (Mage the Awakening)

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Add Depth and Culture to the Awakening Setting

Mage Legacies the Ancient (Mage the Awakening)
Howard Ingham , Matthew McFarland , Peter Schaefer , Malcolm Sheppard , and Dean Shomshak
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 158846430X

Customer Reviews:

Add Depth and Culture to the Awakening Setting.......2007-06-26

Long awaited since Mage: the Awakening first came out, this supplement reveals the remainder of the mysterious Legacies from the core book, along with a few others. Most of the 13 Legacies presented in this book are supposed to be ancient, as the title implies, dating back to the first civilizations that arose after the collapse of Atlantis. Their magic is primal, sometimes mirroring mortal occult practices (the Dreamspeakers draw on shamanism and indigenous beliefs, the Thrice-Great share similarities with western ritual magick, and the Thread-Cutters arose from Indo-European cultures). As you might notice, some of the Legacies are tributes to the older Mage: the Ascension game, though their Awakening incarnations are very different indeed. The book also throws some light on the Elemental Tamers, Legacies who claim to pre-date Atlantis! And there are hints of other Tamer Legacies, left intentionally vague for STs to use or ignore. As always, each Legacy gets the same basic write-up, along with the background, Attainments, plot-hooks and sample characters. In order, here are the Legacies:

* Dreamspeakers - A tribute to the old Dreamspeakers from Mage: the Ascension, these Primal Thyrsus shaman speak to the Dream-born spirits of the astral realm. Certainly one of my favorite Legacies in the book. They draw on many different cultures from American Indian traditions, Aboriginal Dreamtime lore and Siberian shamanism, to Buddhist mystics, evangelical Christians and Etruscan witchcraft (which, indeed, their signature character practices). Ironically, becuase they draw on cultural magic and generally reject the Atlantis mythos, the Legacy is strongly associated with the Free Council. I found this to be a good write-up, and an interesting take on shamanism in the Awakening setting.

* Elemental Masteries - Actually five seperate Legacies, each with their own seperate write-ups, the section starts with a very brief introudction explaining the background (and interconnectedness) between the Elemental Masteries. Despite what the corebook said about them using Atlantean symbolism, the five Elemental Legacies claim to pre-date Atlantis, and are often at odds with more traditional Orders because of it. However, they've been influencing Sleeper society for millennia, in various roles. For example, the Tamers of Rivers were involved in mystery and fertility cults, the Tamers of Winds served as priests and educated professionals, and the Tamers of Stone were the builders and sacred artisans. The Legacies were as follows:

The Tamers of Fire are a firey and passionate Obrimos Legacy whose Attainments use Forces to create, direct and even become fire! Optional use of Mind can be used to inspire and lead others as well. The Tamers of Rivers are a Thyrsus Legacy of wandering healers, mostly associated with old fertility Goddess cults (and, indeed, most are still female). Their Attainments use Matter to create and manipulate water, with optional Life use for healing. The Tamers of Stone are a Moros Legacy of builders and architects, whose Attainments use Space for finding ideal sites for building (and optional Matter use for shaping and building things). And the Tamers of Winds are an Acanthus Legacy that focus on learning, memorization and knowledge. Their Attainments use Forces for enhancing sounds, telekenitically moving things and even flying! And they have the option of using Mind to enhance their mental facilities.

Finally, there is a fifth, rare Elemental Legacy representing the element of void, ether, akasha... The Tamers of the Cave are a Mastigos Legacy that represents the "fifth element". They are noble martyrs, sacrificing themselves for the good of the all. Their Attainments are all focused around the 'etheric mirror', which they construct through the Death Arcanum. I loved the Tamer of Rivers and Tamer of Winds, but I found the Tamer of the Caves to be an especially interesting Legacy, and a novel take on the 'fifth element'. Very good stuff here.

* Forge Masters - A Moros Legacy, the Forge Master represent the master smiths and artisans of ancient civilizations, which viewed creating tools (and weapons) as a magical art. Their Attainments focus on using Prime to augment their creations, and eventually create idealized objects out of thin air! This section includes some notes on the Perfected Metals of Atlantis, and a couple of new Rotes as well. Interestingly enough, although they are a Moros Legacy, the chapter hints that in some parts of the world other Paths might follow the Legacy as well!

* Skald - As their name implies, members of this Acanthus Legacy are wandering bards, poets, musicians and story-tellers. After the fall of Atlantis, they charged themselves with memorizing the history and lore of various cultures. Once again, they draw on cultures as diverse as Nordic skalds, Homeric poets and Armenian gusan. The Legacy's Attainments use Mind (and, optionally, Spirit as well) to influence the way others think and act. The section also includes an optional Merit, Skald Cant, a secret language which helps memorize things and when dealing with spirits. Once again, I found this to be a very interesting and enjoyable Legacy that I could see myself playing.

* Sphinxes - Another fascinating Legacy, the Sphinxes are a Mastigos Legacy associated with the Mysterium. Originating in Renaissance Spain, the Sphinxes are obsessed with uncovering the mysteries of the universe. They are all about looking for patterns and hiden meaning, researching things like chaos theory and linguists. That sort of stuff. To this end, their Attainments are all about using Fate to analyze and (at higher levels) manipulate probability, with optional Mind effects to notice hidden details. Interesting stuff, and good fluff for information on the cosmology of Awakening. Their signature character, Babel, is pretty fun too.

* Thread Cutters - A Moros Legacy loosely associated with the Guardians of the Veil, the Thread-Cutters are something of a tribute to the Euthanatos Tradition from Mage: the Ascension. Again, these Mages reject alot of Atlantean tradition, instead having become strongly attached to various Indo-European traditions such as the Indians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Etruscans and Celts. They believe in serving Fate itself, whether through Creation, Preservation or Destruction, and thus are sometimes at odds with more mainstream Guardians. Indeed, some consider the Legacy Left Handed! The section includes a new Death Rote for entering the Underworld, and again, the signature character is unique and interesting. I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of this Legacy, and look forward to using it in future games.

* Thrice-Great - Drawing on Hermetic ritual, this Legacy is associated with both the Obrimos Path and the Silver Ladder. Appropriately enough, they believe in using magic to bring the spirits of the Celestial Courts under humanity's control and recreating the ladder of Atlantis! Once again, this Legacy is a tribute to the Order of Hermes from Atlantis, and draws on the same sort of stuff - astrology, Gnosticism, Neo-Platonism and so forth. Their Attainments are all about using Spirit to interact with the Celestial spirits of the planets. The section also includes another new Merit, Celestial Name, which confers a bonus when interacting with Celestial spirits. Great stuff for a spirit centered chronicle!

* Echo Walkers (Left Handed) - A new Left Handed Legacy, meant for Storytellers to use as antaognists, this fanatical Obrimos Legacy believes in dissecting the human soul to get a glimpse of the primordial beings that existed before humanity! Nephilim, Fomori, whatever you want to call them. The magic they use to do so is essentially the equivalent of spiritual rape, which puts them at odds with pretty much everyone else, but the Attainments they gain from their studies allow them to enhance themselves with Life, making them quite formidible! Very creepy and thematic, and it's nice to see a Left Handed Legacy that isn't Moros or Mastigos.

* Logophages (Left Handed) - Although sometimes associated with the Guardians of the Veil, this second Left Handed Legacy can be followed by any Path or Order. As their name implies, the Logophages eat knowledge, stealing it from other Mages. These guys are great antagonists. Interestingly enough for players who remember the old World of Darkness, their chapter includes their own take on the story of Cain and Abel. And the signature character, Queen Scotch, is a great antaognist to throw at players. Very original stuff here.

All in all, the book is excellent. I especially appreciated the fact that the Legacies in the book provided so many different takes on the history and cosmology of the Mage setting, including a fair number of Mages who don't neccessarily believe in Atlantis, or accept the common beliefs of the five Orders (the Dreamspeakers, Elemental Masteries, etc). Yet also have other Legacies that expand on the history, background and culture of Atlantis, like the Skalds and Thrice-Great. In addition, it was nice to have some examples of how culture influences magic (something that the forth-coming Magical Traditions promises to show more of). As a player who remembers Mage: the Ascension, I found the new take on some of the old material especially nice. I strongly recommend this book, in addition to other supplements such as Secrets of the Ruined Temple, Tome of the Mysteries, the Shadows of... series and the forth-coming Magical Traditions, for greatly expanding the setting of Awakening. Plus, you get to see most of the Legacies from the core book (except for the Bokor and Clavicularis, which were covered elsewhere). And, do yourself a favor and read the introductory fiction, which is a good example showing two Legacies in action.

The Gladiator: The Secret History of Rome's Warrior Slaves

Average customer rating:

Adequate, entertaing and oft shocking introduction to the subject
Enjoyable Read
Awful
Amateurish
Not a Good History, but Might be a Good Read

The Gladiator: The Secret History of Rome's Warrior Slaves
Alan Baker
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0306811855
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Book Description

Take "a lively, voyeuristic glimpse into the ancient world" of the gladiator (Publishers Weekly).

Condemned and yet feared by emperors, almost certain to be slaughtered and yet adored by the masses, the gladiator was the superstar of his day. His existence was invariably short and violent, improved only faintly by the prospect of honor, wealth, and public attention. Yet men gave up their freedom to become gladiators, noblewomen gave up their positions to elope with them, and Emperors risked death to fight them.

This thrilling popular history of ancient Rome's gladiators charts the evolution of the games; introduces us to the legendary fighters, trainers, and emperors who participated in the violent sport; and re-creates in gripping detail a day at the bloody games. Alan Baker reveals the techniques of the training school, then sets us ringside to witness the torturous battles between bulls, lions, jaguars, and battle-hardened human beings. With each breathtaking scene, the complex culture of world that created and adored these bloody games between man and beast comes into clear focus. A work of history that reads like fiction, The Gladiator brings to life Spartacus, Commodus, Caligula, and all of the other memorable players of the nearly thousand-year-long gladiatorial era.

Customer Reviews:

Adequate, entertaing and oft shocking introduction to the subject.......2006-08-21

My reading of "The Gladiator" was begun with a mote of lowered expectations. However, after reading the preface where the author clearly outlines that this is not meant to be a flawless historical tome, one can sit back, read , and enjoy this entertaining, lurid, and oft informative piece.

The world of the gladiators is often glorified; its virtues extolled where little attention has been paid to the societal motivations, public melieu of the time that fostered the growth of these "munus". The public's view of gladitorial events is rife with dichotomy. On the one hand, adoration is showered upon the contestants/slaves/prisoners, yet on the other, they are scorned, and sentenced to the most horrific of ends. It is this clearly outlined duplicity that personified the Roman Republic's transformation to Empire. Cities were stripped of their freedom; the last being Rome once the famed Rubicon was crossed by Gaius Julius Caesar, individuals subjugated themselves to the will of the state, and a people's bloodlust was satisfied. Rome's supremacy over nature and foe was best exemplified within the confines of the ring. To die under such circumstances was met with fickle resolve, even honor.

Yes, this book is often perfunctory, and written with the novice in mind. But it is at the task of introducing a casual reader to the period that it excels. Precious few books that aim for loftier goals achieve them in such fashion.

Enjoyable Read.......2006-05-09

I picked this book up with a passing interest in the subject matter. My knowledge on gladiators was basically limited to viewing movies such as Spartacus and Gladiator. So, I was interested in gaining at least a little deeper insight into galdiatorial contests. On that note this book did not disappoint me. It was written in a style and manner that kept my attention and allowed to get a broad overview on the subject without getting bogged down in detail.

If you are looking for a serious scholarly work, then you may be a bit disappointed (at least that seems to be the concensus from reading a few of the other reviews). However, if you are looking for a general overview and easy read, then I think you will find yourself happy with this purchase.

Awful.......2006-01-14

Appallingly poor.

Reads like its been written in the back of the school bus on the way to the exam.

Very little info on actual Gladiators, it mostly focuses on tabloid style shock stories and continuously tells the reader how "bad" these things are (like we need to be freaking told!).

This book is divided into chapters, the names of which have little bearing on the actual contents of the chapters and has the most godawful repetitive and disjointed flow i've seen in a book quite a while, random thoughts and stories put down with no coherrent plan.

The Author also refuses to give any sources on anything and so when he tells his stories you'll just have to take it as gospel.
Im telling you, as a Ancient Roman Lecturer, do not get this "book".

Amateurish.......2005-06-24

This book reads like an undergrad paper; it is short, repetitive, and derivative, and the author obviously isn't an expert in classics, or military history, or archaeology, or anything that might apply to the topic. He isn't a very good writer, either. Or maybe he just had a poor editor.

This might be good for kids, or for people who know nothing about the ancient world, but I suspect they will be a little disapppointed by the total lack of illustrations; there are no artist's renderings of a gladiator's armor and weapons, no reproductions of ancient paintings or mosaics, and no photos or maps of Rome, an amphitheatre, or anything. If you are interested in gladiators, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Not a Good History, but Might be a Good Read.......2005-01-06

I was really disappointed by this book. I confess to being something of a classics nerd, so I was hoping for a proper historical look at the gladiatorial games. And while it's true that Baker does look at most aspects of the phenomenon, he doesn't do so with a good historian's perspective.

Early in the book, he warns against applying modern sensibilities to ancient intitutions. This is a wise and reasonable approach. It is therefore a pity that he utterly abondons it, making countless judgements throughout the book. Some of these are explicit, but most are implicit in his choice of phrasing and other subtler aspects of his writing. While I agree that, to my modern morals, these games were barbaric, I find his judgements annoying and out of place in a historical work.

Another great flaw of this book is that the author takes every historical account as true. Seutonius, for example, is full of racey tales of the dark sides of the early emperors. (Plus Caesar who, despite Baker's assertions, is not considered an emporor. This isn't the only minor inaccuracy I noticed, incidentally.) However, it's doubtful that all of it, or even necessarily most of it is true. But Baker relies on Seutonius and others as literal fact upon which to base his "history". It's difficult to know how much of Baker to trust given his apparent inability to be skeptical.

Finally, the chapter on the Emperor-Gladiators is a wretched peice of work. The account of Caligula is just a transcribed Seutonius. (Why not just read the original in the first place, then?). And the overwelming majority of the chapter has nothing to do with these emperors' behavior in the arena, it's just a long liteny of how these men were depraved. This isn't the only case where Baker shows a poor ability to stay focused on his topic, but it's the most vexing.

Overall, I get the sense that Baker lacks a solid background in history. (Which may not be correct, but that's the impression this book conveys.) Instead, I get the impression of an author who is out to titillate the audience more than to provided a careful historical look at the gladiatorial games. On the one hand, this makes the book more interesting and approachable for a broad audience. On the other hand, it makes it a poor read for anyone seeking real understanding,

Secrets of the Cube: The Ancient Visualization Game That Reveals Your True Self

Average customer rating:

This game is so much fun!
learning about others
A Great Addition to Your Reference Library - for ANY Reader
The Cube
A helpful book for making new friends

Secrets of the Cube: The Ancient Visualization Game That Reveals Your True Self
Annie Gottlieb , and Slobodan Pesic
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Personal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0786882573

Customer Reviews:

This game is so much fun!.......2004-10-22

This game is so much fun! You learn things about people that you never knew... heck, you learn things maybe *they* didn't even know. My friend introduced me to it and ever since then, I've "Cubed" everyone I know. It's lots of fun to do with new friends as well.

learning about others.......2003-05-21

When you finish this book, you will discover additional questions about yourself and others.. but besides the questions you will have answers ,on the why you or your friends or significant other acts the way they do. very thoughtful is this book. besides once you have been cube'd you can cube others!

A Great Addition to Your Reference Library - for ANY Reader.......2002-03-20

I have read and collected quite a library of psychology and esoterical books on many subjects and approaches involving personal/spiritual development and exploration. This book is one of the few that I've encountered that is extremely accurate, no matter who you use it with. It contains great insight, in a straight-forward way, into yourself, life and relationships. It is very thorough in it's approach, yet still leaves room for personal interpretation - a must in my own book. For though another may help guide us, we ourselves always contain the true keys. And this book even contains references and examples of others who have played the game, including named celebrities, and impressions of interpretations from others. Very helpful for referencing the games you will encounter yourself after reading this book.

Every person I've ever used this book with has absolutely loved the game and has found it immeasurably helpful. We've even had disucssion groups and all-night philosophical pursuits after playing the game. It's hard to tire of it. And it still leaves room for continued exploration into the world of visualization, personal reflection and development; an ancient art - that is yet still very alive and meaningful.

I have seen this book listed and recommended even by spiritualists, though it is marketed as a psychology book and has also been listed on recommended lists from a more scientific approach.

I personally recommend this book for anyone. Rare would be the personality who would not enjoy this book, as the game and its exploration is so intriguing. I first purchased this book on a whim, not entirely knowing what it was about - and have NEVER ever regretted it.

Thanks much to Annie and Slobodan for writing this book!
Best of luck to all and enjoy the Cube!

The Cube.......2001-03-04

This is a wonderful book. It is extremely accurate. I highly recommend it. Once you cube someone, you are given an inside look at who they are, and why they act the way they do. It is also a wonderful look inside yourself. I highly recommend this book.

A helpful book for making new friends.......2000-10-24

I have benefited greatly from "Secret of the Cube"- I like to cube new friends, it really helps me to communicate and understand people better- very helpful! This book is also good for understanding youself too, and personal improvement.

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