Product Description

This highly accessible, user-friendly work provides a fresh and illuminating introduction to the most important aspects of Latin prose and poetry and the fundamental connections between Latin literature and issues of elite Roman culture

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #265810 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
'A clear, vigorous, stimulating and entertaining tour ... it forms a lively and effective introduction for neophytes and provides intelligent and provocative reflections for the initiated.' – Journal of Roman Studies

From the Back Cover
This highly accessible, user-friendly work provides a fresh and illuminating introduction to the most important aspects of Latin prose and poetry.
Readers are constantly encouraged to think for themselves about how and why we study the texts in question. They are stimulated and inspired to do their own further reading through engagement with a wide selection of translated extracts, and with a useful exploration of the different ways in which they can be approached. Central throughout is the theme of the fundamental connections between Latin literature and issues of elite Roman culture.
The versatile structure of the book makes it suitable both for individual and class use.

Customer Reviews

A Excellent Place to Start
For someone with a basic overview knowledge of classical Latin literature, who wants to dip just a little deeper, this book is an excellent choice. While this is not a book to read if you have absolutely no knowledge at all of the principal characters and writers in classical Latin, provided you have at least heard of the likes of; Catullus, Ovid, Virgil and a few others (and who hasn't), you will gain a lot of insight from here.
The author displays clear subject authority, while at all times remaining thoroughly readable by the non-specialist. Indeed, in my opinion, the book is remarkable for being able to discuss some fairly sophisticated ideas in literary criticism, in a sufficiently straight forward and "user friendly" fashion, that even those with little previous experience of such debate can easily keep up. Sadly such clarity is a rarity and only comes from in-depth understanding of the material in my view. Those that make matters incomprehendably complex are often simply revealing their own lack of understanding - that is definitely not the case here!
The book is very well structured and "signposted". At all times the author is at pains for the reader to understand why a particular topic is being discussed and that topic's place in the greater scheme of things.
This is not an easy book to read - but it could be very much heavier going than it is, having said that it is a pleasure to read and makes you want to go back and the read the originals again, armed with new insights! Incidently, it is also well printed on good quality paper and is a pleasure to handle!

The author is to be be congratulated for making this fascinating subject so approachable. Buy this book, you will enjoy it! Now, where did I put that copy of The Aeneid...?