Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)An excellent text to accompany the Oliver Stone movie, "Alexander," this book is astonishingly well-researched and written by Michael Alvear with assistance from Vicky Shecter, who is now working on a children's book about Alexander the Great.
If you laugh out loud at David Sedaris books, this book may remind you of what a serious ancient history book would be like if David Sedaris had written it. It is a laugh a minute. Yet, the basic facts provided are correct. This book just makes it FUN to learn a bit of history that most people (even in Greece!) know far too little about.
I am a public librarian, and have read at least 12 books on Alexander the Great in the past six months. What one inevitably finds when researching Alexander is that his life is hotly debated by many differing factions: Should he be called Macedonian or Greek? Should he be called bisexual or gay? Should he be hailed as a hero and liberator or condemned as a mass murderer? Was he buried in Alexandria or someplace else? Did he have a part in killing his father or not? You can forget about finding a book that makes EVERYONE happy, though the best overall book I have found is Robin Lane Fox's "Alexander the Great" published in 1986 by Penguin Books. I believe it stands head and shoulders over any other book on Alexander, and every public library MUST have that book. Oliver Stone chose Robin Lane Fox to be his historical consultant for the film "Alexander." I would avoid the new book by Paul Cartledge even though it is new; the Robin Lane Fox book simply covers so much more and does it so much better. Also, the account of Alexander's travels by Arrian is a must.
Every library needs sources on Alexander, however, for those who may not care to read the serious history texts. Mary Renault's "Persian Boy" is outstanding for fiction readers, and her other books on Alexander, especially "The Nature of Alexander," are also excellent. But for those who want to really have FUN as they learn their history, you just can't beat Michael Alvear's "Alexander the Fabulous."
Anyone who is terribly homophobic may not like this book, but then again, anyone who is terribly homophobic is not likely to be reading about Alexander the Great anyway. After Jesus Christ, Alexander may be the most influential human to ever live, and there should be as many books about his life in our libraries as possible. The fact that he was gay or bisexual should not be a reason for not providing a book about his extraordinary life.
Don't miss this great book! You will be ever so glad you found it!
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Alexander the Fabulous: The Man Who Brought the World to Its KneesHe conquered the known world. He united it for the first time with a common language. His military tactics are still being studied-and used-by today's warriors. He is considered the most courageous and heroic warrior in history. But (and more importantly): He was hot. His boyfriends were hotter. He could throw hissy fits that would take Liza Minelli's breath away. He traveled with an advance publicity team. He was so vain, if Preparation H had existed, his enemies would have rubbed it on his ego. He had fag hags hanging off him like laundry. We're approaching 2,350 years after his death and people are still fascinated by Alexander the Great. Even Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the people who gave us language, math and philosophy, didn't have Oliver Stone making movies about them. All the great conquerors that followed Alexander tried to emulate him-Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Jeff Striker. Michael Alvear presents a most unusual biography of history's greatest warrior.
Michael Alvear is a syndicated columnist whose commentary has been heard on NPR. He is the author of Men Are Pigs, But We Love Bacon.
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