[.ca] Alexander the Great: Journey to the End of the Earth (ISBN 0060570121)

Alexander, brought down to earth:
As other commentators have noted, this book is more of a survey of the history about and around Alexander the Great than an original contribution to scholarship and knowledge. Taken on that basis, this is a good book - I would not hesitate to use this as part of a general survey course on ancient history for a lower-undergraduate or advanced-secondary level, as the writing is clear, accessible and flows easily from topic to topic. Perhaps the one drawback I see with regard to the text arrangement is that it probably makes more sense to those who already have a background in the history than to those who do not. The ancient world from pre-history Greece and Persia to the time of Alexander (over a thousand years) collapsed into a mere thirty pages will be a difficult task for anyone. In the first chapter, Cantor sets the stage by giving a rather sweeping account of the history of the 'known' world leading up to this time, together with a brief account of some of the legacies of Alexander and Hellenism, and a few details about modern archaeological and historical research in the area. The subsequent chapters see Alexander developed more fully, both in terms of military and political strategist as well as in terms of psychological being. Alexander was both a product of his world as well as the maker of his world in many ways. Cantor contrasts Alexander the Great with Julius Caesar, often likened and compared, developing an Alexander who is much more the military purist than a political creature (more of a Patton than an Eisenhower, in modern terms). Cantor's last chapter develops the aftermath and the legacies of Alexander much more fully. This includes his actual influence on nations and military issues as well as his heroic and mythic figure that continues to inspire in different directions up to the present day. This book is not a deep analysis. One commentator describes the book as a disappointment, given Cantor's ability and reputation, but I have to wonder if that was his intent. This looks and feels like a general survey, intended to serve as some historical underpinning for those whose only likely exposure to Alexander comes from Hollywood films. Are there better books on Alexander? The answer is certainly, yes. Are those better books as accessible, as likely to be read by the general reader? I leave that question for the reader to decide. Given the option, I would award this text three-and-a-half stars; it has good writing, good material, and raises good questions (which might prompt readers to read further in other sources). There are several points at which more explanation or development would have been helpful.