The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Amazon.ca: Edward Gibbon, Daniel J. Boorstin, Hans-Friedrich Mueller: Books

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British parliamentarian and soldier Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) conceived of his plan for Decline and Fall while "musing amid the ruins of the Capitol" on a visit to Rome. For the next 10 years he worked away at his great history, which traces the decadence of the late empire from the time of the Antonines and the rise of Western Christianity. "The confusion of the times, and the scarcity of authentic memorials, pose equal difficulties to the historian, who attempts to preserve a clear and unbroken thread of narration," he writes. Despite these obstacles, Decline and Fall remains a model of historical exposition, and required reading for students of European history. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“[Gibbon] stood on the summit of the Renaissance achievement and looked back over the waste of history to ancient Rome, as from one mountain top to another.”—Christopher Dawson

From the Trade Paperback edition.

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7 Reviews

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4.1 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gibbon in a month, July 23 2001

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SamuelM (Arroyo Grande, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Paperback)

This abridged version of Gibbon's history is the most enjoyable one I have read. The book consists mostly of the first half of the original, but also has some of the popular chapters of the latter half. However what delighted me most was that when a paragraph(s) or chapter(s) was omitted, there was a footnote which gave a quick synopsis on what you missed. I suggest this book to anyone that has an adequate reading level and an intrest in Rome. When you finish you'll find yourself more literate and extremly knowledgeable in the history of Rome.

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4.0 out of 5 stars "Enthralling, Lucid, Eloquent...An Intellectual Edifice", May 21 2001

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Johannes Platonicus (South Bend, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Paperback)

Dero A. Saunders abridged edition of the "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" enhances the already elucidating and comprehensive full volume set sketched by Gibbon, and adds a precise tone to make this edition a quick and fulfilling read. At proscribed intervals throughout this work, Saunders summarizes portions of Gibbon's original volume, and successfully renders a "magnum opus" accessible for busy students and readers in general. The latter half of Gibbon's original work - after the sack of Rome - is composed of excerpts deemed necessary for a better understanding of the Empire's condition after the fall; and consists of: the age of Justinian, the rise of Islam, the fall of Constantinople, the ruins of Rome, and Gibbon's conclusion to the work as a whole. The breadth of this work brims with irony and a captivating charm that pervasively treats the vicissitudes of the Roman Empire with a witty candor. This is a timeless classic and a must have for anyone intersted in late Roman and Christian antiquity. It took a bit of courage on my part to give this excellent book four stars, but a few things must be considered. First of all, Gibbon wrote this history through a reformation lense and shamelessly exhibits his sentiments towards a history that was strictly catholic. Constantine is looked at with disregard and even indiffernce, while latter Julian the Apostate - the enemy of Christianity - is praised for his intelligence and valor. Hardly something I would expect from a christian historian. Also, as I said earlier, this edition is made accessible for busy students and readers; not historians and scholars. So for those who wish for a more in-depth and comprehensive approach to Gibbon's work, I would suggest the whole set. But for anyone who wishes to find a precise edition with all the essentials, undoubtedly Dero A. Saunders is the best.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best!, April 19 2001

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Lance Kirby (Portsmouth, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Paperback)

What more can I say but read the entire work. He was the master.

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