spacestationtrustfund's review
3.0
"The Roman Empire of the East was founded by Constantine the Great on Monday, 11 May 330," Norwich recounts; "it came to an end on Tuesday, 29 May 1453." Those 1123 intervening years (give or take a couple weeks) are what Norwich covers in his indomitable three-part series on Byzantium and its associated empire. The third volume is by far the weakest, wrapping up events rather hastily and including a rather disjointed narrative pace throughout, but still a masterpiece.
zebglendower's review against another edition
4.0
So much fun, and so tragic. Despite the overwhelming Islamopobia (though this trilogy is pre-9/11), the whole trilogy is a wonderful, engaging, and thrilling example of epic, big history. Game of Thrones has nothing on Norwich.
fil's review against another edition
4.0
Done! For some reason, this last part was much better than the other two. Norwich, perforce, spends more time on events outside of Constantinople and the end product is clear and intelligible, if anything in the Balkans and the Middle East can ever be described as such.
Anyhoo, having the entire Byzantine Empire history and the ridiculous western Church/eastern Church debacle reduced to 1000 pages or so seemed like an impossible task but J.J. made it work.
Anyhoo, having the entire Byzantine Empire history and the ridiculous western Church/eastern Church debacle reduced to 1000 pages or so seemed like an impossible task but J.J. made it work.
msgtdameron's review against another edition
4.0
After reading the complete set an observation. Why, do humans at any place or time in history continue to ignore the threat that will kill and pursue short term goals? As you read this work Norwich points out again and again European rulers who used Byzantium weakness and picked the carcass of the Empire. Instead of assisting the Byzantines against the Arabs or Turks. A shortsighted policy that led to another 200 years of Ottoman conquest through the Balkans and the continued shrinking of Christian lands in the East. A policy that today we continue to see with European involvement in the Balkans as the West try's to get the people of the Balkans to call a cop instead of the Blood feud. Short term goals of personal wealth and glory that lead to long term destruction, pain, death, and continued heart break. And we don't get any better. Our politicians in the U.S., England, Russia, and China along with innumerable Third World dictators use their people for their own gain. Use their land up instead of being good stewards of it. Pollute the air and water and then ask the people to fix their errors. All this done while they hold on to their political empires and or attack the carcass of what is left. It is obvious to me, that out side of a good, well written, and quick moving history the questions that the history asks are just as important.
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