A review by annewithabook
The Histories: The Landmark Herodotus by Herodotus

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is the original historical nonfiction, and well worth reading. Herodotus lived during the 5th century BC in the Greek city-states, documenting predominantly the war between the Greek city states and Persia known as the Persian Wars. I read this book as part of my Greek Historiography class. It is considered the first work of history, and it's a fascinating and surprisingly easy work to read. Herodotus clearly did a lot of research, despite there being no foundation for the historical method during the time. He also has a drama flaw, loving to tell stories even he admits aren't real but are rather amusing. He documents the rise and fall of Cyrus the Great, gives a detailed portrayal of Ancient Egypt during its time, and many tiny stories of battles and civilizations alike. It's a beautiful book and if you're interested in Greek history, I highly recommend it!