A review by vidholf
The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind by Justin Pollard, Howard Reid

5.0

I've enjoyed this book far more than most I've listened to or read in the past year or so. Pollard and Reid guide the reader through the history of Alexandria--from Alexander the Great to its ultimate destruction--and the history of the learning, ideas, science and philosophy that it fostered. The tale interweaves the usual history of rulers, battles, and politics with in-depth portrayals of authors and works who have shaped Western European culture through the centuries: from Aristotle to Euclid to Origen, and more. Simon Vance's narration is, as usual, superb, lending just the right emphasis to each passage.