Just the Facts: Book Discussion Recap from March 27

Is it ever going to get warm? Is it really spring? Anyway, thirteen people withstood the rigors of a chilly March evening to participate in the book discussion. Many thanks to those who attended.

Our book was The Rise of Rome: the making of the world’s greatest empire by Anthony Everitt. The book chronicles the complete history of Rome, from the refugees from the Trojan War landing in Africa and then Italy, the myth of Romulus and Remus, the early kingdoms, the many wars and absorption of the vanquished, the creation of the republic, and then Pompey and Julius Caesar and the rise of the empire. It contains short biographies of the scores of men and women who contributed to and opposed Rome, as well as descriptions of the battles, both military and political, that enabled Rome to conquer and rule the known world. The book is dense with facts, people and information. Our discussion was interesting and varied, covering the events in the book itself, but also the use of elephants in early warfare, the different forms and definitions of slavery at the time, the conflict between the aristocracy and the common people, what it means to be a citizen, the influence of Rome on the modern western world, the importance of Latin, the role model Rome provided for the nascent American republic, the importance of myth in nation building, and much more. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 7:00 pm. The book to be discussed, The Graves are Walking: the great famine and the saga of the Irish people by John Kelly, is available at the Circulation Desk. All are welcome.