Reviews

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volumes 1 to 6 by Edward Gibbon

dr_lizard's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

msrdr's review against another edition

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5.0

Few new things can be offered by a review of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. This is the definition of a magisterial work. As a history it is epic, for its time, original and enormously well researched. Gibbon’s now imperfect facts remain insightfully rendered into a beautifully articulated narrative across almost two millennia. This is a work of timeless literature and timeless commentary.

I would attempt to draw new readers with accolades of the under discussed sections on the foundation of Islam, the foundation of the Mongol Empire, and the biography of Tamerlane.

kyrie5's review against another edition

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slow-paced

2.0

The abridged version is terrible 

jordi's review against another edition

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5.0

Más de 250 años de historia, desde Marco Antonio (~ año 100) a la invasion de los hunos (~ año 375).

Este libro aunque se llama Vol 1, realmente contiene los volumenes 1 y 2 originales que fueron publicados en 1776 and 1781.

Este libro es bastante largo con más de 1000 páginas pero se hace muy ameno.
Es una larga sucesion de traiciones, asesinatos, guerras civiles, guerras externas, internas, politicas, conjuras familiares, etc. En un momento, la propia abuela del emperador se conjura para que le asesinen y poner a su primo.
Una especie de juego de tronos pero esto es historia autentica.

El lenguaje del libro es a la vez sencillo pero bello. Ameno y bien explicado

La unica pega que le encuentro son esos capitulos sobre el cristianismo que no mantienen el nivel de tension del resto del libro. Tambien parece que el ritmo se esta ralentizando. La mitad del libro es la explicación de los ultimos 75 años de este periodo mientras que la primera mitad explica los otros 200 años.

mateoherrerac's review against another edition

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slow-paced

4.25

saphaven's review against another edition

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challenging informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

3.75

this was SO long

signalnine's review against another edition

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5.0

If you're like me, and I know *I* am, then you'll love Gibbon's definitive 5-volume history of the Roman Empire. Don't pussy out and read an abridged version. Abridged versions are for horse-thieving, mud-eating, ballcap-wearing turd farmers.

tungstenmouse's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

zamackic's review against another edition

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1.0

I thought this is a history book, something along the lines of J. Diamond's books. But the first paragraph is lamenting about how Christians were mistreated by Roman Empire.
Sorry, I'm not into reading a religious treatise of history.

sense_of_history's review against another edition

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A classic, especially for its style and scope. Typical: many moral statements, rather pedantic. Often references to own time and English society.