The Histories: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

I first read "The Histories" while in grad school, somewhere close to the half century ago. This is a superior version for several reasons. First, the translation is smoothly done and results in easy reading with no awkward phrasing. Second, the footnotes (located in the back in the paperback version) are a useful commentary and provide some clarity. I was spurred to re-read this because of the discovery of a ship described by Herodotus heretofore not seen before and the footnotes pointed at other research that corroborated, sometimes only mildly, some of what he wrote. You do not have to be an historian to enjoy this - anyone interested in the early history of the Mediterranean peoples or a picture of the Persians a bit more objective than the movie "300" will find this a very good translation and an excellent read.

I am really enjoying this book. It is written in clear, sometimes ironic, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, always exciting prose. Also has some English spelling(!) which I enjoy.

My brother got me interested in Ancient Greece. Started me off with the 'Battle of Salamis', which was great, then I found 'Song of Wrath', and now Herodotus. I have just got to the Battle of Thermopylae. After that will come Salamis, and then Xerxes will go home in defeat after one final battle. It seemed a life of perpetual choices: at any time My enemy is my enemy, My Friend is my enemy, My Family is my enemy. Trust no one, or very few.

The way the various Greek cities lived, their constant conflicts, the quite amazing brutality of the time. The "time" is interesting too, having to keep it in perspective as one has to count backwards towards AD. Keeping all the kings straight is a bit difficult as their offspring were named after their fathers, with no I, II, III, etc. following the name. I must admit to skipping occasional paragraphs that contained just names.

The maps (13 of them) are great. It was easy to trace Xerxes path of his military and his navy from beginning to end, a very long campaign to exterminate Athens. The list of maps helped a lot as it listed the map on which the individual cities appear. The first map on The 'World According to Herodotus' is fascinating. I compared it to a current atlas and it shows how much was known up to a point, then became just ocean. The Introduction is very interesting and useful as are all the other notes that make up the 834 pages.

It reads like sitting down for story-telling time with an elderly relative. I recommend it highly.

While Herodotus should be a staple of every student of history, this translation should not be. My biggest gripe with it is that the Translator uses English colloquialisms that did not exist at the time, yet alone could've been used by Herodotus. It really takes me out of it. For example: "Yet even Gyges dug in his heels, terrified of the possible consequences if he did not, the king replied by telling him to show some backbone." Language like this is found throughout the translation. If it's not something you really mind, then go for it. For myself, it is just not something I can get into.

There is an element of randomness to this translation that leaves out details that earlier translations include. For example recurve bows ("bows with tips that extend forward when unstrung") in other translations are just normal bows in this one; an important detail since H. tries to be very exact on the topic of how the Persian army was equiped.

You have sold me a book that the pages are not aligned. To a book reader, you might as well send a piece of trash. I like reading books but I also expect to have even pages lined up. As I flip through the pages they are uneven and are irritating me and can't continue reading this book. I am not satisfied at all for purchasing a defected book. I demand a full refund or a new book that is not damaged. I bought this as a new book but you sent me something that was damaged. This was not a review of the content of the book.

Excellent translation. I really enjoy pouring through this. It can be slow going, but really satisfying when you're able to fully absorb it.

This is a fine, very readable translation. If you want to settle down to read this classic, you won't be disappointed. Holland captures Herodotus' informal, chatty style and makes this a page turner.

There are pros and cons, for me the cons outweigh the pros.

Pro
- Enjoyably readable

- Combined index/glossary, nice idea

- Good maps, with a separate index

Cons (in short, not enough help for the curious reader.)

- No dates! not even in the summary of contents. Where are we in time, when did some of the major events happen? Occasionally, rarely, you get it in a note. A chronological table (for example as in the Norton edition) would be of great help.

- Unhelpful notes. Granted you can't please all, but the notes here look like they were farmed out to a sophomore grad student. The cross references are helpful, but I don't need to be told that "Samians" in the text refers to people from Samos. His obvious chauvinism does not need to be pointed out. Note to say Greeks were monogamous, just like H says, is useless. There is much of this redundancy. I would like to hear something about Mr. H's obviously exaggerated numbers for the armies. Or why, in the opening tale he is so sure the abductors were from Crete, not Greece (as the few but relevant notes in the old Everyman translation do explain.)

A note on the translation: My Greek is more than a little rusty, but some things are annoying compared to other translations. For example, the Spartan magistrates are always, everywhere called by the Greek "Ephor". Here they are called "Benefactors" for no good reason I can think of (though the Spartan "Gerousia" is left in the Greek - but with no entry in the glossary). Since you will encounter "Ephor" elsewhere, it should be used here with an explanatory entry in the glossary.

Although there is a table of ancient measurements and currency, I always have to check the table and do the math. Why not translate the values into metric units in the text and leave the Stades and Staters to the notes (as the Landmark edition does)?

If I had it to do again, I'd seek out the Landmark Herodotus (now unavailable, temporarily I hope) with it's running marginal summaries and dates, in context maps and additional essays, thought it sometimes errors in the opposite direction, with a map note every single solitary mention Sparta or Athens.

It's not that you can't enjoy this translation. The problems are not Holland's fault. I blame the publisher for skimping on the supporting apparatus (dates, running headers, useful summary) and the largely unhelpful notes.

The translation made reading easy and engaging. The book included maps, a glossary, and other helpful tools to better understand the world that Herodotus lived in--and his amazing recording of history.

What a brilliant new translation by Tom Holland. The last time I read The Histories was the Waterfield translation, and before that a Penguin edition from the 90's. This new translation is far better than either.

You may hear words from other reviewers like 'vibrancy' and 'immediacy' and 'leaps off the page'. These are not a cliche, you better believe it.

I can't quite put my finger on how he does it. Comparing the same passages to older editions, instead of me falling asleep with boredom, or having to reread paragraphs because the prose does not flow, with the Holland translation I am enthralled and keep reading page after page. You cannot get a better indication of quality than that.

The quality of the maps is also without parallel, far beyond the usual classics editions.

Translated works are dependent upon the skill of the translator and here Tom Holland hits a home run. If you have ever picked up another translation and gave up in short order, as I did, then grab this version and you will be riveted.