new book poll - continued

[nick]

Hello Companions -
As I am trying to keep our list of favorite books up-to-date, I have included a new "Best Book Survey" on the Books to Read-page.

Please check: http://www.pothos.org/alexander.asp?paraID=111

New feature: multiple selections are now allowed!!!
As we are starting all over again, I have taken the liberty of reflecting previous voting in the scores that are already there. And I have taken the liberty to be the first one voting (Arrian, Curtius and Plutarch, Bosworth, Renault, Carney, Heckel & Briant).
So you are all invited to VOTE AGAIN and point out to our visitors which are the books really worth reading.
Thank you 1001 times for your co-operation.
Regards -
Nick

[ruthaki]

Why not include Robin Lane Fox. I found his book on Alexander most valuable when researching for my novel.

[nick]

Dear Ruth -There are now fiftheen books in the Poll (the Poll limit as long as you use these tools for free). Robin Lane Fox is of course included and has a high ranking in our pothos.org charts.I was only writing that I myself haven't voted for Robin Lane Fox. (As the creator of the poll, I think it is only fair to tell you what my personal favorites are. I like Lane Fox's little known "The Search for Alexander" much better than his well known study.) But please go ahead and vote for his book!I will include your commentary in our Books to Read page.Thanks -
Nick

[geo]

Hey Nick, let's not forget "Alexander" by Dodge,
i find it a bit tough reading 19th century idioms, but it is very informitive....regards,george

[nick]

Should I swap those Manfredi novels for Dodge's book?Regards -
Nick

[marcus]

Good idea, Nick - Dodge's language might be a bit tortuous at times, but at least it's more accurate :-)All the bestMarcus

[Linda]

NickWhat about Mary Renault's Alexander trilogy? It is still the very best fiction about Alexander, and the reason many of us are here (in the forum, not earth..). I'd vote for it. I found her "Nature" to be very near the books, anyway.RegardsLinda

[nick]

Dear Linda -Actually, I introduced Manfredi as a sort of practical joke. I had one slot left in the poll and added Manfredi, just for the fun of seeing the books getting zero votes - of course. My intention was to exclude fiction, but I thought this to be funny.(Oh, I can do a fiction poll too!)So, maybe it is better to keep the poll straightforward and add only non-fiction. Also, I am a bit cautious of including any author twice - seems like a kind of bias to me.(I once started reading Fire from Heaven, but found it so boring I couldn't continue after ten pages. I was able to finish the Persian Boy, though. But Funeral Games - again - it failed to keep my attention. So I waited too many years to try "Nature". However, when I did two months ago I was completely surprised by the overall focus of the book. Very nice and inspiring.)Regards -
Nick

[marcus]

Interesting that you couldn't get into the Renault books, Nick. I haven't read them for years, of course, but like so many people it was reading them that first got me into Alexander.I suppose I'm surprised that you didn't get on with them because they are, at least, very well written (which is more than can be said for very many). I reckon they still rate, along with Graves' Claudius novels, among my favourite historical novels.But I agree that perhaps the list ought to be non-fiction only. Not necessarily to have each author appear only once, although that would be interesting!All the bestMarcus