Author:Martin Bernal
Classical civilisation, Martin Bernal argues, has deep roots in Afro-Asiatic cultures. But these Afro-Asiatic influences have been systematically ignored, denied, or suppressed since the eighteenth century - chiefly for racist reasons.
The popular view is that Greek civilisation was the result of the conquest of a sophisticated but weak native population by vigorous Indo-European speakers--or Aryans--from the North. But the Classical Greeks, Bernal argues, knew nothing of this "Aryan model." They did not see their political institutions, science, philosophy, or religion as original, but rather as derived from the East in general, and Egypt in particular.
Black Athena is a three-volume work. Volume 1 concentrates on the crucial period between 1785 and 1850, which saw the Romantic and racist reaction to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, and the consolidation of Northern expansion into other continents.
In an unprecedented tour de force, Bernal makes meaningful links between a wide range of areas and disciplines--drama poetry, myth, theological controversy, esoteric religion, philosophy, biography, language, historical narrative, and the emergence of "modern scholarship."
His account is as gripping a tale of scholarly detection and discovery as one could hope to find
—— Margaret Drabble , ObserverBernal makes an exotic interloper in Classical studies. He comes to them with two outstanding gifts: a remarkable flair for the sociology – perhaps one should say politics – of knowledge, and a formidable linguistic proficiency… The ‘fabrication’ of Ancient Greece…will never pass as a natural identity again
—— GuardianThe value of the book lies in his massive and meticulous demonstration of how scholarly views of the past are moulded (and repeatedly modified) by the changing political environment in which scholars pass their lives... Black Athena is certainly a stimulus to thought
—— London Review of BooksHas the virtues of force, clarity, wealth of ideas and a voracious intellectual curiosity
—— Times Higher Educational SupplementA swashbuckling foray into the very heart of racist, Eurocentric historiography... Already one can hear the knives being sharpened against Bernal
—— City LimitsRashid assembles a broad network of sources on all sides of the debate and is probing in his treatment of all the main actors ... a powerful and pacey primer
—— Shiraz Maher , SpectatorHer excavation of the histories of the ordinary people who lived in each place is fascinating and she vividly brings the past to life via domestic minutiae
—— Tina Jackson , MetroSubtle, delicate and slightly dotty. Tindall is attracted to the idea of lives overlooked and deeds mislaid…this intriguing, imaginative book is very much my cup of tea
—— Lucy Worsley , Evening StandardThree houses - a Cotswold vicarage, a one-time girls' boarding school and a Jacobean house. Gillian Tindall explores the lives of those who once lived there, and through her research she is able to reveal four centuries of English history. Tindall has sensitivity to the past like few others; her approach to history is delicate, detailed and revealing. For my money, this is one of the history leads of the year
—— BooksellerThe big surprise of this book is the fascinating thread of memories which holds the narrative together
—— Press AssociationShe is a writer with a quiet genius for local history and empathetic understanding of ordinary people
—— Iain Finlayson , SagaA deeply rewarding read
—— Sally Morris , Daily MailBoth warm and poignant and a joy to read
—— Hannah Britt , Daily ExpressIt’s a worthy project, but in the most fascinating way
—— Lesley McDowell , Glasgow Sunday HeraldTindall transforms bricks and mortar into fascinating social history
—— Christopher Hirst , IndependentWonderful, passionate, dangerous, fascinating stuff. I couldn't put it down
—— Julian FellowesLeanda de Lisle has the gift of reminding us that history is the story of real people; real men, real women, full of rage and ambitionand lust and hope and love. The Tudors are already our most vivid dynasty, by quite a long chalk, but these pages render them more vivid still. This was an age when the game was worth the candle, when a chance remark could result in a crown or the axe. Wonderful, passionate, dangerous, fascinating stuff. I couldn't put it down
—— Julian FellowesThis fresh take on the Tudor dynasty is history at its best... an engaging and well-sourced account, sprinkled with provocative anecdotes that will appeal to both scholars and general readers... This compelling tale is driven by three-dimensional people and relationships, and de Lisle does a fantastic job of making them feel lived and dramatic
—— Publishers WeeklyReveals an entirely new perspective on one of England's most fascinating dynasties
—— Mary Lussiana , Country & Town HouseA very lucid, entertaining and excellent read
—— Suzannah Lipscomb , History TodayA thrilling, intelligent and fresh royal history that sweeps from the family’s unlikely beginnings in the 1420s to their apotheosis under Elizabeth
—— Dan Jones , TelegraphThe compelling story of the Tudors is vividly brought to life in de Lisle's narrative
—— Discover BritainThis should now be the go-to book for those looking for a broad understanding of the Tudors
—— Chris Skidmore , BBC History MagazineDe Lisle's energy and stamina in this vast operation are truly impressive. What is more, she tells an often thrilling story with great dexterity... Altogether, this remarkable achievement puts de Lisle firmly in the front rank of popular historians of the period
—— John Jolliffe , Catholic HeraldUnlike many books that claim to tell the story of the Tudors, but focus mainly on four characters (namely Henry VIII and his three children who all ruled England after him), this excellent book includes so many members of the Tudor family who may not always be forgotten, but are often sidelined
—— Good Book Guide