Author:R M Ogilvie
To undestand the success of the Romans you must understand their piety. Dionysius of Halicarnassus. For over a thousand years, Roman religion satisfied the spiritual needs of a wide range of peoples throughout the empire, because is offered an intelligent and dignified interpretation of how the world functions. It was a firm, yet tolerant, religion whose adherents committed very few crimes in its name and who were healthily free of neuroses. In this short, perceptive study of Roman religious life between 80 BC and AD 69, Professor Ogilvie shows how intimately involved were the Roman gods with human activities. Drawing widely on original material (all of it quoted in translation), he tells us how the Romans prayed, what happened at a sacrifice, what sort of gods they believed in, and how seriously they took their religion - a religion in which actions, , not dogma, was paramount.
Tyldesley, by painstakingly analysing the myths and therefore the beliefs, of the ancient population, endeavours to get under the skin of Egyptian life ... befuddling myth-stories are clarified
—— Bettany Hughes , The TimesRequired reading for Egypt's imaginative tour guides
—— The Sunday Timesher great strength is her story-telling
—— Sunday TelegraphArmstrong shows a reverent curiosity and a generosity of spirit, refreshing the understanding of what one knows and providing a clear introduction to the unfamiliar
—— Rt Revd Robert Runcie , Daily TelegraphWitty, informative and contemplative: Ms Armstrong can simplify complex ideas, but she is never simplistic
—— New York Times Book ReviewOnly those who think they know it all will fail to be fascinated by Armstrong's search for God
—— EconomistHighly readable, and ought to be read
—— Anthony Burgess , ObserverArmstrong's book has great merits. An ex-nun, this formidably intelligent woman knows enough about both Judaism and Islam to be appreciated by Jewish and Muslim scholars... Whenever she deals with Christian mysticims, agnosticism and heterodoxy, Armstrong offers valuable insights
—— The TimesAn enormously intellectually challenging book. A fascinating way of approaching the subject
—— Rabbi Julia NeubergerThoroughly engaging and excellently written . . . While [Aslan] might claim to be a mere scholar of the Islamic Reformation, he is also one of its most articulate advocates
—— The OregonianA revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried, denied and corrupted by generations of men ... Muslim keepers of the latter will rage against Reza Aslan as his careful scholarship and precise language dismantles their false claims and commands ... Aslan is acutely perceptive
—— The IndependentA rather beautiful account of the birth and evolution of Islam ... Lucid and illuminating ... Fascinating
—— MetroAslan is an engaging writer, his strength lies ... as an observer of contemporary challenges facing Islam ... Sensitive and generous
—— FT MagazineEnthralling. A book of tremendous clarity and generosity of spirit
—— Jim Crace