Though Patrick is away on his summer holidays the 'Talking History' team are still hard at work getting everything ready for September when we will be back with more discussions, books, and interviews. Until then though we will try to keep you happy with a weekly fix of some of the best history books on the market and some titles you might have missed over the past few years.
The gods of ancient Olympus are some of the most memorable and emulated figures in Western culture with Zeus and his fellow denizens of this mystic mountain acting as inspiration for artists to this very day. Barbara Graziosi has made the story of these deities and their legacy the subject of her latest book, 'The Gods of Olympus; A History'. Tracking the evolution of this pantheon from ancient times through the Renaissance and up to today this is a great book for those with an interest in ancient Greece, myths and legends, and art and culture.
Religion is also the focus of Kate Cooper's 'Band of Angels; The Forgotten World of Early Christian Women'. This time though, as the title indicates, the focus is on retrieving what has been lost instead of chronicling what has been remembered. Playing the historical sleuth Kate delves through the writings and accounts of the male dominated churches to try and piece together the role women played in making Christianity the world's dominant religion. This is a fascinating read for those interested in alternative histories and the world during the first millennium.
Frank Dikötter traces a different form of change in 'The Tragedy of Liberation; A History of the Chinese Revolution, 1945-57'. Forced to modernise in the wake of 19th century European intervention and still reeling from Japanese occupation China was caught in a struggle to define itself in the wake of the Second World War. In this history Frank Dikötter illustrates how Mao Zedong was able rise to power and what life was like under the early rule of the Communist Party of China. A great history of a region too little studied in the West this would be an interesting read for anyone interested in politics, the history of communism, China, and post-colonial Asia.
