Herodotus, father of history
Herodotus: The Father of History by Elizabeth Vandiver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I "read" this course series as the audiobook, and really enjoyed it. Though at the beginning-- the first 4 CDs-- Vandiver gives mostly background, she does work through the plotline of Herodotus as well, so it forms a sort of outline for reading the works. Vandiver is careful to give multiple perspectives in the analysis of what Herodotus says, how it fits into Greek history, etc. Ok, admittedly, after listening to 2 of her courses, I'm an unashamed fangirl and would probably listen to her lecturing about Greek paint drying (or the Odyssey, which I admit I find as maddening as the voyages of James T. Kirk...)
I now feel ready to tackle the Histories. I also have a few new 'tags' from Herodotus to add to my repertoire ("Their arrows blacken out the sun!""Good, then we will fight in the shade!" as well as "Soft lands make soft men.") My understanding of the Persian wars, especially the battle of Thermopylae, and even the Peloponnesian wars, is vastly improved-- I admit my recollections from seventh-grade history are rather misty not to mention simplified. I had no idea that Pericles of Golden Age Athens presided over not only the Peloponnesian wars but an outbreak of plague in Athens which killed him.
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I think "Soft lands make soft men" may be the unofficial slogan of my shire of origin. (Comment if you want the whole story...)