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| Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter (Hinges of History) | 
 enlarge | Author: Thomas Cahill
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $4.22
You Save: $10.73 (72%)
New (47) Used (55) from $1.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  68 reviews
Sales Rank: 19402
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 0385495544
Dewey Decimal Number: 909.09
EAN: 9780385495547
ASIN: 0385495544
Publication Date: July 27, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: In stock - Sent fast from British booksellers.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Explaining Why the Greeks Matter (with help from Liza Minelli) May 2, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
There are a lot of books introducing Greek politics, philosophy, and society. Cahill's offering in 'Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea' doesn't add much that is new to the mix. Yet it is very readable, despite being chock full of Cahill's offhanded contemporary analogies that, while perhaps making the past more accessible to the present, often go beyond the pale ("The Greeks...could sometimes be as soppy as a Liza Minelli concert"). Despite these occasional absurdities, only someone with a solid handle on his subject can consistently get away with that kind of writing and still teach us something.
Cahill passes the test, and 'Wine Dark Sea' is a good way to discover (or rediscover) the basics of classical Greek culture. Although his chapters ("How to Fight," "How to Party," "How to Think," etc.) make for choppy categorization of Hellenic life, he makes up for it with fresh interpretation. His own readings of Plato's dialogues render them accessible in ways they rarely are outside of a college level classics course. Oh yeah, and he doesn't shy away from extensive discussions of the Greeks and sex. (Just don't let the kids see the pictures.)
The book is an addition to Cahill's 'Hinges of History' series (which includes 'How the Irish Saved Civilization' and 'The Gifts of the Jews'). 'Wine Dark Sea' is not the best in the series, and not the best introduction to Greek culture available (if forced to choose I much prefer Edith Hamilton's 'The Greek Way'). But it is certainly an entertaining way to get your Greek fix.
A true Greek Tragedy April 24, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The best volume in Cahill's "Hinges of History" series by sheer weight of content and it's historical importance. It is nothing short of a Greek Tragedy, however, that such a "cream-skimming" review be hailed as important or original when these things should be known by every western "grandchild" of Greece (and educated people everywhere). History's most substantial subjects deserve more . . . substance. So with this relativist reasoning, I definitely recommend this book (but NOT the audio book of which Olympia Dukakis's "bull in a china shop" reading is the least euphonic experience I've had in years).
 Smooth Sailing with Cahill March 14, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
If the author's aim was to have the reader journey back and actually BE in the midst of the Greek world, he's done his job. He introduces each chapter with a Greek myth, as he explains the extraordinary minds that have left indelible marks on the modern world. I am eager to read the other books that are in progress.
Mary Anne Brannon
Sailing the wine Dark Sea February 15, 2007
This book is supurb, so much so that I bought a copy for my psychologist-daughter and one for my writer-daughter. The book unravels and reveals an enormously interesting insight into the derivation, evolution and meaning of the arts of western civilization. It's an incredibly compelling read, while entertaining and connecting a plethora of the cultural "dots" we take for granted in our time.
 Interesting but still not sure why the greeks matter November 16, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea did not rise to the level of How the Irish Saved Civilization or Gift of the Jews for me. Cahill writes in-depthly about the greek literature that I found interesting and enlightening. He also discusses the writings of Plato and Aristotle. He delves into the culture of ancient greek and the behavior of the men and women of the times.
But for me, he never fully expounded why the greeks matter. I'm sure they do matter, so Cahill could have focused more on their contributions rather than their lifestyles. Cahill seems to want to merely discuss greek life rather than inform about the meaning and significance of their civilization.
Cahill is a brilliant writer and historian. His writings in this book are also brilliant but seem to be off message.
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