Customer Reviews (2)

Great for the Classroom!
Awesome turn around-this was on my doorstep 2 days after ordering! I highly recommend these activities for supplements to your Shakespeare lessons!

Versatile and adaptable
This wonderful resource offers a comnination of activities. It focuses on the standard vocabulary and literary devices, but it also gives worksheets to aid in character development. In addition, it offers related improvizations for students, activities to use with a video and plot summaries to help teachers and students make sense of the action. This is a MUST HAVE for anyone who would like to expand their lessons beyond the traditional dusty analysis of Shakespeare. ... Read more

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Julius Caesar, the Shakespearean drama that is in the curriculum of virtually every high school in the country, is the latest offering in BarronÂ's Â"Picture This! ShakespeareÂ" series. This manual supplements BarronÂ's Â"Picture This: Julius Caesar,Â" a book presented in graphic novel style for studentsÂ' use. The manual offers teachers suggestions for classroom discussions, quizzes, and activities related to the play. ... Read more

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Intrigue, murder, and class struggle at the heart of the Roman Empire.

Most historians, both ancient and modern, have viewed the Late Republic of Rome through the eyes of its rich nobility. In The Assassination of Julius Caesar, Michael Parenti presents us with a story of popular resistance against entrenched power and wealth. As he carefully weighs the evidence concerning the murder of Caesar, Parenti sketches in the background to the crime with fascinating detail about wider Roman society. In these pages we find reflections on the democratic struggle waged by Roman commoners, religious augury as an instrument of social control, the patriarchal oppression of women, and the political use of homophobic attacks. The Assassination of Julius Caesar offers a whole new perspective on an era we thought we knew well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

Rubish and Here's Why
I purchased this book excited by the topic, The Assassination of Julius Caesar, what could make for a better history, right?Well, I was horribly disappointed.This book isn't history - it is Marxist propaganda.Caesar was not a champion of the proletariat of Rome or an enemy of the bourgeoisie for one simple reason - there didn't exist a "proletariat" (Rome had no industrial working class of any size) or a "bourgeoisie" (Rome also lacked a group that dominated an industrial "means of production" - the upper classes were for the most part Landholders that scorned open business relations).Caesar's struggles were tied up with a movement WITHIN the ruling elite in Rome - that is PERSONAL advancement along the political "corsus honorum".The two groups "populares" and "optimates" did not represent a class war as much as two alternative routes for members of the highly competitive Roman aristocracy to advance along and dominate the Republic.Caesar was following along in this Roman tradition of poltical competition.His incredible rise was due to his own innate abilities and to his place in time in Roman history.Caesar lived at a time when the ancient Roman constitution (made to run a small city-state) was proving incapable of controlling a far flung "world" empire.Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Cicero, Cato, Catiline, the Gracchi, Octavian/Augustus, Marc Antony, and others as well as Caesar were driven by a desire to become "the first man in Rome" and were able to use the troubled state of the Roman constitution to turn armies and all the powers of the state against their political adversaries.These motivating factors cannot be brushed aside as the fancy of "gentlemen" historians.Sadly for writers like Parenti, history is not a linear line leading to a Marxist revolution and Caesar is not a Proto-communist "dictator of the people".Read a real history of the period like Julius Caesar or Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic or better yet go back to the source material written by Caesar himself. Caesar's Commentaries: The Gallic Wars & The Civil War (History Alive!)Recommendation: DON'T BUY THIS BOOK.

Not a who done it -a why done it (and why history has covered it up)
"The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome" offers a new, stark interpretation of one of history's most famous events and how history itself is used to cover-up the truth of it. As Parenti has explained it, he isn't simply giving us an account of who did it, but a new explanation of why they did it -and why historians have century after century up to the present day ignored obvious truths surrounding history's most famous assassination. It's a fascinating book. Very entertaining. And Parenti is convincing. I jotted down some notes while listening to a talk by Parenti on his book that should be of interest. Enjoy:
*******
"I wrote this book about Ancient history and one of the things I discovered is that ancient history is not all that ancient, that it has a currency, that it evokes all sorts of themes. Collingwood once wrote that historians always see history in terms of their own epic, their own time. Now that has a very nice ring to it, that;s sort of almost an axiom of historiography that each age redefines the history according to it's own needs. And it's kind of a good anecdote to somebody like Von Ranke who was considered a great historian who said "History is facts" and where do you get these facts from? You get these facts from documents. And where do you get the documents from? You get the documents from the Prussian government.No wonder the Prussian government treated him so handsomely. Gave him a chair at the university. Etc. gave Ranke all sorts of money. He was a total reactionary, hostile to the German parliament. etc. voted an honorary member of the American historical association in the second or third year of it's existence. So- there is that view- there are those people that are -what's the term? embedded? they insist they are writing totally objective history., what i discovered in my research of the late republic of the roman empire which is roughly say 100 to 40 b.c. what i discovered was that it just wasn't true. they don't all see this differently at all. they all see it exactly the same way. Augustus(?), whenever he opens his mouth about ancient Rome...sounds exactly like Cicero and exactly like Robinson or (?)... they all say the same things about that troubled and incredible struggling period of ancient Rome. He sounds exactly like Gibbon and the same with all the ancients. Plutarch etc. they all same the same. And same with second string despite their differences in time. What really gets mind blowing is when you read the modern historians -almost all of them say almost the exact same things as the ancients did. So despite the differences in language, despite the differences in culture, in region, in nationality, etc. they all sound the same because _they all share the same class ideology.__ They are all gentlemen historians. let me tell you what the issue is, what the problem is -this book "The Assassination of Julius Caesar" is a " *why* done it". It's not
a who done it. We know who did it.

Why did a group of Roman Senators assassinate their fellow aristocrats and celebrated ruler. The prevailing view among historians , ancient and modern alike, is that the conspirators the "senatorial assassins were intent upon restoring republican liberties by doing away with a despotic usurper" that is the position taken by almost all historians. Ancient and modern alike. that is ALSO the position of the assassins themselves. I present an alternative explanation. the senate aristocrats killed Caesar because they perceived him to be a popular leader who threatened their privileged interests. By this view, the deed was more an act of treason than tyrannicide . One incident in a line of political murders dating back across the better part of a century, a dramatic manifestation of a long struggle between opulent conservatives and popularly supported reformers. The Roman aristocracy remained forever inhospitable to Roman's democratic element, and Rome' democratic element was the people. that's another issue I'm going to deal with tonight- the way the roman people have been betrayed again and again as "the mob"
*******

Get the book.

Insightful, fascinating.....
Mr. Parenti is not afraid to call it like he see's it. He very successfully throws back the curtain and exposes the "Let them eat cake" bias of the "gentleman scholars". Of course the modern world is so much more humane than that of the ancient, although it could be very easily argued that third world workers are de facto slaves. The advantage to the modern factory owner is that the current state of affairs is actually more cost effective than slavery. The slave owner must house, feed, clothe and give medical care to a slave, a factory worker only receives twenty five cents and hour and must fare for themselves. Cato the Elder had plenty to say about the challenges of dealing with ill and elderly slaves, a problem not faced by modern day optimates.

A different perspective
In this book, Parenti takes down the slavish way in which standard history texts have parroted the reactionary writers of the time (Cicero, et al). In doing so, he provides a view of the events before and after the assassination which makes more sense of what the real world was like for the majority of the people of Rome at the time.

I recommend this book as an antidote to the mind-numbing poison which is standard classical history.

A people's history of Rome!
The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Romeby Michael Perenti, takes a little different point of view than most authors and historians in writing the interpretation of life in ancient Rome. His position is that all we know about Roman history comes down to us from the survived writings of the aristocracy and, therefore, that interpretation of events is radically skewed in their favor.

The Roman Senators passed many laws that were supposedly good for the common people. But were they? In other words, could an aristocratic Senator truly sympathize with the day to day plight of slaves and freedman? The fact is that Roman Senators didn't even think slaves were human beings. Slaves were non-beings - only good to till the soil and perform other burdensome tasks. Slave owners could legally kill their slaves without provocation. So the question is what would those slaves think of all those Roman laws that were supposedly good for them?

Julius Caesar, however, was a different ruler than those who came before him. According to the author, Julius Caesar was a leader for the people, and he enacted laws to benefit the people. Examples include: representation through the vote, fair land distribution, grain allotments and due process in legal matters. These weren't empty promises; they were actual laws that directly benefited the slaves and freedmen.

Parenti's interpretation of Caesar's assassination is that the Senators killed Caesar in order to protect their own self-interests - which was, of course, to become richer and richer at the expense of the common people. The rich got richer and poor got poorer. Has anything changed in the last 2,500 years?

I recommend this book to anyone interested in Roman history. It is a refreshingly new point of view.
... Read more

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The Gallic War, published on the eve of the civil warwhich led to the end of the Roman Republic, is anautobiographical account written by one of the mostfamous figures of European history.This newtranslation reflects the purity of Caesar's Latin whilepreserving the pace and flow of his momentous narrativeof the conquest of Gaul and the first Roman invasions ofBritain and Germany. Detailed notes, maps, a table ofdates, and glossary make this the most useful editionavailable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Difficult but rewarding
I found this book to be a very difficult read. Caesar frequently changes perspectives, mostly writing in the third person, but occasionally switching to the first. He also speaks a mixture of present and past tenses that even more confuse the reader. Once you get into the flow of things, though, the book is a good read and rewarding experience.

Simiply the best.
Of all the translations being published, this one is the easiest to read and maintains every bit of the accuracy of its peers. If you need a copy of Gallic War, this is the one to buy.

Sparkling brilliance over the gulf of time
I can't speak for the translation, but the economy and clarity of Caesar's writing inspired me when I first read him.Even translated, Cicero's writing makes me suspicious of him; while Plutarch's speaks wise reflection and common sense.

Reading Caesar, you feel his vitality.An intelligent man of action whose letters must have made his countrymen in Rome take notice.

It's interesting to speculate how these communications were received in Rome.The effortless confidence and commanding tone must have inspired as much fear as respect.

I know if one of my managers in the field started sending me emails like this, I'd wonder whether he had designs on my job.Is it inspired competance in the writing that causes a feeling of inferiority, or is it naked ambition on a subliminal level that puts one on his guard?Whatever the answer, this is powerful stuff.

Translating Snegg
I was privileged to read the review in the original Latin (directly from the original Amazon's mouth) and there were numerous errors in translation of this controversial work. "Catapult" is a pumice-like substance Romans used as litter in their feline pet's "bathrooms." A ballista is a large sausage made from bundles (fasces) of shredded pork. Caesar actually ran away from the battle in question but he ran backward (baculus)--hence the confusion. "Speculatoria navigia" are Roman reading glasses used to navigate Pliny. "Levitas" is what's sometimes needed to keep our buns from burning.

As far as translations go, this one reads a lot better for me than the original written in a language I can't understand.

Correcting the correction
Mark Snegg's correction about Baculus would seem incorrect-- to judge from the "Search Inside" feature.Type in "Baculus," go to the first link, and there at 2.25 is Caesar, not Baculus, charging into the fray.

But I picked up the book in Borders last night, and the copy I looked at had Baculus, not Caesar, as Mr. Snegg found.

Where is Amazon getting the texts it's scanning?

UPDATE:Contacted Oxford & got this reply:

The passage to which you refer did contain a significant error - the substitution of Baculus for Caesar - but it was corrected at least three years ago.The passage on Amazon reflects the current state of the text, and the copy you saw in Borders must have been an old impression; we have reprinted several times since the correction was made. ... Read more

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One of the greatest military commanders in history, Julius Caesar's most famous victory - the conquest of Gaul - was to him little more than a stepping stone to power. An audacious and decisive general, his victories over the Gauls allowed him to challenge for the political leadership of Rome. Leading a single legion across the Rubicon in 49 BC, Caesar launched a civil war which would end the Roman Republic and usher in the Roman Empire, with Caesar at its helm. This examination of the great general's life covers his great victories and few defeats, looking at the factors which lay behind his military genius. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good brief tale of Julius Caesar
After having read lengthy biographies of Caesar, this is a bit underpowered. However, for those who want a brief overview of Julius Caesar, especially his military leadership, this will suffice.

This is part of the Osprey series, "Leadership, Strategy, Conflict." The book begins with Caesar's youth, noting that he came from a noble Roman family line. He was ambitious as he grew up, and aimed to make those ambitions come to reality. He served as a Chief Priest; he was assigned a posting as Consul. However, he and two other renowned Romans felt themselves snubbed. A triumvirate emerged--Caesar, the successful military commander Pompey, and the wealthy and successful commander (the one who ended Spartacus' revolt), Crassus. As a result of their alliance, Caesar was assigned a position as military commander of Gaul.

Thereafter, he used his Roman legions to subdue the Gauls. He also triumphed in Spain, in Egypt (where he met Cleopatra and became infatuated with her), and in Asia (although the book pretty much ignores the campaign in which he uttered the term: "I came, I saw, I Conquered."). The book describes his falling out with Pompey, his defeat of Pompey's forces at Pharsalus.

And, of course, the denouement on the Ides of March, when he met his fate.

The book does a decent job of describing his role as a leader. Good maps appear as well as photos and drawings. All in all, a solid piece of work, accessible to those who only desire a brief survey of Caesar's life and times.

A great introduction
When Roman crowds tried to hail Julius Caesar as rex, or king in Latin, he is said to have replied, "No, I am Caesar, not King."Today, Caesar has become synonymous with the title of Emperor, the rank above king.It is because of him, however, that words like czar and Kaiser have entered the languages of Europe as translations of emperor, rather than just one of this man's names.In his work on Julius Caesar, Nic Fields talks about what made this man so great for all time.Like the last book I read in this command series, this is a very nicely made book, with heavy glossy paper, and a plethora of illustrations and other pictures.

For all its brevity, this is a pretty scholarly work on Caesar, on an introductory level.It has maps and diagrams of battle formations, photos of key sites as they are today, along with famous artistic representations of the man.Fields does not have room to present an exhaustive account of Caesar's life, but he touches on most of the key events and pieces of information known.It leaves the reader wanting to know more, and is written in a fairly readable manner.The book doesn't quite present events in chronological order, however, in terms of the arrangement of facts and events.

I found it particularly interesting that people still make pilgrimages to the remains of his temple--and there was a picture of flowers left at the site to back up the statement.Generally, I would recommend this book to all ages of readers, or even for use in a classroom.People need to know at least something about Caesar, given the way he has impacted western cultures.Besides, this book is a quick and easy read, not one of those ponderous volumes that put people off history.
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Julius Caesar gives a first hand account of his military campaigns in, what is now, France Britain BelgiumGermany Italy and Egypt. The commentaries where written -or dictated- shortly before Caesar death in the 15 March 44 BC. Caesar describes blow by blow the tactics and strategies used to win over 80 battles against a number of enemies both foreign and domestic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The work of one of the greatest generals in history
This was a terrific read.The Kindle edition seemed to have no trouble whatsoever, and the English translation by W. A. MacDevitt seems to be flawless from what I can tell (though I cannot compare it to the original Latin...yet!).I have split my review into a review of the _Conquest_of_Gaul_ and a review of _The_Civil_War_.:


THE CONQUEST OF GAUL

Maybe it can be chalked up to my Italian heritage, but I was always quite fond of the history of the ancient Romans even when I was back in late middle school.Add in one of the greatest generals the world has ever known drafting that historical account, and I am hooked.
What needs be said about this masterpiece?Caesar's own pen drafting these accounts from the battlefield gives us blow-by-blow accounts of battles and goings-on that otherwise would have forever been forgotten and lost.
I always had heard that Caesar's written Latin was some of the best grammatically, which is why students of Latin are often instructed to read this tome in its original language.I am jealous of them, and I am going to make some time in the very near future to begin studying it myself.In the meantime, the English translation will have to do.
Caesar begins with "All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called Celts, in our Gauls, the third." And so it begins; soon enough skirmishes lead to battles, battles lead to victories, victories to treaties, treaties are then broken, and then the Romans have to trudge all the way back to Gaul and start fighting all over again.Though the reader can infer that Caesar may not always be 100% truthful about his motivations and so on, his accounts of various events are spot on as corroborated by other sources.Though Caesar exhibits very little political posturing and aggrandizing in his writing, it is no doubt present in the subtlest of ways--in fact more by his absence on those areas.Nevertheless, I loved every minute of it.My only regret is that there is little else of Caesar's writings available (it would appear that On the Alexandrine War and other supposed commentarii attributed to Caesar's hand seem to be not genuine).

THE CIVIL WAR
See my review of Caesar's Commentaries: The Conquest of Gaul for a lot of the same background.The Civil War continues the story where the Gallic Wars end, showing how Caesar is made a political exile by various machinations back in Rome while he is off doing the yeoman's task of quelling the uprisings in the North.
Ordinarily, we have only our history textbooks to guide us as to what occurred during this era, but Caesar brings us right down onto the battlefield with him, Marcus Antonius, and Decimus Brutus,He is not shy about his defeats and enumerates each strategic move made, be it success, blunder, or just plain misfortune.Anyone interested in history or military tactics must read this.There are few pieces in history that give this good of an account from the front lines.Hail Casear.


Matt Finizio
[...]
Box off.Life on. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice Survey of Caesar's Writings, decent translation
This work contains full translations of The Gallic War and The Civil War, which are among the most important documents authored by Caesar (and arguably the latter is more significant).

The Gallic War Caesar's campaigns in Gaul against Celtic Gauls and Germanic tribes.It is significant for the ethnographic and historical background.While neither aspect should be treated uncritically, they do significantly add to our understanding of Gaul and Britain prior to the Roman conquest.

The Civil War constitute's Caesar's writings concerning the civil war which doomed the Roman Republic and in which Caesar played no small role.

I think this edition is worth getting and would highly recommend it. ... Read more

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An abridged version of Shakespeare's original text, with suggestions for simple staging. Includes parenthetical explanations and descriptions within the text and announcers who summarize deleted passages. ... Read more

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Grades 9-12.Essentially a complete teacher's manual for the play, this LitPlan Teacher Pack includes lesson plans and reproducible resource materials for Julius Caesar.It includes:22 Daily LessonsShort answer study questionsMultiple choice quiz questionsVocabulary worksheets for each reading assignment3 detailed writing assignmentsIndividual and group activitiesCritical thinking discussion questions5 unit tests (2 short answer, 2 multiple choice, 1 advanced)Evaluation formsReview puzzles & gamesBulletin board ideasReproducible student materialsAnd more!A Note About A Few Of The Many Different Assignments Included:There are three writing assignments in this unit, each with the purpose of informing, persuading, or expressing personal opinions. The detailed writing assignment sheets guide students through the assignments. The first assignment is to inform: students write a composition about the research work they have done. The second assignment is to persuade: students attempt to persuade the conspirators not to carry out their assassination plans. The third assignment is to give students a chance to simply express their own opinions: students give their opinions about what a "true and honorable wife" (spouse) would be. Uses:These materials are geared for whole class use but are very easily adaped for independent study work, lit circles or book groups, home school use, or tutoring.If you have never taught this book before, this manual will give you a great foundation of materials on a variety of levels.If you have taught this book before, you might like to know that veteran teachers have told us they have found our LitPlan Teacher Pack manuals to be different from many other materials they have seen--and very helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Julius Caesar, the Shakespearean drama that is in the curriculum of virtually every high school in the country, is the latest offering in BarronÂ's Picture This! Shakespeare series. Each title in this series offers a highly original introduction to a Shakespeare play, presenting it as a graphic-novel-style picture story, supplemented with substantial excerpts from ShakespeareÂ's original dialogue. Students will also find thumbnail sketches of the playÂ's main characters, and a succinct story summary that explains the playÂ's main themes and meanings. Many students who are daunted by the difficulty of reading ShakespeareÂ's dramas in their original form have found titles in this series to be an important first step in appreciating these universally recognized masterpieces of English literature. Supplementing every Picture This! Shakespeare title is a teacherÂ's guide that suggests topics for classroom discussion and provides enlightening activities that fulfill the needs of a multi-skill-level classroom environment. ... Read more

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"The Gallic Wars" is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Roman conquest of Gaul, in modern-day France.Books I through VII are Caesar's own written dispatches to the Roman Senate, while Book VIII was added later by Aulus Hirtius. ... Read more

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Julius Caesar is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the conspiracy against the Roman dictator of the same name, his assassination and its aftermath. It is one of several Roman plays that he wrote, based on true events from Roman history, which also include Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra.

Although the title of the play is Julius Caesar, Caesar is not the central character in its action; he appears in only three scenes, and is killed at the beginning of the third act. The protagonist of the play is Marcus Brutus, and the central psychological drama is his struggle between the conflicting demands of honour, patriotism, and friendship.

The play reflected the general anxiety of England over succession of leadership. At the time of its creation and first performance, Queen Elizabeth, a strong ruler, was elderly and had refused to name a successor, leading to worries that a civil war similar to that of Rome might break out after her death. -- from Wikipedia ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

unequivocably one of the best pieces of literature!
This book is essential for anyone studying the Roman Republic and the impact of Julius Caesar.The writings in this book are very well thought out and the depth of the history comes to life in each and every sentence.Anyone wanting to learn about Julius Caesar can take away a sense of knowing a legend and feel that this book doesn't just repeat all of the others that are similar in topic -it teaches you someone else's point of view on the history and cause.
Very much enjoyable.I can't wait to read it again!

A revisionist view and not very interesting.
Fuller's account of the Career of Julius Caesar can also be found in Caesar's own commentaries. Some of his insights into Caesar's personality are interesting, but most can be found in classical works by Appian and Dio. His thesis that Caesar was not the great general and statesman that history dipicts him can be disputed. Caesar was the first ancient general to incorporate siegeworks as a tactical tool. Fuller's claim that the roman army was "lucky" that it did not encounter stronger cavalry arms is unfounded. Cavalry in anceint times was not much more than a skirmishing force, not in the same league as the legionares.

I was displeased with the dry, accounts of caesar's campaigns, surprising for a military man like Fuller. Also, he does not go into great detail about Caesar's personality, other than to quote the classical historians.

Overall, a very average work.

War as written by a warrior
This book is a classic.Not only is it a classic, it is written by one of the most innovative generals in the 20th Century: JFC Fuller.Mr. Fuller is credited with developing the armored division of the British army, and is therefore an innovator.Almost a kindred spirit, Julius Caeser is described not in terms of how his life was led, but how it was affected by military and political aspects.This book is a must read for any ancient history or military history buff.

resale of public domain
I am amazed at how much this book is just a copy/paste from Caesar's own _The Gallic War_ written before Christ! It is actually a more dynamic read than this version, and without the distracting *spin.*

A most informative book with a good insight into Caesar.
I found this book most informative and interesting. It has an amazing insight into not only the life of this amazing man but also the times in which he lived. The book effectivly depicts Caesar not only as man but alsoa good tactitioner and leader. This book has been well researched andwriten in an easy to follow way. Although I already know a fair bit aboutJulius I found that this book informed me on alot of things I previouslyhad no knowledge of. I emensly enjoyed this book and would recomend thisbook to anyone with a interest in the Ancient Roman Republic and Empire. ... Read more

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Kindle users: please adjust the font-size to level 2 for optimal viewing experience. At a greater font-size some verses may not fit on one line.

Customer Reviews (16)

Missing one of the Bard's plays
This edition of the "Complete Works" of Shakespeare is slightly incomplete.In general this is an outstanding volume.However, it is missing one of Shakespeare's plays, "The Two Noble Kinsmen."

Froze two Kindles
This rating, of course, refers to this digital version - not the literary content. This version froze two Kindles within the first 3 or 4 page clicks. I went to JC, my wife to Hamlet and right away we were both locked up. We were not able to turn off or reset. After about 2 or 3 mins both Kindles 'spontaneously' rebooted themselves. I took it off my wife's Kindle but decided to try again with mine: same results. I then deleted it from mine - re-downloaded - and tried again. Exactly the same results.

From what I could tell of the first few clicks - the TOC does function. Just doesn't let you read the actual content.

It's kind of sad that the works of Shakespeare are not easily available in a usable version for Kindle. It's really kind of perverse.

Talk about value for money...
Hpw can this not be a great purchase if you want to read Shakespeare? (Of course if you'd rather read Clyde Custler, don't bother.)I downloaded this to my iPhone and read it use=ing the Kindle iPhone app.The screen is smaller than that of a dedicated e-reader, but it's certainly adequate for reading plays.It would be great on a Kindle.Read a couple of scenes or an act, close the app, turn it back on and the same play opens right where you left off.Or put in a bookmark for a passage you want to find easily again.And the content is, well... Shakespeare, pretty much complete.

What footnotes
This is one of the first books I got for my Kindle. I've gotta say it's really nice, but I was hoping for a few annotations, footnotes, etc. The product description says, "All books feature hyperlinked table of contents, footnotes...". So far, I've found only one footnote, and it links to a Wikipedia article. Sometimes a little help is nice reading Shakespeare. In the print editions I have read, I have appreciated annotations explaining archaic language, humor that was obvious to Shakespeare's audience but not to modern readers, etc. Why is there none of that here? Are there other Kindle versions of Shakespeare that makes this information available?

Kindle Shakespeare Collection
Complete Works of William Shakespeare. 154 Sonnets, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, King ... & more. Published by MobileReference (mobi)

Shakespeare is one of the few writers of whom it can be said: if you don't like it, you don't really get it. If you gave four out of five stars to a collection of his entire output, the sum total of the most copied and regarded scribe ever, you really should stick to Stephen King. ... Read more

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The War in Gaul and The Civil War in English translation.. According to Wikipedia: "Gaius Julius Caesar (13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. A politician of the populares tradition, he formed an unofficial triumvirate with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus which dominated Roman politics for several years, opposed in the Roman Senate by optimates like Marcus Porcius Cato and Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus. His conquest of Gaul extended the Roman world to the North Sea, and he also conducted the first Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. The collapse of the triumvirate, however, led to a stand-off with Pompey and the Senate. Leading his legions across the Rubicon, Caesar began a civil war in 49 BC from which he became the master of the Roman world. After assuming control of government, he began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He was proclaimed "dictator in perpetuity" (dictator perpetuo), and heavily centralised the bureaucracy of the Republic. A group of senators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus, assassinated the dictator on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 BC, hoping to restore the normal running of the Republic. However, the result was another Roman civil war, which ultimately led to the establishment of a permanent autocracy by Caesar's adopted heir, Gaius Octavianus. In 42 BC, two years after his assassination, the Senate officially sanctified Caesar as one of the Roman deities. Much of Caesar's life is known from his own Commentaries (Commentarii) on his military campaigns, and other contemporary sources such as the letters and speeches of his political rival Cicero, the historical writings of Sallust, and the poetry of Catullus." ... Read more

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Caesar portrayed his invasion of Gaul as being a defensive pre-emptive action, most historians agree that the wars were fought primarily to boost Caesar's political career and to pay off his massive debts. Even so, Gaul was extremely important to Rome, as they had been attacked many times by the Gauls. Conquering Gaul allowed Rome to secure the natural border of the river Rhine. Caesar painstakingly describes his military campaign, and this is it is still the most important historical source on the Gaul campaign. It is also a masterwork of political propaganda, as Caesar was keenly interested in manipulating his readers in Rome as he published this book just as the Roman Civil war began. W. A. Macdevitt's translations brings this land mark historic book alive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Caesar's War Diary
The Gallic War by Caesar was written just over two thousand years ago by one of the greatest military minds the world has ever known.Unfortunately many people think it is a scholarly work, which it is not, it is a war diary, carefully edited for political consumption.The value of this book is the view it gives of Caesar himself and how he met and overcame his adversaries.As he recounts his battle plans and their results in his detailed reports to the senate in Rome, from his own words, the reader can get the feel of how he fought on the battlefields and in the political spheres of his times. Caesar's strategies were sometimes cunning, often tricky, but generally just exceptionally logical.His character could be described as a schizoid mix of Dr. Spock and Captain Kirk combined into one person on a polite rampage.At times you can almost picture Caesar sitting bloodied in the dirt trying to put the whole thing into words that will not offend the prissy senators sitting on their marble benches back in Rome.Nothing was too daring to try in his win/lose world of politics and battlefields and his solutions ranged from unbelievably complex (building moats and bridges while engaged in battle), to just burning down the walls.Once the battles were over, whenever possible, he strove to setup a political order among the conquered that would keep them conquered and even though over two thousand years have passed we still call it imperialism.Much can be learned from reading this book about the man who fights so he can be free and the man who fights for the state and is never free.It all leaves you with the unanswerable questions: So what would our world of today be like if there had been no Caesar and what would Caesar have been like if there had been no Rome? ... Read more

Product Description

This is an electronic edition of the complete book complemented by author biography. This book features the table of contents linked to every book, chapter and footnote. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.

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Translation based on W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, 1869

The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes, lasting from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Romans would also raid Britannia and Germania, but these expeditions never developed into full-scale invasions. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the Roman Republic over the whole of Gaul. The wars paved the way for Caesar's subsequent becoming the sole ruler of the Roman Republic.

Although Caesar portrayed this invasion as being a defensive pre-emptive action, most historians agree that the wars were fought primarily to boost Caesar's political career and to pay off his massive debts. Still, one can not lightly discard the military importance of Gaul for the Romans themselves, who had been attacked several times by native tribes both indigenous to Gaul and further to the north. Conquering Gaul allowed Rome to secure the natural border of the river Rhine.

This military campaign is painstakingly described by Julius Caesar himself in his book Commentarii de Bello Gallico, which still is the most important historical source. This book is also a masterwork of political propaganda, as Caesar was keenly interested in manipulating his readers in Rome.

— Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer Reviews (13)

Ave, Caesar, quid Asterigem Panoramigemque omittisti?
A great book, but I am totally surprised that Caesar, with all his education and first-hand knowledge of Gaul, makes no mention of Le Petit Village Galois and Asterix. That is the only flaw I could think of. Translation...yes, it is stylistically nowhere the original, but helps poor slobs like me with a second-rate knowledge of Latin to understand the passages I could not otherwise, so it is basically serviceable, if used only for this purpose

Reproduction quality is poor.
This review concerns the Kessinger Publishing's "Legacy Reprints" edition:
Caesar: The Gallic War

This edition is a reproduction (photocopy) of the Heinemann/Putnam 1919 edition.As such, it is very difficult to read (every page is a poor-quality photo reproduction with black text on a gray background - very low contrast, difficult to read for long).

There are no maps included in this edition.

The Gallic War
The Gallic War by Julius Caesar. Published by MobileReference (mobi).

Caesar's first-hand account of his campaigns is very sincere and to the point, yet strikingly authoritative and deep at the same time. Not a hint of arrogance or prejudice is found in his narrative as well. His prose is eloquent, and certainly rivals some of the greater Latin authors of his age. If there were anything Caesar was as skillful at other than the arts of war, it would have to be his ability as an author.

Below average Loeb translation, exceptional appendices
Edwards' translation of Caesar's 'de Bello Gallico' may not be the best, but all the same, this edition heartily deserves 5 stars. While I never found anything in his translation that I really disagreed with, it is not a typical Loeb hyper-literal translation. This is not a real issue for the initiated reader, as Caesar's Latin is not difficult to read. I can't blame Loeb for wanting a less-literal translation of Caesar, as the casual reader would quickly tire of the ablative absolutes and long sentences. Thus, it is decent. While not terribly literal, it is correct and readable.

The appendices are where this edition really shines. It includes a number of useful battle and campaign maps, as well as a brief essay on the bridge over the Rhine and a number of drawings of siege works.

The Penguin edition may a more literal translation, but this has the Latin text and a great set of appendices. This edition should remain the standard text for 'de Bello Gallico' for years to come.

Et tu Vercingetorix - a review of Loeb's "Gallic War"
If you have bought a Loeb Classic before you already know that they are well manufactured books that are meant to last.In addition, the major feature of the series is that the original text appears in the original language on one page, across from the translation on the facing page - with a few exceptions.**

**Exception example: with the works of the poet Catullus you will find all the steamy good parts are in Latin on both pages.

Another feature of the series is that the translators are generally top notch.

That said, let's talk about Julius' tome.Extremely fun to read and in general of significant importance not only as it pertains to Rome - it's politics, military agenda, etc. -- but in respect tounderstanding who was doing what in the provinces.

As a fan of barbarians everywhere, but particular of those tall woad-blue fellows, I can say this work is critical, although there are assuredly some historians that would debate Caesar's accuracy.

As to the translation, Prof. Edwards departs from the modern tradition (or they depart from him) by using third person, just as Caesar did.Most modern scholars have converted to first person, but this hardly matters unless you have a fear of formal, proper English.For this is precisely what you will find in this book.No modern cadences here.

Besides a fine translation, inside this book there are maps and sketchings that include that wonderful bridge that was constructed over the Rhine, as well as the gallic wall construction, roman seige appliances and a very valuable campaign map.

I don't know about you but I find the campaign map a God-send.And after reading more recent translations I have had to resort to my old Loeb because it takes me forever to figure out where the heck the Helvetii lived and where I left Uxellodunum.[Yes, it's in France but east or west of the Garonne river I am forever forgetting.]

Five Stars. [A+].Sturdy little book made to last.Opposing pages have Latin on one side and English on the other.Annotated and footnoted for scholars.Includes fold-out maps and diagrams. Excellent story for history buffs.

For those practicing their Latin:Caesar's Latin is the some of the clearest and simplist of the classic style.In other words, not too much future or past pluperfect tenses and that sort of thing. Frequently quoted in Wheelock and other texts.Having the translation right there on the facing page is invaluable.

Additional Information on what you will find:

Table of 'Contents'
Introduction
Analysis of Books
- (This entails a brief summary of Caesar's activities w/ dates.Under Book V, one would see (54 BC) and something like the following:

1-23Second expedition to Britain
Preparation of a fleet - (2-8.Caesar composes the factions of the Treveri'Cingetorix and Indutiomarus - the intrigues of Dumnorix....

Gallic War (the commentaries themselves)

Appendices
A.The Roman Army
B.Britain

Indexes
I. Persons
II. Tribes
III.Geography
IV. Subjects

Maps and Plans
--The Battle against the Helvetii
--The Battle of the Aisne
--The Battle of the Sambre
--Bridge over the Rhine
--Plan of Gergovia
--Plan of Alesia
--Siege Appliances
--Gaul
--Campaign Map

Editors Note (1979) ... Read more