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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World, (a Wake Forest University
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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World, (a Wake Forest University Studium Book) Paperback - 1990

by Luciano Canfora; Martin Ryle (Translator)

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From the publisher

The Library of Alexandria, one of the wonders of the Ancient World, has haunted Western culture for over 2,000 years. The Ptolemaic kings of Egypt--successors of Alexander the Great--had a staggering ambition: to house all of the books ever written under one roof, and the story of the universal library and its destruction still has the power to move us.

But what was the library, and where was it? Did it exist at all? Contemporary descriptions are vague and contradictory. The fate of the precious books themselves is a subject of endless speculation.

Canfora resolves these puzzles in one of the most unusual books of classical history ever written. He recreates the world of Egypt and the Greeks in brief chapters that marry the craft of the novelist and the discipline of the historian. Anecdotes, conversations, and reconstructions give The Vanished Library the compulsion of an exotic tale, yet Canfora bases all of them on historical and literary sources, which he discusses with great panache. As the chilling conclusion to this elegant piece of historical detective work he establishes who burned the books.

This volume has benefited from the collegial support of The Wake Forest University Studium.

Details

  • Title The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World, (a Wake Forest University Studium Book)
  • Author Luciano Canfora; Martin Ryle (Translator)
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition 5th Printing
  • Pages 205
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher University of California Press, Berkeley
  • Publication date August 29, 1990
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780520072558 / 0520072553
  • Weight 0.65 lbs (0.29 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.96 x 6.01 x 0.57 in (22.76 x 15.27 x 1.45 cm)
  • Category History - General History
  • Library of Congress subjects Civilization, Classical, Alexandrian Library
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 90011087
  • Dewey Decimal Code 026.932

About the author

Luciano Canfora teaches at the University of Bari and is the editor of the journal Quaderni di Storia. A specialist in ancient literature, he has published a history of Greek literature and studies of Thucydides.
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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society)
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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society)

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[ Edition: Reprint ]. Good Condition. [ No Hassle 30 Day Returns ][ Ships Daily ] [ Underlining/Highlighting: NONE ] [ Writing: NONE ] Publisher: University of California Press Pub Date: 8/29/1990 Binding: Paperback Pages: 205
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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society)

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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society)
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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society)

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The Vanished Library: A Wonder of the Ancient World (Hellenistic Culture and Society)

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The Vanished Library : A Wonder of the Ancient World

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The Vanished Library : A Wonder of the Ancient World

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The Vanished Library : A Wonder of the Ancient World

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by Canfora, Luciano

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