The Greek Way

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 361 ratings

Price: 3.33

Last update: 02-13-2025


About this item

[MP3CD audiobook format in Vinyl case.]

[Read by Wanda McCaddon]

The aim of this work is not a history of events but an account of the achievement and spirit of Greece.

''What the Greeks discovered, how they brought a new world to birth out of the dark confusions of an old world that had crumbled away, is full of meaning for us today who have seen an old world swept away.''

In The Greek Way, Edith Hamilton shares the fruits of her thorough study of Greek life, literature, philosophy, and art. She interprets their meaning and brings us a realization of the refuge and strength the past can offer us in the troubled present. Hamilton's book has taken its place among the few interpretative volumes that are permanently rooted and profoundly alive in our literature.

Top reviews from the United States

  • zamzoo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Companion to Kitto, or on its own
    Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2019
    This is a lovely book that delves into the psychological aspects of Ancient Greeks, and tries to explain exactly why, on a tiny piece of real estate for a brief moment in time, everything that we call "Western Democracy" suddenly burst forth. No book can really explain this mystery (because the answer is extraterrestrials, duh!) but Hamilton lays out her thesis with clarity and convincing detail. Although it might be embarrassing to modern, contextualist, "there but for the grace of god" ideas about the indisputability of democracy as the best form of government, something rather exceptional took place in Greece in the years 5,000 to 0 BC, and we are still living (or failing to live up to) the societal ideals formed in Ancient Greece. Hamilton discusses convincingly the reasons why similarly "advanced" ancient cultures did not lead to democratic thought, and her ideas are exceptionally timely as we ponder WTF is happening as formerly impressive civilizations descend into religious despotism across the globe.
  • Another history buff
    5.0 out of 5 stars A classical culture treasure!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024
    Edith Hamilton was a life-long Greek and Latin scholar, and this book is a concise distillation of her views on Greek culture through the eyes of history, philosophy, art and theater. This is a treasure to keep - still available after more than sixty years old!
  • Steve Johnson
    4.0 out of 5 stars interesting and informative
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2013
    Here's kind of the overall, optimistic, idealized POV of the book, which I found interesting to read:

    [quote]
    For a hundred years Athens was a city where the great spiritual forces that war in men's minds flowed along together in peace; law and freedom, truth and religion, beauty and goodness, the objective and the subjective--there was a truce to their eternal warfare, and the result was the balance and clarity, the harmony and completeness, the word Greek has come to stand for. They saw both sides of the paradox of truth, giving predominance to neither, and in all Greek art there is an absence of struggle, a reconciling power, something of calm and serenity, the world has yet to see again.
  • jude obscure
    5.0 out of 5 stars A true classic.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2023
    I read this book many years ago but managed to lose it during my travels and decided that is a book to be purchased again, saved and used for reference. It appears to be in pretty good shape but the format is somewhat different from my other book. Thank you.
  • Ryan N.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Concise and definitive book on Greek culture
    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2019
    Hamilton brings the Greek world to life with a prose that’s smoother than Velveeta. Give it 5-6 pages and I’m sure you’ll be convinced, as I am, that she has one of the most captivating commands of the English language you’ve ever read.

    As for content you’ll find no better compact guidebook for Ancient Greek culture. Witn any ancient society you really should read the primaries. As I went through “The Greek Way” I picked up and read these texts. (Aristophanes, Plato, homer, Hesiod, Herodotus, etc.) and used Hamilton’s work as a sort of umbrella text that tied everything together.

    This I the strategy that I would recommend for anybody interested in discovering such a great and influential society.
  • Robert E. Cumming
    5.0 out of 5 stars THE GREEK WAY LIVES ON
    Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2014
    I could not recommend this book more highly, especially to those who can appreciate classicists. I first read it in college at Nebraska Wesleyan and, as a devotee of the art form of Gilbert & Sullivan, I flipped when I discovered a huge section devoted to William S. Gilbert and Aristophanes as the two greatest satirists of all time. To this day, I point this up to all I can, hoping to encourage interest in Hamilton, Gilbert and Aristophanes. I have delivered two-person readings of the entire section (about 45 minutes in length) to various groups throughout New England. I am about to suggest that the same be done in a monthly meeting of the N.Y. G&S Society (why didn't I think of this earlier? I'm now 82!). But many of us in CT and MA have heard the reading of these delicious excerpts from the book. And the present generation is too busy with its computerized toys to even know what a classicist is! What a great holiday gift this would be for anyone in tune with high art. Robert Cumming
  • Rosie
    3.0 out of 5 stars Greek Mishap
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
    The book itself is very good. However, the quality of the book was not as expected. I didn't expect an old, tattered book. I have older books in much better condition.
  • Nick Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unrivalled and comprehensive intro to Ancient Greece
    Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2016
    Deep yet not dense, brief yet succinct, attractive and intelligent and not at all academic - a rare fluidity of writing that reveals a penetrating intelligence behind the pen, above all, a lovely way to enter the world of ancient Greece and discover why that era was unique and how it's achievements are especially relevant today. I have the book but also like to listen to the audible.com version that lets the mind wander as I listen. Her chapter on ancient tragedy defines just what tragedy means at the dawn of theater - Hamilton draws from modern sensibilities and literary criticism to offer a flowing description of just what tragedy is all about.

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