Daily Life in Ancient India ~ Jeannine Auboyer
Summary: The introduction says this is a translation from French. The Indian civilisation has been around for many thousands of years and to write a single book on her culture would be to create a tombe. This work covers just the time frame from 200BC to 700AD, considered the “Golden Age”, and if you take the time to read it, you’ll discover a rather advanced people for their time.
This book is exactly as the title describes, a look at daily life in ancient India. It covers the traditions, religion, work practises, casts, morals, ethics, manners and a whole gammut of other details that formed the life and times of ancient india, and indeed it’s influence on the lives of Indians today.
It is quite an interesting read with lots of details of the history around why things were the way they were.
If you like reading about other cultures then this book is right up your alley.
Thermopylae - Battle for the West ~ Ernle Bradford
Thermopylae - Battle for the West,
recounts the tale of the three-day battle for the
pass at the "Hot Gates" of Thermopylae. This tale
was most recently told in the Hollywood
over-simplification-but-still-impressive
block-buster "300".
If you're not familiar with the story, the then King
of Sparta, Leonidas, played a devastating yet
suicidal delaying tactic to hold the advancing
Persian army of Xerxes. This gave the Greeks time to
settle their differences and prepare for the coming
onslaught.
Thermopylae - Battle for the West, also covers the
lead-up to the battle at the Hot Gates, and the final
crushing defeat of of the Persian army at Plataea
that ended the Greco-Persian wars, where the Spartans
once again showed their superior military tactics and
training.
This is a very compelling read for anyone interested
in Greek history. This battle, and the resulting
defeat of the Persian army is what defined the
western world.