Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy: A Biography

Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy: A Biography

by JMO'Brien (Author)

Synopsis

Despite Alexander the Great's unprecedented accomplishments, during the last seven years of his life, this indomitable warrior became increasingly unpredictable, sporadically violent, megalomaniacal, and suspicious of friends as well as enemies. What could have caused such a lamentable transformation?
This biography seeks to answer that question by assessing the role of alcohol in Alexander the Great's life, using the figure of Dionysus as a symbol of its destructive effects on his psyche. The unique methodology employed in this book explores various aspects of Alexander's life while maintaining an historical framework. The exposition of the main theme is handled in such a way that the biography will appeal to general readers as well as scholars.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 360
Edition: 1
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 15 Sep 1994

ISBN 10: 0415106176
ISBN 13: 9780415106177

Media Reviews
Alexander's story is compelling to lay audiences and scholars alike, with the pathos of an authentic Aristotelian tragedy. O'Brien writes with understanding and empathy, yet with resolute acceptance of the evidence.
- Minneapolis Star Tribune
Since the author maintains a consistent position of respectful belief in Greek mythology, as well as an immense knowledge of ancient Greek literature and history, we have a book that could indeed have been written 2,000 years ago. You don't often get a chance to read a book like this.
- The St. Louis Dispatch
This is a most interesting and valuable biography, not least because it provides such an extensive Materialsammlung on Alexander as a human being.
-Ernst A. Fredricksmeyer, University of Colorado
Suitable for a modern age . . . fair and balanced . . . The bibliography is the most complete ever assembled on modern Alexander scholarship and will prove useful to students and scholars alike.
- Choice
What happened to Alexander? O'Brien's answer is mesmerizing . . . he brings to the tale a sense of fatalism that Euripides would understand.
-Paul A. Gilster, The News and Observer