Synopses & Reviews
Britain's best known classicist speaks her mind on the ancient, and modern, worlds.
You don't have to be interested in Greek urns to get a kick out of reading Mary's blog.--Chris Vallance, BBC Radio 4
A Don's Life is that rarest of online creatures: a fascinating, well-written, revealing and entertaining blog.--Good Web Guide
While many scholars build careers through increasingly elaborate reconstructions of the ancient world, Mary] Beard consistently stresses the limits of our knowledge, the precariousness of our constructs and the ambiguity or contradiction inherent in many of our sources.--New York Times for The Fires of Vesuvius
In her now-famous blog, Mary Beard has made her name as a wickedly subversive commentator on the world in which we live. Her central themes are classics, universities, and teaching, but she covers many other topics: What are academics for? Who was the first African Roman emperor? Looting, ancient and modern. Are modern exams easier? Keep Lesbos for the Lesbians. Did St. Valenting exist? What made the Romans laugh?
That is just a small tast of this selection (including some of the choicer responses posted) which will inform, occasionally provoke and cannot fail to entertain.
Mary Beard is professor of classics at Cambridge and classics editor at The Times Literary Supplement. Her books include The Fires of Vesuvius, The Roman Triumph, and The Parthenon.
Review
'Britain's most outspoken classicist is hilarious, staggeringly knowledgeable and utterly brilliant' - Vogue
'Delightful ... it has the virtues of brevity, eclecticism and learning worn lightly ... Beard is a very funny and penetrating commentator on academic life - and has a fantastic knack for controversy. If they'd had Mary Beard on their side back then, the Romans would still have their empire' - Daily Mail
Synopsis
While many scholars build careers through increasingly elaborate reconstructions of the ancient world, Mary] Beard consistently stresses the limits of our knowledge, the precariousness of our constructs and the ambiguity or contradiction inherent in many of our sources.--New York Times for The Fires of Vesuvius
In her now-famous blog, Mary Beard has made her name as a wickedly subversive commentator on the world in which we live. Her central themes are classics, universities, and teaching, but she covers many other topics. This selection of entries from the blog will inform, provoke, and cannot fail to entertain. On a good week, Mary's blog receives a staggering forty thousand hits a day. Find it at: http: //timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/
Mary Beard is professor of classics at Cambridge and classics editor at The Times Literary Supplement. Her books include The Fires of Vesuvius, The Roman Triumph, and The Parthenon.
Synopsis
Britain's best known classicist speaks her mind on the ancient, and modern, worlds.
Synopsis
Mary Beard's by now famous blog A Don's Life has been running on the TLS website for nearly three years. In it she has made her name as a wickedly subversive commentator on the world in which we live. Her central themes are the classics, universities and teaching - and much else besides. What are academics for? Who was the first African Roman emperor? Looting - ancient and modern. Are modern exams easier? Keep lesbos for the lesbians. Did St Valentine exist? What made the Romans laugh? That is just a small taste of this selection (and some of the choicer responses) which will inform, occasionally provoke and cannot fail to entertain.
About the Author
Mary Beard is a professor of classics at Newnham College, Cambridge, and the classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement (TLS). Her books include the acclaimed and best-selling Pompeii, The Roman Triumph and The Parthenon (in the Wonders of the World series of which she is general editor).