Synopses & Reviews
A set of ancient inscriptions on marble found 40 years ago in southern Italy, recording details so bewildering that scholars have kept silent about them ... Sensational new information about a group of ancient philosophers who were so intensely practical that, two and a half thousand years ago, they shaped our existence and the world we live in ... These are just two ingredients of this extraordinary book, which uncovers an astonishing reality right at the origins of the Western world. Written by a highly-acclaimed contemporary historian and expert in the field, it provides dramatic new evidence about one of the most important of ancient philosophers, Parmenides-and revolutionizes our un-derstanding of the history of religion, of the origins of philosophy, and of Western culture as a whole.
Review
"To absorb what this book says is to encounter a completely new vision of the ancient world that lies at the root of our own civilization. Right there, at our own feet, lies a forgotten tradition that has the power to transform all our views about our culture and our life." Jacob Needleman, author The Heart of Philosophy and
Time & the Soul, and Professor of Philosophy at
San Francisco State University
Review
"Peter Kingsley is a master excavator of lost and hidden meanings. This book digs deep beneath the centuries-old rubble of conventional scholarship to uncover priceless gems of Greek and Roman history, myth, poetry, and philosophy. He accomplishes nothing less than giving us a new pair of eyes by which to see the true philosophical and spiritual depth of the ancient world upon which our own civilization is built. In the beautiful and penetrating language of an accomplished storyteller, he shows the absolute relevance of history and wisdom to our own present life." GEORG FEUERSTEIN, PH.D., author of
The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga and Lucid Waking
Review
"This book is compelling, fascinating, hard to put down. Told in a direct, lucid style the story reads like an intriguing detective novel. Each page reveals new depths of thought - revelations that can serve us today if we are to survive the contemporary illusions of reality that are poisoning our souls."
RUDOLFO ANAYA, Professor Emeritus at University of New Mexico and author of Jalamanta and Bless Me, Ultima