This book is called "one of the ten books that influenced the world in the 20th century" and enjoys a world reputation. There are also a lot of enthusiastic readers in China. On a famous reading website in China, readers have reviewed hundreds of books about this book. According to the copyright page of the book, this is the ninth printing of the Chinese version of the book since 2005. Its popularity can be seen.
This phenomenon is worth pondering. China people are always very proud and critical when writing and reading history. We have a long and glorious tradition in history, which has won the heartfelt admiration of more than one foreign scholar (including the author of this book). In recent years, the upsurge of reading history has been wave after wave: explaining history until the Spring and Autumn Period; Speaking of those things in the Ming Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, until the pre-Qin Dynasty ... Yes, even China readers who have seen such a big world in reading history are still amazed at the general history of the world. If the author Stavri Anoos knew something underground himself, he should be happy about it.
Looking through the general history of the world, I often think of Sima Qian's famous saying: "When studying heaven and man, we can learn from the changes of ancient and modern times and become a family statement." Just like our great history books more than 2000 years ago, the general history of the world is not satisfied with simple historical facts. Compared with a few lines recorded in the history books, the writings of Stavri and Anoos are dazzling. For example, in the second part of the section "nomads' invasion of marginal civilized areas", when describing the situation of ancient Greek civilization before it was invaded by foreign countries, the writing said:
"Specializing in business are foreigners-Phoenicians or Cypriots. They often come, always bringing odds and ends of daily necessities to civilians and more valuable goods to nobles. This monotonous and silent pastoral life is sometimes broken by occasional visiting poets who play and sing the glory of war and the great achievements of outstanding ancestors. "
This makes reading an interesting thing and a vivid interaction between one life and another: readers can not only share the author's views and logic, but also have the opportunity to touch the author's poetry and feelings, and at the same time be deeply moved by the author's sincerity and purity. This attitude, neither pedantic nor flattering, is a charm in itself. In the words of China people, it is the so-called "strength of character".
Each reader may have different feelings and comments on some specific viewpoints in the book, but at least one thing I think should be recognized by most readers: the lost history can enlighten us, not only with the emperor's teachings of wise monarchs, the fierce strategies of powerful ministers, the tears of talented people and beautiful women, the ambitions of heroes and sages, but also with countless ancestors' blood and tears, life, joy and suffering.
In addition to joking about the value of entertainment, history has its own profound mission.