Product Description

In the greatest work of history in the English language, Edward Gibbon compresses thirteen turbulent centuries into a gripping epic narrative. It is history in the grand eighteenth-century manner, a well-researched drama charged with insight, irony, and incisive character analysis. In elegant prose, Gibbon presents both the broad pattern of events and the significant revealing detail. He delves into religion, politics, sexuality, and social mores with equal authority and aplomb. While subsequent research revealed minor factual errors about the early Empire, Gibbon's bold vision, witty descriptions of a vast cast of characters, and readiness to display his own beliefs and prejudices result in an astonishing work of history and literature, at once powerfully intelligent and enormously entertaining.

Based on David Womersley's definitive three-volume Penguin Classics edition of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, this abridgement contains complete chapters from all three volumes, linked by extended bridging passages, vividly capture the style, the argument, and the architecture of the whole work.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #129157 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-01
• Released on: 2001-01-02
• Format: Abridged
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 848 pages

About the Author
Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) was inspired to write The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire while on a trip to Rome in 1764. It was completed in 1788.

David Womersley edited the three-volume Penguin Classics edition of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Customer Reviews

Might be fine if i could read it
Type is way too small for my tired old eyes, hence the low rating. You can't rate highly that which you can't read. From snippets I was able to read it looks like a fabulous rendition of the story of the Roman Empire.

Hard to Read
Not what I was expecting. Very hard to read as it was written back in the dark ages and the english used is tough.

Understand that any civilization may fail.
Gibbon is one of the first historians of the Enlightenment. He does not have a favorable opinion of Christianity or the times he lived. This bias does not detract from this book. Nor is this book an effective argument against Christianity. His thesis is Christianity helped bring down Rome. The Christian mindset made it impossible to defend their empire in a way similar to how they made their empire. If you lose your basic traditions your empire will crumble. An excellent book, a must read.