Review “Patrick Hunt's Hannibal is a rare combination of impeccable scholarship and good writing.  Knowing what the author knows, this biography could have been 900 pages long; instead it hits the scales at below 300, the perfect fighting weight for one of history's most lethal combatants.”  (Robert L. O’Connell, author of The Ghosts of Cannae)"The book is particularly illuminating in discussing Hannibal’s famous crossing of the Alps in 218 B.C. . . . Hunt excels in his descriptions of battles.” (Thomas E. Ricks The New York Times Book Review)"An exciting biography of one of history's greatest commanders. . . . A thrilling page-turner about one of history's most brilliant strategists and tacticians."  (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))“Patrick Hunt is one of the world’s greatest experts on Hannibal. He brings that magnificent commander to life, with verve and in detail, in this wonderful book. Hannibal is must reading for all students of military history.” (Barry Strauss, Cornell University, author of The Death of Caesar: The Story of History’s Most Famous Assassination)“From opening anecdote to closing argument, Hunt’s biography engages fully with both Hannibal the legend and Hannibal the man—telling us what can and should be known about the man while acknowledging the ambiguities and contradictions of the legend. Was Hannibal a military genius or a lucky gambler, a self-propelled comet or the instrument of fate, a figure of terror or of pathos? All of these, and much more.” (Steven Saylor, author of the New York Times bestseller Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome)"Even after the passage of more than two thousand years, Hannibal’s bold exploits, above all in Italy, challenging Rome to a duel in her own back yard, capture the imagination. Patrick Hunt, who has for decades been researching Hannibal, including much personal fieldwork on the ground retracing Hannibal’s footsteps, distills a lifetime’s knowledge and experience in this lively and compelling narrative." (Professor Roger J. A. Wilson, director, Centre for the Study of Ancient Sicily, University of British Columbia)“Hannibal relates the famous general’s story with wonderful energy. . . . Archeologist and historian Patrick Hunt distills his survey of literature about the Second Punic War into a brightly dramatic story that covers virtually every anecdote connected with Hannibal.” (The Christian Science Monitor)"Hannibal, thoroughly researched and written in an engaging style, tells the story of this remarkable military strategist.  Over the past 25 years, Patrick Hunt has walked every battlefield and trekked over 30 of the probable Alps passes that Hannibal may have used. . . . The reader is treated to a ‘you are there,’ action-packed historical adventure." (Major General Robert B. Ostenberg, U.S. Army (Ret.))“The military history is thorough and balanced. . . . Drawing on both ancient and modern scholarship, this book is accessible for the nonspecialist; military history buffs will enjoy.” (Library Journal)“The flourishes that make Hunt a popular on-air personality shine through. . . . . Hunt’s story of the doomed general, whose exploits are more celebrated than those of his vanquishers, will appeal to any reader interested in military history or strategy.” (Publishers Weekly) About the Author Patrick N. Hunt is an archeologist, historian, and biographer who has taught humanities, archeology, and mythology at Stanford University since 1993. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in London, Hunt has been featured on TV documentaries, including National Geographic Explorer, Nova, and the Discovery Channel. He is also a National Geographic Expeditions expert. Articles about his Hannibal research have appeared in National Geographic, Archaeology Magazine, and Earth magazine among others. He is the author of Hannibal, Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History, and When Empires Clash: Twelve Great Battles in Antiquity, among other books. He lives in the Bay Area, California.
A**S
Fascinating
This revealed substantial gaps in my knowledge of history. After struggling in some initial chapters I found I could hardly put it down once the battle sequences started.
A**L
Book
Husband very pleased with book. Thanks again.
D**G
Engrossing Biography of a Brilliant and Enigmatic General
As Patrick Hunt tells us in the preface to this engaging work, he has spent much of his life researching the enigma that is Hannibal Barca. Now this overriding interest has led Hunt to write a very informative, wide-ranging biography of the famous general.This is a book that makes clear why Hannibal is rightfully considered one of the greatest military figures in history, but it is also a well-balanced volume that avoids hagiography. And while it will certainly please an academic audience, the book is free of academic dryness, avoiding jargon and handling complex concepts in a readable manner. It manages to be suspenseful even when one is already familiar with the events of the general’s life—and that is no easy trick.Hunt is quite skillful in weaving together the various factors that shaped Hannibal’s success and failure, including the startling brilliance of his military mind, the influence of his father, and the political environment of Carthage with its dubious support of the general’s efforts. Hunt is very solid at explaining the faulty tactics—and later brilliance—of the Romans (especially seen in Fabius Maximus and Scipio Africanus). Finally, there is Hannibal’s considerable logistic and administrative skill, a factor often overlooked but which Hunt covers wonderfully.But for all his acumen, Hannibal ultimately failed, and it is this failure that has made him an enigma: His ability to adapt to changing circumstances had been almost wondrous at times—as Hunt makes very clear—but Hannibal seems to have lost something of that ability after his greatest success, Cannae. And here lies the famous multi-faceted question: should Hannibal have invaded Rome? Hunt discusses this question in a very nice, concise way and then goes on to explore an unhappy issue: Was Hannibal incapable of adjusting to what had become the new “game plan” of the Romans? They refused to fight him on his own terms, and they adopted the tactics he had used against them. Hunt explores this topic unsparingly and illuminates how the limitless resources and determination of Rome likely made Hannibal’s mission in southern Italy an inevitable failure. Very highly recommended.
M**E
A fantastic read for anyone interested in history
A fantastic read for anyone interested in history, Hannibal, and the Punic Wars. I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail regarding topography, the numbers and background of the troops involved in various campaigns, and the overarching social history as Punic and Roman civilizations clashed throughout the narrative. This book does an excellent job of peeling back some of the hidden layers on Hannibal himself, a truly enigmatic character who would’ve stood out as an extraordinary individual in any era. The author’s use of sources such as Polybius and Livy is particularly fascinating when used in conjunction with known facts from the actual battle sites, such as the terrain and climate conditions. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history or someone who simply loves a good factual story that is well told.
A**L
A good biography of an historical icon
This book is a very strong biography of Hannibal’s life and times. It is easy to read and clearly written. It focuses on both his life and the lives of those around him - though mostly his enemies and a few of his fellow generals. However, I found it focused more on his movements and battles, which were clearly articulated, and less on the man himself. Would have liked more on his lifestyle, his family and relationships around him. For example, the book does not explore his other generals or comrades except for out,inning their positions in battle. Also, the book could have benefitted from more detailed maps for some of his Italian movements and battles.Overall a very good read to understand Hannibal and his exploits in Europe.
T**R
I like it because the author presents the historical context for ...
I like it because the author presents the historical context for Hannibal's campaign in Italy. The book would have been better if there were additional diagrams of the various battles and maps showing Hannibal's possible / probable routes from Spain through the Alps into Italy and the many battle fields. The book provides an outstanding discussion on why Hannibal did not directly attack the city of Rome. It also presents Hannibal's campaign as one historical example when one side wins almost every battle but still does not win the war.
M**L
Best history of Hannibal for the ordinary reader.
A fascinating and very accessible history of Hannibal and his battles against the Romans. Hunt clearly knows his stuff and separates as much as possible the real from the myths, explaining why he reaches his conclusion without all the academic clutter that impedes most histories. Its clear, concise and persuasive.
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