Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A review written in 1844
Found in a letter dated February 13 1844 from my great-great-great-uncle George Mackenzie in India to his sister Alice in Scotland: "Have you ever read Gibbon's Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire? I am very fond of it for many reasons. It is a grand book and to read it always makes me feel as if my life extended thousands instead of tens of years and as if I could trace out the revolutions of Empires. It is beautifully written and the English of it is to my taste particularly elegant, and except where Gibbon's judgement was obscured by his prejudice, it is true as history can be. His reasonings from the great events which he relates are generally speaking very true and I have heard that there is hardly a better guide for a politician than that history. What an immensely long duration the time of it is - from the year 90 after Christ till the year 1490 or thereabouts in fact almost down to our own times. It is a great ornament to my bookcase and I often read it & prefer it to any novel whatsoever." So the 5 stars are on behalf of Uncle George who sadly died later in 1844 aged 25.

Great set of books
This is a wonderful set of the complete Decline and Fall. The books are hardbound and full-sized, not a flimsy paperback.Looks great on my bookshelf! ... Read more

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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Monument of the West
The Roman empire speaks of the political and military genius of Western civilization.A tribe of people united, armored, and powered by their love of freedom and virtue first subdues the other tribes of Italy, then the whole of Europe and much of Africa and Asia, and ultimately stand in one way or another for 1,500 years.As Edward Gibbon in his brilliant and sparking, haunting and stunning prose explains, the genius of Rome became manifest in its political system that balanced the factions and interests of Rome with such audacious brilliance that the whole of Rome was dedicated to freedom and virtue, and every Roman would happily and jealously join the banner of the Roman army.If the armies of Rome's deadliest enemies -- the Goths, the Vandals, the Persians, and ultimately the Ottomans -- were driven by greed and fear, then the Roman legions' shield and armor were honor and liberty.Ironically, in defending the republic, Rome's legions were to expand so deep into enemy territory that they became too mired in luxury and corruption that they would bring back such vices to the Roman republic, an inevitable fact of territorial expansion that would help transform Rome from republic to empire.

It was having read Gibbon's masterpiece and too easily seen the parallels between a declining Roman empire and an ascending British empire that prompted Edmund Burke's memorable orations at the Warren Hastings trial -- Burke solemnly and fiercely warned the British people how Indian nabobs were exploiting the wealth of India, and using this wealth to corrupt the political process and liberty back in England.Surprisingly, Gibbon doesn't hark back on the golden days of the Roman republic, and only cursorily mentions Cicero and Cato.Gibbon posits an interesting question -- the question isn't why the Roman empire fell (the rise and fall of empires is as common in the historical landscape as are mountains in the natural) but how it lasted for such a long time.The answer must lie in the inherent genius of the Roman republic, virtues that did not decay with empire but somehow were kept alive in the breasts of Rome's noblest citizens.China's dynasties continuously declined from their inception, duplicity and servility as well as corruption and luxury too firmly rooted in the Chinese soil for anything solid and meaningful to grow.But Rome did not fall and decline continuously, and some heroes arose who bore the promise of republican revival.There is Julian, that noblest of all emperors, who shocked and armored his legions and his people with his intellect and his virtue, his justice and his toleration.Ultimately, he fell when his chief virtue -- his love of fame -- during his rise to power became his chief vice during his rule, as he sought to subdued the Roman empire.(Ironically, Julian has all too many similarities with Zhuge Liang, the hero of the Chinese epic "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," a hero loved by the people but who only brought suffering and misery to his people when he sought to expand his empire.)And then there is that great general Belisarius whose main strength was his loyalty to the Roman empire and whose main failing was his loyalty to a degenerate emperor and a cruel wife.

Edward Gibbon's "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" is a truly exceptional piece of literature.It is difficult and challenging, but it is also decidedly brilliant and memorable.If Rome itself does not stand then what it represents -- republican virtue and love of freedom -- still burns deep in America, its most direct descendant, and Gibbon's words are a testament of the beauty and economy of the English language.

"Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome..."
...the "barbarians" took it back. Rome lasted over a millennium, and the length of its rule, and civilizing influence has never been matched, even by China. Edward Gibbon wrote his classic account of this empire's decline in the later half of the 18th Century, an astonishing work of erudition long before Google has simplified the research task. The entire history covers over 3000 pages; even the abridged version is daunting at over 800 pages. This work "nags' any bibliophile. Can I "shuck off my mortal coil" and not have read it? I gratifyingly took the plunge, and was richly rewarded.

There are numerous versions of this epic work extant. I read the Penguin Classics version, but the one edited and with an introduction by Dero A. Saunders. He identified one of the key strengths of Gibbon's work: "...understanding the irrational in human history." How humans will embrace actions and courses of behavior that are not in their enlightened self-interest. Gibbon's scope is broad, ranging from the large, sweeping forces that dominate history to the telling anecdote of individual action that illuminates those trends. He depicts the economic, military, religious, and political forces that eventually led to Rome's downfall. Gibbon has his "biases," and displays them more than the "average" historian, and he reaps some criticism for them, but since they all too often resonate with my own, and there are no subtle attempts to hide them, I give them a "pass."

Time and again, Gibbon's insights on the human condition, not just the Roman Empire, have withstood the test of time; indeed, he has often established the standard. Consider the quote from Diocletian: "...the best and wisest princes are sold to the venal corruption of their courtiers." On the discourse of the defeated, in this case, Mistrianus: "...he expatiated on the common topics of moderation and humanity, which are so familiar to the eloquence of the vanquished." On nostalgia: "Notwithstanding the propensity of mankind to exalt the past and to deprecate the present..." On power: "Of all our passions and appetites, the love of power is of the most imperious and unsociable in nature, since the pride of one man requires the submission of the multitude." Or consider a wryly ironic commentary on the "do nothing" course of action: "...he was deprived of the favorite resource of feeble and timid minds, who consider the use of dilatory and ambiguous measures at the most admirable efforts of consummate prudence."There is nothing stale in Gibbon's prose; just the occasional tendency to the rococo.

Gibbon was a principal force of the Enlightenment, and his work is permeated with a jaundiced view of religion in practice. His work fulfills this sentiment: "The theologian may indulge the pleasing task of describing Religion as she descended from heaven, arrayed in her native purity. A more melancholy duty is imposed on the historian. He must discover the inevitable mixture of error and corruption which she contracted in a long residence upon earth, among a weak and degenerate race of beings."Eternal truths concerning the power and the glory: "The influence of the clergy, in an age of superstition, might be usefully employed to assert the rights of mankind; but so intimate is the connection between the throne and the altar that the banner of the church has very seldom been seen on the side of the people." Another strength of this book is his depiction of the intolerance of the early Christians: "the prelates of the third century imperceptibly changed the language of exhortation into that of command..."

This history is often cited as a cautionary tale for those in the American empire. As with all such historical analogies, particularly on broad subjects, there is much that is relevant, as well as the opposite. Gibbon devotes considerable attention to the military aspects of empire, and it is particularly relevant, as I post this review on Memorial Day, that military duty has become irrelevant to the vast majority of the American population, as it did in Rome. Considering jurisprudence, Gibbon's observations could have tumbled out of yesterday's newspaper: "A faithful subject of Syria, perhaps, or of Britain, was exposed to the danger, or at least the dread, of being dragged off in chains to the court... and the defects of evidence were diligently supplied by the use of torture."Or later: "...in all cases of treason, suspicion is equivalent to proof."

There are probably only 100 individuals who have the historical knowledge that would be sufficient to provide context to all the historical figures that Gibbon identifies. Thus, there are aspects of the read that are a humbling slog. Still, with the nuggets of insight available, only a small portion of which have been cited above, it is more than worthwhile, and should be placed on the must-finish list while retaining that proverbial coil. Americans do not have a monopoly of hubris, or just plain irrationality. I had the opportunity to read this book the week I was in Dubai, 2003, now site of the tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and one of the emptiest. Those historical lessons that Gibbon renders can be ignored on a global basis, maybe even in China. Still, 5-stars plus.

A treasure
edited by Hans-Fredrich Mueller

I finally finished this massive treasure, which isn't even exhaustive.And I can't imagine the colossal task in both time and energy it took to write it.It took Gibbon twelve years, from 1776 to 1788.I find it more than a coincidence that he began writing in the year of our independence.Even in this abridged form (which is what you will more likely come across) it is still a huge undertaking; though Mueller, in his critical forward, tells us it is necessary for it to become readable.Mueller also says he prided himself in being meticulous and accurate while still being manageable.And very helpful is the addition of dates bracketed throughout the text.An index would have been useful.In Boorstin's introduction he cites the major impact this work had on him; he calls it intimate.I would have never thought of it in that way, but now after ingesting all six volumes I understand why he calls it intimate.Gibbon does not mince words either.His work will always be remembered and its impact can still be felt today.He is an artist, like no one I have read before.Keep a dictionary handy.I also recommend reading the forward and the introduction, especially after studying Gibbon's great work.They take into question Gibbon's devotion to Christianity and his offensiveness towards it.I see Gibbon as mixed in his beliefs, though he wrote as he saw it; and I find that he saw the truth when he found it.Did he believe infrastructure was valued over its people?

The role of emperor was not a secure job."Such was the unhappy condition of the Roman emperors that, whatever might be their conduct, their fate was commonly the same."The polytheistic Roman Empire was very much a melting pot (half slaves) and within it were many schisms.I see parallels---such as the oppressive taxes, the corrupt politicians, the tyrannical government, the effemination, and the endless warfare---to our United States, and a warning for our future.

So what caused the fall?For Gibbon, the gradual decline began after Christ, until the eventual fall some fifteen hundred years later.Chapters are built upon the reigns of the emperors as they came to power, except where he periodically inserts chapters concerning the Christian influence, the Christian persecutions, the corrupt church, the persecution of the church toward others, the Crusades, the rise of Islam, the debilitating taxes and, towards the end, he concentrates on the impact by the surrounding nations.The Empire became a black hole and split to form an East and a West---the West to totally collapse.There were many causes: the slow introduction of Christianity over Paganism and the conversion to it, the collapse of the military, the always and increasing threat of outside peoples, alienating allies and provoking enemies, the corruption within (the people), and of course the self righteous emperors.Entropy would take over and finally lead to the collapse of the infrastructure.

Rome was both a curse and a blessing for Christianity.Many were converted, but the power of Catholicism and the Pope led to the eventual corruption and apostasy of the church.We have our many deists and polytheists just as the Romans.Do you not find a familiarity to us and the Romans?

LORD bless
Scott

Magisterial and accessible foundation stone of the Enlightenment
There is an inevitable element of lèse majesté in reviewing a work of this stature, even in the abridgement. A contemporary of Voltaire and Smith, and a personal acquaintance at least of the latter, Gibbon laid one of the foundation stones in the rationalist revolt which came to be known as the Enlightenment. Gibbon's view of the church in history, however, is more nuanced than I had come to believe before tackling his original text and is not a one-dimensional condemnation. It has to be said, of course, that Gibbon's subtle barbs are in any case more telling than a straightforward attack. In fact, the whole, magisterial work is very engaging and accessible reading even today and I found myself heartily entertained.

If I have one quibble, it is with the practice, common at the time and up until the 19th Century, of the promiscuous use of footnotes*. Further, these were intended for, let us say, use rather than for ostentation, and it is not advisable to skip them. It makes the reading somewhat hard in places as sentences can be footnoted four or five times and the footnotes can run over onto the next leaf. Gibbon also belonged to a generation of scholars who referred to Cicero by the nickname of "Tully", and as such, his notes presume a fluency in Latin and Greek to which I sadly cannot presume. His use of English, however, is an example to us all.

I was interested to find that Gibbon follows the history of the Empire all the way to the fall of Constantinople, and thus has to treat of the Arabs and the rise of Islam. This is an area of special interest of mine and I have to say that Gibbon's reading still appears very balanced. He does not resort to the cheap character assassinations of the Prophet Muhammad common in the Europe of that time and ours, but neither does he perpetrate a hagiography. Gibbon is doing history as a rationalist and he seeks causes and explanations rather than support for an agenda.

It is in this sense that Gibbon can be said to have founded history as a field of formal research. It is a commonplace of all formal research fields today that the supernatural is not taken into consideration. Opponents of the Enlightenment, of whom we are still visited with a plague, describe this as a "bias". In fact, it is a precondition, and its recognition can be traced directly back to Gibbon and his contemporaries. Gibbon's methodology renders history accessible to research by treating yesterday as pretty much like today, in that natural laws obtained. Given this presumption, it is possible to make sense of fragmentary evidence by induction from the familiar. As soon as we admit of the literal truth of reports of miracles, the familiar basis for induction is eliminated. This means not that we can accept that historical evidence and the presumption of natural law are valid except when a miracle worker made an exception, but that the very concept of drawing inductions from historical evidence itself must be suspended. It literally abrogates the possibility of inferring anything at all from historical evidence, since our very model of the way evidence is generated from cause is disrupted. One cannot even trust the reports of miracles!

The rationalist model requires a means of investigating the world which does not self-abrogate in this fashion. The miraculous, therefore, is not a valid assumption in dealing with the world as a researcher. One can have one's private convictions, but when it comes to publication one must be able to draw conclusions from evidence based on rules which can be justified to others. All modern investigatory fields proceed on this basis, and the idea took root in the Enlightenment. No parting of seas, no changing cities into salt deposits, no unseen intelligent designers - instead, we have the invisible hand of the market, painstakingly modelled as a set of self-regulating feedbacks. We have the laws of thermodynamics. We have the fall of Constantinople as a result of internecine squabbling between Latin and Greek churches when faced with a more numerous Turkish foe armed with cannon capable of firing a 600-lb round. This is history as a science. This is Gibbon.

*See what I mean?

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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good but a book on the rise and fall of the roman empire would have been better
I guess I made a quick purchase b/ what I really wanted was a story of the climb of the roman empire but I haven't read it yet, so this book still might be interesting.

will suck you into it's pages
I had a hard time getting used to the style of writing but, in spite of that, I had a hard time putting it down.I found it compelling, complete, and well informed, considering the date of publication.I recommend this book to any interested student of history or any who just like a good read.It covers any subject that is even remotely connected to the last centuries of the Roman empire. It left me with the desire to read the complete 6 volume work.

unreadable
I bought this book because I have seen it on several must read lists and lists of most important books.I love to learn in a fun, enjoyable way.This book is heavier and thicker and more difficult to read than some college textbooks. I made it to page 4 before I gave up. It is hard to believe someone would read this book for pleasure.

A lot of work to read, but overall it's worth it
I feel like a jerk not rating this five stars, since it's such a world-renouned classic, a true heavyweight in the history of academia... but does it really deserve its lauded reputation?It is a very comprehensive tome (this version is one of the shorter versions available) on a very broad subject, and when this became available to the general public in the 1770's I'm sure they had never seen anything like it. Today, there's a lot more competition for our reading attention. If you want a very in-depth accounting of the history of the late Roman Empire, I'd still absolutely recommend this book, but point out that it can be dry in parts. To be fair, I'm sure it isn't easy to avoid sounding repetitious while accounting for each Roman Emperor's fate since the Republic fell... they begin to sound alike (this one killed that one, etc). I read this in anticipation of moving to Italy, and I'm glad I did. There are so many ruins and archaeological sites here, and I now at least have a passing familiarity with more aspects of Roman history. If you are going to Italy, and you want to make the most of the trip, I would say read it.This is one of those books I believe will pay to read again in a few years, when I have accumulated more knowledge on the topic from other sources.
One last item: there are many versions of this book available, and I can't comment on all of them, but this particular edition would be greatly enhanced if more maps were included.

Not for beginners
Ok, So there is about 70 versions of this book on the market. If you're reading this, maybe I can help you.

I had read many positive things about Edward Gibbons book.Some of it true, some of it not. I was expecting something better, though that is partially my fault. First off, this book was written in the 1770s. Therefore, it is not an entertaining type of history book that we expect today. This disappointment was my fault, I should have taken this into account.

I have a few real gripes about this book. The first being that Gibbon tends to drift into the minutae of inconsequential facts. For instance, he devotes about twenty pages to the founding, building, and construction of St. Sophia's church in Constantinople. Interesting, yes, but it has very little to do with the subject at hand. Gibbon drifts onto these tangents ad nauseaum. The version I have is a little over 800 pages. The real story could have been told in about 300.

The second gripe I have, is that Gibbon tends to write in run-on sentences. Sometimes whole paragraphs are just one sentence, with about eight comas in the midst. Leaving one reading and re-reading the same sentence just to make sense of the subject.

Gibbon often writes about subjects, people, places, events, groups, races, etc. without explaining where, what or who they are. I can only suggest that if you are going to read this book, keep Wikipedia handy.

Finally, there is little or no timeline with the subject matter. It is very hard to follow since Gibbon gives almost no time frame when presenting a story or situation. I found myself often wondering when abouts we were dealing with. I can say that I get upset with authors who devote too much attention to such things, but when dealing with a time frame of 1500 years, it would be helpful to give a reference.

I DID give this book 2 stars, because I felt someone CAN gain something from it. Just know, that for the amateur, or beginner of Roman history, I would not recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Edward Gibbon's six-volume History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-88) is among the most magnificent and ambitious narratives in European literature. Its subject is the fate of one of the world's greatest civilizations over thirteen centuries - its rulers, wars and society, and the events that led to its disastrous collapse. Here, in volumes one and two, Gibbon charts the vast extent and constitution of the Empire from the reign of Augustus to 395 ad. And in a controversial critique, he examines the early Church, with fascinating accounts of the first Christian and last pagan emperors, Constantine and Julian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

For readers with bifocals: a warning
I read all the reviews of all the various editions of Gibbons and I finally decided on the Womersley. I wanted the footnotes. But when the paperback arrived, I found that the book's print was so small that, even with my bifocals, reading led to headaches (and the footnotes were even smaller). I then bought the Folio Society edition, which cut most of the footnotes but I was able to read it without headaches. Some of the footnotes are critical to understanding the Gibbon, but if you remove the op. cits and Ibids alone, I think two thirds of the footnotes would disappear. I balanced the need for those footnotes with being able to read it at all. For me, the Folio Society set (which I got for $41 on EBay) was well worth the money.

JPS

A Monument to Historical Research.
This mighty book is the paradigm for any historical writing. Only to imagine its first volume was written in 1776 produce awe to the reader. Sure it contains errors that had been pointed out by more recent investigations. Sure is dated in some aspects. But what a monument in itself it is!

It stands as a reference for every historian of the period, for every serious student of Roman history, for every history lover.


Erudite and at the same time so clear and interesting work. Gibbon's prose has a very spicy taste, once you get used to it, you will savor each paragraph.

The study begins with Antonines Period and ends at the Fall of the Empire. Thru that huge period of time, all main characters as Emperors, Generals, Senators, Consuls, Barbaric Kings and their people are shown and their deeds recounted.

The enormous amount of sources consulted by the author and his masterful way to put all that data in an ordered and neat mode still amaze me.

No student or researcher should skip this Historical Monument!

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Why Womersley Edition
Simply quote Wikipedia which is the best according to what I have seen so far anyway.
Take note if you care "The 2005 print includes minor revisions and a new chronology." And the hardback gives more pleasure to read.

[Gibbon continued to revise and change his work even after publication. The complexities of the problem are addressed in Womersley's introduction and appendices to his complete edition.

In-print complete editions
J.B. Bury, ed., 7 volumes (London: Methuen, 1909-1914), currently reprinted (New York: AMS Press, 1974). Until Womersley, this was the essential edition, but now nearing age 100, the historical analysis/commentary is dated. [ISBN 0-404-02820-9].
Hugh Trevor-Roper, ed., 6 volumes (New York: Everyman's Library, 1993-1994). from the Bury text and with Gibbon's own notes, but without Bury's, many of which are superseded by more recent research. [ISBN 0-679-42308-7 (vols. 1-3); ISBN 0-679-43593-X (vols. 4-6)].
David Womersley, ed., 3 volumes. hardback-(London: Allen Lane, 1994); paperback-(New York: Penguin Books, 2005;1994). The current essential edition, the most faithful to Gibbon's original text. The ancient Greek quotations are not as accurate as in Bury, but an otherwise excellent work with complete footnotes and bibliographical information for Gibbon's cryptic footnote notations. Includes the original index, and the Vindication (1779) which Gibbon wrote in response to attacks on his caustic portrayal of Christianity. The 2005 print includes minor revisions and a new chronology. [ISBN 0-7139-9124-0 (3360 p.); ISBN 0-14-043393-7 (v.1, 1232 p.); ISBN 0-14-043394-5 (v.2, 1024 p.); ISBN 0-14-043395-3 (v.3, 1360 p.)]
]

Considered the most scholarly collection of Gibbon's work
I do not recommend buying an edition of "The Decline and Fall" based upon price alone, because for many reasons, which will become clearer to you after reading this complicated and scholarly work, the editions vary in content and price, nor does price alone guarantee quality.

For many hours prior to purchasing, I researched the numerous editions offered by different publishers and read reviews, and discovered a consensus among Gibbon fans in favor of Womersley's unabridged edition, in part because it includes a complete and unmodernized text, Gibbon's own comments and notes, and his famous Vindication, a final and thorough answer to scurrilous critics of his time. All of this is provided at a quite reasonable price, considering the length of the work (in excess of 1,300 pages), albeit in soft cover which I find makes a book easier to read, if slightly less durable.

I recommend buying this new edition from Amazon, instead of the used editions also offered here, because many of them, I discovered after investigating, are not the same as this one I am reviewing (ISBN 0-14-043393-7, which is Volume I). Like I said, there are many editions of Gibbon's masterpiece floating about, old and new, of varying quality and content. The vendors' failure to disclose the ISBN in their descriptions prohibits any purchase by the discriminating. Just pay the seventeen or so bucks for the new book, which is dirt cheap for a work of this magnitude.

There should be no need to defend Gibbon nor his work, which is simply the best I have yet read. I loved history as a boy, even while reading the simple and often stupid books offered in school. Imagine how much more I enjoyed history written by such a master of prose as Gibbon, the most thorough, meticulous and honest historian I have yet encountered.

We owe a debt of gratitude to a historian who has perused enormous quantities of ancient texts in Latin and Greek and other languages, such as would confound the vast majority of readers today, and with his formidable powers of intellect, analyzed their veracity, by comparing one against the other, and judged keenly of their worth. Gibbon had for his time a vast encyclopedic knowledge, for by his own admission, he devoted his life to reading. Gibbon's love was not among humans, but among books. He possessed an excellent understanding of government, which is the more understandable when you discover he served as a Member of Parliament for a number of years. His grasp of military science is explained in part by his service in the militia as an officer. To all these things, we must add an innate, profound understanding of human nature.

Why bother with Gibbon? Why not read the original, the ancient and medieval writers, from whom Gibbon based his work? That is a good question that I asked myself. Here is the answer. We cannot trust the ancient writers to be truthful or accurate in every event. For one thing, they sometimes contradict each other, which means one or both are lying. Also, they leave out important details, which can be pieced together by circumstantial evidence, if you have found it by exhaustive research.

This is where Gibbon comes in. He has performed exhaustive research that consumed a large portion of his scholarly and reflective lifetime. Gibbon is no fool, and never succumbs to the usual vices of enthusiasm or its opposite, cynicism. He is calm, rational, penetrative; just the guide and the mentor you want. He never takes an ancient historian at face value without considering their motives, prejudices, passions, and even their personal histories. Gibbon has studied not just the history, but the historians, and the history of the historian's countries. Not only has Gibbon accumulated and summarized the ancient and medieval texts, but interpreted and analyzed with his considerable deductive powers, to form a whole that is greater than the parts. Thus a novice does better with Gibbon than with the original. Gibbon's copious notes explain where has made interpretations, leaving you free to form different conclusions, should you desire.

Some reviewers are peeved that Gibbon suffers an opinion that disagrees with their own, and for this reason alone, they degrade his work. I experience the same treatment by those who are alarmed that my reviews have an actual opinion instead of being a rubber stamp marked "PERFECTION". If this intolerant philosophy were carried on, then no-one should dare express an unseasonable opinion of anything at all, and we should all become a tribe of dullards. Of course Gibbon expresses many opinions, some the inevitable product of his country, class and times; and this is the mark of intellectual honesty. You should never read without a critical mind, and should be prepared to disagree with an author on some issues, as I do with Gibbon, while agreeing with him on others. I especially favor his ideas concerning the causes and effects of the rise of Christianity, many of which can be observed today.

Look to find a better history than this, in any language, written during any time since the advent of letters. Look far and wide, as long as you like... and then revisit Gibbon, and see whether you have yet found an equal.

Overrated
I enjoyed this book, but some of the praise for it ("the best history book ever written in the English language!!") is over the top. It is no coincidence that intellectuals have embraced this history of the Roman empire above all others - the author is openly skeptical of Christianity and sympathetic to barbarians.

Gibbon's writing skills are also overrated in my opinion. Using 20 words to express a point that could be expressed in 10 words is, in my book, bad writing. For example, instead of writing "XYZ is true", Gibbon will write "It would not be incorrect for an observer to note that XYZ is true". This gets exhausting after a few hundred pages. He also overuses certain words, such as 'insensibly'. ... Read more

Product Description
Few books of scholarship have held up so well to public attention over the last two hundred years. This set reprints the 3rd edition, complete with improved layout, textual revisions and additional footnotes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Magnificent
Gibbon aficionados simply cannot be without this splendid new edition of *The Decline and Fall*.I believe that this is the first critical edition, and it establishes a pure *Decline and Fall* in all of its original glory (including the original thematic index).The book's production is simply superb: beautifully bound and boxed, this set is a joy, and well worth the hefty price.It's especially worthwhile through Amazon.com, since you only pay about $30 more for the hardcover than you would for the Penguin paperback versions of this edition at a regular bookstore. ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1870Original Publisher: A. MurraySubjects: CaliphsIslamic EmpireHistory / Middle East / GeneralReligion / Islam / GeneralReligion / Islam / HistorySocial Science / Islamic StudiesNotes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free.Excerpt: 30 FLIGHT OF MAHOMET FROM MECCA TO MEDINA.The religion of the Koran might have perished in its cradle, had not Medina (a. d. 622) embraced with faith and reverence the holy outcasts of Mecca. Medina, or the city, known under the name of Yathreb, before it was sanctified by the throne of the prophet, was divided between the tribes of the Charegites and the Awsites, whose hereditary feud was rekindled by the slightest provocations : two colonies of Jews, who boasted a sacerdotal race, were their humble allies, and without converting the Arabs, they introduced the taste of science and religion, which distinguished Medina as the city of the book. Some of her noblest citizens, in a pilgrimage to the Caaba, were converted by the preaching of Mahomet; on their return they diffused the belief of God and his prophet, and the new alliance was ratified by their deputies in two secret and nocturnal interviews on a hill in the suburbs of Mecca. In the first, ten Charegites and two Awsites united in faith and love, protested in the name of their wives, their children, and their absent brethren, that they would for ever profess the creed, and observe the precepts, of the Koran. The second was a political association, the first vital spark of the empire of the SARACENS. Seventy-three men and two women of Medina held a solemn conference with Mahomet, his kinsmen, and his disciples ; and pledged themselves to each other by a mutual oa... ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Memoirs of My Life and Writings is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Edward Gibbon is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Edward Gibbon then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good clean text of the Memoirs
This is a well-produced text (unlike a $0.99 version also on offer) that looks good, and lacks all the artifacts of a bad scanning job.

These memoirs are a classic autobiography, which should interest anyone looking for the background of the historian of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

doesn't work
I've downloaded this a couple of times and all it has is the table of contents. It also seems to skip a lot of chapters (int the TOC) from volume 5. ... Read more

Product Description
This boxed set of Volumes 4-6 ("The Eastern Empire") completes the Everyman set. Volumes 1-3 ("The Western Empire") were published in 1993. Even after 200 years, Gibbon's book is still an authoritative work on Roman history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great edition, great value
I'll spare the review of the work itself; if you don't know why you should read Gibbon, then this isn't the place to start. If you're going to put forth the effort, however, then this is the edition to get. Contains all the footnotes (lacking in some expensive leather editions), is reasonably priced, and is attractively bound. The only other edition to consider would be Wormsley's, which can be expensive in hard back, if you can even find it. If you want to have an edition to read and display, this is it.

Misleading and wrong shipment
Your description does not indicate the only volumes 4-6 will be shipped.I would never had ordered it if I had known this.In addition, the package I received had three volumes but two of the volumes were the same, namely, volume 5.I received volumes 4, 5 and 5.I shall try to straighten this out with Horizon Books.

My next review will describe how this problem was handled.

Buyer Beware!
This is the definitive Gibbons edition; but the description DOES NOT tell you that this is VOLUME 4-6 and that VOLUME 1-3 MUST BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY. This WHOLE set that MUST be bought SEPARATELY is nonetheless very good and worthy of being a part of one's library! ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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This account of the Roman Empire was in its time a landmark in classical and historiographical scholarship and remains a powerful contribution to the interpretation of Roman history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Right Book, Wrong Edition
I'm only on the second book of this series, but I think I've read enough to mention a point of caution to prospective buyers. Like all classics, "The Decline and Fall" is available in an untold number of editions and I would simply advise against buying the boxed set from Everyman's Library.

I'm going to confess that I bought this particular edition because it looked academic and gave me a warm smug feeling. Just open that plain green hardcover with golden lettering and thread bookmark, and try NOT feeling superior.Unfortunately there should be some sort of warning against purchasing books based solely on their external aesthetics...

Before I dive into a rather dull tirade (see below: many paragraphs) I want to say that the edition's only truly damning shortcoming is its complete lack of translations.Gibbon, not counting on the sharp decline in Latin awareness, frequently cites original Roman sources using original Roman words and phrases.

Now while it might amuse a scholar or professor to read these excerpts in their unadulterated purity, an amateur like me is left completely in the dark. As a low estimate, I would say that I'm forced to ignore entirely about one fourth of Gibbon's footnotes - and that's not counting what I skip from laziness.


The Everyman's Library set is obviously not for your average reader, but the publisher should at least have updated itsreview of Gibbon's work.These books still use the editors notes from the 1910 edition, which add almost nothing illuminating or interesting, yet still manage to distract the reader from the narrative.

This 'modern' editor manages to correct Gibbon on some minor, rather forgettable details, but fails to offer any new perspectives that would enlarge our understanding.Very frequently in fact, he seems to snivel over some negligent point of opinion, particularly when it comes to the sanctity of early christianity.

I would not much mind these defensive commentaries, were it not such an obvious sore point with Sir Oliphant ( the editor. )Gibbon's severity is well known, and I fully expected a few words of balance to be included in any modern reading, but Smeaton's pedantic invectives are simply tiring.

To wit: "Divest this whole passage of the latent sarcasm betrayed by the subsequent tone of the whole disquisition, and it might commence a Christian history..."

Yes, the editor has surely convinced me that he knows many words.

A variety of other trifles give Oliphant the opportunity to exercise his tone of persnickety condescension. Corrections are fine, but we don't need to hear a paragraph of disquisition on why this or that term has been 'confounded' by Gibbon.

More than anything though, I'm worried about the corrections themselves being outdated.If Smeaton and Gibbon are in disagreement, I really wonder if an entire century of archeology hasn't already settled the argument more firmly. It kind of makes all those trifling notes feel that much more pointless.


Just to really complain now, I'd like to add that I can't open the book wide enough to see the middle of the maps, and I really wish there were more modern appendices - Just give us something more for the sixty dollars we spend.

So in conclusion, box set bad. Pretty; but bad.If you're going to buy a heavy read like this, take awhile to browse the additional material and make sure you're satisfied with it. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Did Christians bring down an Empire?
The book is the first book in a series written in 1776. The writing style is easy to read and the author explains his theory on how the Christians undermined the empire of Rome.
Some of his points are that unlike the Pagans who would sacrifice to all Gods and the emperor,the Christians like the Jews were staunchly monotheistic and their loyalty was to Christ alone. The Christians believed the Roman gods to be demons. This turned the Roman citizens who were Christians away from loyalty to the empire. It undermined patriotism to Rome. The Christians also abandoned logic and reason and turned to faith and superstition. This book was a new theory in its time and is very thought provoking to students of history. A must have in any thoughtful home library.

Utterly readable prose
This is a very handy book, and an excellent introduction to Edward Gibbon's intellectual skills and unique prose. Gibbon builds a plausible thesis that the growth of Christianity was partly responsible for the fall of Rome. As this is an extract from a much larger work (Decline and Fall of Rome in six volumes), it is difficult to evaluate Gibbon's thesis properly. However, the prose is beautiful, all the more because such prose is so rarely seen now. Throughout the pamphlet, Gibbon focuses totally on the role of Christianity in decline of Rome, and does not veer from the subject at any stage.

The book is quite thin, you can easily slip it in your jacket and read it between meetings or while commuting. The paperback binding is fine, considering the size of the book. The type face is clear, and the paper is non-reflective, easy to read.

I picked up this book a couple of years ago and was so fascinated by Gibbon's ideas and writing style that I bought a larger condensation of Decline and Fall of Rome. The larger edition has also not disappointed - rather I am now seriously considering getting the full six-volume set.

"The awful spectacle" of primitive Christianity.
"The primitive Christians perpetually trod on mystic ground, and their minds were exercised by the habits of believing the most extraordinary events.They felt, or they fancied, that on every side they were incessantly assaulted by daemons, comforted by visions, instructed by prophecy, and surprisingly delivered from danger, sickness, and from death itself, by the supplications of the church" (p. 40).

British parliamentarian and soldier, Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), is best known for his narrative history OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, published in 1776, the same year Thomas Paine was calling for American indepedence from the tyranny of British rule in his incendiary pamphlet, COMMON SENSE.In this excerpt from Volume I of THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, Gibbons offers "a candid but rational inquiry" into how the establishment of Christianity "insinuated" itself into Roman history through "awful" public ceremonies involving the gift of tongues, prophecy, exorcisms, miraculous cures, and raising the dead.Gibbons offers the modern reader a fascinating glimpse into a memorable age.

G. Merritt ... Read more

Product Description
Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, published between 1776 and 1788, is the undisputed masterpiece of English historical writing which can only perish with the language itself. Its length alone is a measure of its monumental quality: seventy-one chapters, of which twenty-eight appear in full in this edition. With style, learning and wit, Gibbon takes the reader through the history of Europe from the second century AD to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 - an enthralling account by 'the greatest of the historians of the Enlightenment'. This edition includes Gibbon's footnotes and quotations, here translated for the first time, together with brief explanatory comments, a precis of the chapters not included, 16 maps, a glossary, and a list of emperors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

28 Selected chapters pulled from various volumes
Great book and very thorough on what it covers, but jumps through time.I would prefer to have each volume individually and in chronological order.that's what I thought I was buying.description was unclear.

Author is Anti-Catholic
In case no one knows or wonders why they might have a sour taste from this book, its because of Gibbon's espousing very Anti-Christian twisted sentiments in this book.

Don't believe me? Go to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Pages 564-65 clearly demonstrate his hatred for Christianity.


This book is garbage...please discard and do not give to anyone you care about.

Not your everyday read, but I enjoyed it immensely
Long. Very enjoyable though, even if sometimes dry. Gibbon has a wit about him. And if you are interested in linguistics and history, the way in which he uses words is an interesting foray into the changes in the English language since the book's writing.

MISUNDERSTANDING OF BYZANTIUM
Historians agree today that this book is responsible for the modern misunderstanding of Byzantium. Think of only what the labeling "Byzantine" means today. If you want to know more about Byzantium start with one of the books on the empire by Sir Steven Runciman.

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
This is a great read. It has absolutly everything you could hope for in a book. I loved the decline and I especially loved the fall. ... Read more

Product Description
The complete 6-volume work, which covers from the reign of Marcus Aurelius to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The table of contents has links to each of the 71 chapters. On 10/26/2009 we improved the formatting of this book.If you bought a copy before, you should be able to download the new version at no extra charge.

According to Wikipedia: "Edward Gibbon (1737 - 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The History is known principally for the quality and irony of its prose..." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Good, but probably better in paper
Great reading, that I could hardly lay down. My only qualms are with the improvable quality of the Kindle edition. There are frequent typos, some sentences are repeated and words missing. What I find most annoying, though, is that in a book where the footnotes are an integral part of the text they appear so far from the citing text. Usually I had to page forward two or three pages to find the text of a footnote, and given the number of them and the non-instantaneous refresh time of the screen in the Kindle, this quickly become tedious. This book, my first long reading in the Kindle, is probably the one I would prefer to have read in paper.

Many footnotes are in Latin. Clearly, Gibbon writes for learned people and assumes they all read Latin. Even though Spanish is my native tongue, I found it difficult to decipher most of the Latin footnotes, and I wonder if a learned kind soul would produce an edition with translations for people like me.

All in all, in spite of the shortcomings I mentioned, I am satisfied.

Easy to follow information/historical caracters
This is a complex but quick review on the cast of caracters who made Rome, its history, and culture.Since I love this type of ancient history, I find this book almost like a reference.Not a novel for sure.One can quickly find the era and events.

A treasure
edited by Hans-Fredrich Mueller

I finally finished this massive treasure, which isn't even exhaustive.And I can't imagine the colossal task in both time and energy it took to write it.It took Gibbon twelve years, from 1776 to 1788.I find it more than a coincidence that he began writing in the year of our independence.Even in this abridged form (which is what you will more likely come across) it is still a huge undertaking; though Mueller, in his critical forward, tells us it is necessary for it to become readable.Mueller also says he prided himself in being meticulous and accurate while still being manageable.And very helpful is the addition of dates bracketed throughout the text.An index would have been useful.In Boorstin's introduction he cites the major impact this work had on him; he calls it intimate.I would have never thought of it in that way, but now after ingesting all six volumes I understand why he calls it intimate.Gibbon does not mince words either.His work will always be remembered and its impact can still be felt today.He is an artist, like no one I have read before.Keep a dictionary handy.I also recommend reading the forward and the introduction, especially after studying Gibbon's great work.They take into question Gibbon's devotion to Christianity and his offensiveness towards it.I see Gibbon as mixed in his beliefs, though he wrote as he saw it; and I find that he saw the truth when he found it.Did he believe infrastructure was valued over its people?

The role of emperor was not a secure job."Such was the unhappy condition of the Roman emperors that, whatever might be their conduct, their fate was commonly the same."The polytheistic Roman Empire was very much a melting pot (half slaves) and within it were many schisms.I see parallels---such as the oppressive taxes, the corrupt politicians, the tyrannical government, the effemination, and the endless warfare---to our United States, and a warning for our future.

So what caused the fall?For Gibbon, the gradual decline began after Christ, until the eventual fall some fifteen hundred years later.Chapters are built upon the reigns of the emperors as they came to power, except where he periodically inserts chapters concerning the Christian influence, the Christian persecutions, the corrupt church, the persecution of the church toward others, the Crusades, the rise of Islam, the debilitating taxes and, towards the end, he concentrates on the impact by the surrounding nations.The Empire became a black hole and split to form an East and a West---the West to totally collapse.There were many causes: the slow introduction of Christianity over Paganism and the conversion to it, the collapse of the military, the always and increasing threat of outside peoples, alienating allies and provoking enemies, the corruption within (the people), and of course the self righteous emperors.Entropy would take over and finally lead to the collapse of the infrastructure.

Rome was both a curse and a blessing for Christianity.Many were converted, but the power of Catholicism and the Pope led to the eventual corruption and apostasy of the church.We have our many deists and polytheists just as the Romans.Do you not find a familiarity to us and the Romans?

LORD bless
Scott

misidentified
this book is not noted as COMPLETELY INTERRUPTED by a catholic editor and is VERY annoying to read this way! Give me Gibbons original!

Better
The price is right, but I found the text more or less unreadable. Am now trying the $9.99 version (in sample), will see if one gets what one pays for.

The above was written before the published juploaded a new version. The type face is MUCH better (or I am in a better mood). It still looks too much
like a ms., with lots of spaces between some words (problems of a fixed width font) and footnotes placed in the text. But the new version is clearly readable.

For my taste I will go with the $9.99 version (I am going to spend quite a while with Gibbon), but this version surely now is very good value. ... Read more

Product Description
Gibbon’s masterpiece, which narrates the history of the Roman Empire from the second century a.d. to its collapse in the west in the fifth century and in the east in the fifteenth century, is widely considered the greatest work of history ever written. This abridgment retains the full scope of the original, but in a compass equivalent to a long novel. Casual readers now have access to the full sweep of Gibbon’s narrative, while instructors and students have a volume that can be read in a single term. This unique edition emphasizes elements ignored in all other abridgments—in particular the role of religion in the empire and the rise of Islam.


From the Trade Paperback edition.Amazon.com Review
British parliamentarian and soldier Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) conceived of his plan for Decline and Fall while "musing amid the ruins of the Capitol" on a visit to Rome. For the next 10 years he worked away at his great history, which traces the decadence of the late empire from the time of the Antonines and the rise of Western Christianity. "The confusion of the times, and the scarcity of authentic memorials, pose equal difficulties to the historian, who attempts to preserve a clear and unbroken thread of narration," he writes. Despite these obstacles, Decline and Fall remains a model of historical exposition, and required reading for students of European history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (79)

Gift For Larry
This was a very good experience. I bought the books - there were two in the set - and had them shipped to by brother-in-law. I live in California: he lives in Poughkeepsie, NY. Everything went smoothly and he got his books is very short order.

Great book with great analysis
In my opinion any review will not present this book properly. This is a masterpiece of history focused on the Imperial Rome and its end. You have to read it to have your own opinion about this remarkable book, written by open-minded historian. This is my favorite book. Highly recommended for open-minded people, who love history and the literature.

A treasure
edited by Hans-Fredrich Mueller

I finally finished this massive treasure, which isn't even exhaustive.And I can't imagine the colossal task in both time and energy it took to write it.It took Gibbon twelve years, from 1776 to 1788.I find it more than a coincidence that he began writing in the year of our independence.Even in this abridged form (which is what you will more likely come across) it is still a huge undertaking; though Mueller, in his critical forward, tells us it is necessary for it to become readable.Mueller also says he prided himself in being meticulous and accurate while still being manageable.And very helpful is the addition of dates bracketed throughout the text.An index would have been useful.In Boorstin's introduction he cites the major impact this work had on him; he calls it intimate.I would have never thought of it in that way, but now after ingesting all six volumes I understand why he calls it intimate.Gibbon does not mince words either.His work will always be remembered and its impact can still be felt today.He is an artist, like no one I have read before.Keep a dictionary handy.I also recommend reading the forward and the introduction, especially after studying Gibbon's great work.They take into question Gibbon's devotion to Christianity and his offensiveness towards it.I see Gibbon as mixed in his beliefs, though he wrote as he saw it; and I find that he saw the truth when he found it.Did he believe infrastructure was valued over its people?

The role of emperor was not a secure job."Such was the unhappy condition of the Roman emperors that, whatever might be their conduct, their fate was commonly the same."The polytheistic Roman Empire was very much a melting pot (half slaves) and within it were many schisms.I see parallels---such as the oppressive taxes, the corrupt politicians, the tyrannical government, the effemination, and the endless warfare---to our United States, and a warning for our future.

So what caused the fall?For Gibbon, the gradual decline began after Christ, until the eventual fall some fifteen hundred years later.Chapters are built upon the reigns of the emperors as they came to power, except where he periodically inserts chapters concerning the Christian influence, the Christian persecutions, the corrupt church, the persecution of the church toward others, the Crusades, the rise of Islam, the debilitating taxes and, towards the end, he concentrates on the impact by the surrounding nations.The Empire became a black hole and split to form an East and a West---the West to totally collapse.There were many causes: the slow introduction of Christianity over Paganism and the conversion to it, the collapse of the military, the always and increasing threat of outside peoples, alienating allies and provoking enemies, the corruption within (the people), and of course the self righteous emperors.Entropy would take over and finally lead to the collapse of the infrastructure.

Rome was both a curse and a blessing for Christianity.Many were converted, but the power of Catholicism and the Pope led to the eventual corruption and apostasy of the church.We have our many deists and polytheists just as the Romans.Do you not find a familiarity to us and the Romans?
LORD bless
Scott

My Set Contains 3 Volumes
My set which I own contain 3 volumes also.The thing is though I compared how many pages this 3 volume set that's being offered here has (500+) and my volumes are well over 1000-1400 pages.So what I'm trying to say is there are complete 3 volume sets, just make sure you check how many pages per volume are offered.

A Classic That Is Worth the Time and Effort
At long last I have tackled one of the great achievements of the English language, and I am glad that I dedicated the time and effort to do so. I have no regrets about investing in the unabridged version, anymore than I would want to watch a two-hour TV program that hacks and condenses and combines the first two Godfather movies into a bowdlerized shell of its former self. Some works must be enjoyed in their entirety, as they were originally created, and this is one of them. Not that I should be comparing one of the crowning achievements of Western culture to a few hours of celluloid produced in Hollywood - that's like comparing Mozart to say, the Beatles - but it was just to make a point. Read the unabridged version, or don't read it all.(And BTW, no knock on the Beatles, who were great, but comparing them to Mozart? I don't think so...)

I suppose the first thing I should point out to potential buyers is to make sure that you buy the complete set of books. Gibbon's magnum opus has been published in so many different ways - I've seen the unabridged version in anywhere from three to seven volumes - that you need to be careful. This version has all of Gibbon's footnotes, which serve two purposes. First - you can get additional insight (and sometimes witty/snarky asides) to the narrative, and second - you get to see just how authoritative and reputable a source Gibbon is - he completely and fully researched all available writings and histories - ancient, medieval, and contemporary - in preparing his text. This work is one of the gold standard sources for historical information - if Gibbon reports an incident or fact in this work - you can bet good money that it is probably true.

The language is majestic, the style fluid and articulate.I think you need to have some prior knowledge of Roman and medieval history before delving into this modest little tome, and it is useful to have another good history book handy to check dates, as Gibbon is not good about telling you what year or years he is discussing as he proceeds through chapters that, at times, span centuries. Perhaps, in his day, people were more educated, and it was okay for him to assume that his reader would know what time frame he was talking about when he mentioned an obscure Greek Emperor. For my part, I kept copies of Volumes III and IV of Will Durant's "Story of Civilization" handy as I worked my way through the different volumes (over the course of nearly a year), and that helped me better grasp the material. I think what sets this book apart is the obvious wisdom and intelligence that is communicated "between the lines" and which shines through virtually every page. Gibbon seems to patiently explain why the events he describes were still relevant in his day, when the British Empire was approaching its zenith; and that of course is why the book remains relevant today - as the American "Empire" perhaps begins its inevitable decline, like all great powers must do, sooner or later.

The best way I can summarize how impressed I was with this work is to say that I may well have to read it again someday before I die - this book is that extraordinary, and that worth the time invested. Read and ponder this book, and you will begin to understand history like never before.
... Read more

Product Description
Edward Gibbon's six-volume History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-88) is among the most magnificent and ambitious narratives in European literature. Its subject is the fate of one of the world's greatest civilizations over thirteen centuries - its rulers, wars and society, and the events that led to its disastrous collapse. Here, in volumes three and four, Gibbon vividly recounts the waves of barbarian invaders under commanders such as Alaric and Attila, who overran and eventually destroyed the West. He then turns his gaze to events in the East, where even the achievements of the Byzantine emperor Justinian and the campaigns of the brilliant military leader Belisarius could not conceal the fundamental weaknesses of their empire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It is good as far as I have read.
The book is huge and It will take me a long time to finish.But I think it will be worth it.This is my review for all two books.
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire VolsOne and two.They are very well written and interesting despite the fact that they were written many, many years ago.

The classic history of Western civilization
Gibbon's work is simply the best history of any period ever written in theEnglish language.His prose is fluid and musical, his research into theauthentic source materials exhaustive and complete, and his mastery of theelements of structure and pace make his exposition eminently lucid.Inshort, his history combines all the elements required of historical prose:it is precise, accurate, and readable.And in addition to all this, Gibbonhas given us a history of one of the most important, but least wellunderstood periods of transition in Western civilization: bridging the gapfrom the end of classical antiquity to the beginning of the Renaissance.Ihighly recommend this masterpiece to anyone interested in the history ofEurope.Whether you are an expert or a novice you will find this work bothgreatly entertaining and informative.A must have in any serious library! ... Read more

Product Description
Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire compresses thirteen turbulent centuries into an epic narrative shot through with insight, irony and incisive character analysis. Sceptical about Christianity, sympathetic to the barbarian invaders and the Byzantine Empire, constantly aware of how political leaders often achieve the exact opposite of what they intend, Gibbon was both alert to the broad pattern of events and significant revealing details. ... Read more