THE PRAISE SINGER — a novel by MARY RENAULT

Description: THE PRAISE SINGERa novelby MARY RENAULTPantheon Books (1978) Condition: fair to good jacket with shelf wear; book is apparently a review copy but it was also a library copy (with “date due” sheet attached to back flyleaf), and it appears to be a second printing (number line ends in 2). See the photographs. In her latest novel of ancient Greece, Mary Renault turns to the world of the poet—the bard who since the time of Homer had sung his verses from memory for the occasions of the court. This is the life of Simonides, who lived in sixth-century Greece during the time of the tyrants, the Persian wars, and a great flowering of the arts. With her usual brilliance, Mary Renault builds on the little source material available and transforms it into a marvelously rich and full re-creation of the world of ancient art.Mary Renault has again worked her magic to re-create a landscape of ancient history filled with the living substance of passions, politics, and poetry. Commentaries on line: I wanted to go there and walk the same soil an visit the same places as the characters. I liked this book quite a lot. It was a lovely tale of how the world has always judged others by their looks and not their deeds or talents. It presents itself as a harmless historical novel, and examines human nature minutely, unsparingly, and with what can only be called a jaundiced eye. Renault was clearly irritated at the follies of mankind. If you want to visit ancient Greece, Mary Renault is the perfect tour guide. She can take known facts, make logical conclusions based on them, and weave both into a magic carpet that transports you to a living era, not a long lost one. I liked reading a story set in Ancient times that was not focused on a battle or a warrior. Learning about the time and people through the perceptions of a traveling singer gave the story a different spin than I am used to. It was well written and enjoyable. Poetic and insightful, and as beautiful as any of Mary Renault's masterpieces. Going through the life of the lyric poet Simonides of Ceos, the novel describes the most important historical events of the period from his point of view. Culminating in the murder of Athenian tyrant Hipparchos in the year 514 B.C., it also gives us an account of a tragic story of Harmodios & Aristogeiton. MH______________ WOW! I wrote a book!!! ----- Want to take a look??? ----- Just go to my ebay store category... A: Cthulhu's Cousins. CLICK HERE______________(I'll always combine shipping costs and refund any excess shipping charges for multiple-copy orders.)For all "buy it now" items, please use ADD TO CART if you plan to order more than one item at the same time.

Price: 4 USD

Location: Buffalo, New York

End Time: 2025-02-09T19:25:50.000Z

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