The classical civilizations of Greece and Rome dominated the world for centuries and continue to intrigue and enlighten us with their inventions, whether philosophy, politics, theatre, athletics, celebrity, science or the pleasures of horse racing. Robin Lane Fox's spellbinding history spans almost a thousand years of change, from the foundation of the world's first democracy in Athens to the Roman Republic and the Empire under Hadrian. Bringing great figures such as Homer, Socrates, Alexander, Julius Caesar, Augustus and the first Christian martyrs to life, exploring freedom, justice and luxury, this wonderfully exciting tour brings the turbulent histories of Greece and Rome together in a masterly study.

<p><b>From the second century AD to the conversion of the first Christian emperor, Constantine, Robin Lane Fox's <i>Pagans and Christians in the Mediterranean World </i>gives a fascinating new perspective on an extraordinary era.</b></p><p> The transition from pagan to Christian in the ancient Mediterranean world was a process whose effects we still live with today. How did this monumental conversion come about? How did Christianity compare and compete with the pagan gods in the Roman Empire? This scholarly work, from award-winning historian Robin Lane Fox, places Christians and pagans side by side in the context of civic life and contrasts their religious experiences, visions, cults and oracles. </p><p> Leading up to the time of the first Christian emperor, Constantine, the book aims to enlarge and confirm the value of contemporary evidence, some of which has only recently been discovered.</p><p> 'This brilliant book is a wholly unexpected and central contribution to its subject. What is more it is readable and rereadable, even gripping' <br> Peter Levi, <i>Spectator</i></p><p> 'Important and learned'<br><i>Financial Times</i></p><p> 'A massive and humane study...On my shelf it will rest with pride between Edward Gibbon and Peter Brown' <br><i>Telegraph</i></p><p> 'On the one hand a magisterial analysis and reconstruction of an apparently remote and alien society, on the other a detailed study of the single most significant process in our history'<br><i>The Times</i></p><p><b>Robin Lane Fox </b>(b. 1946) is a Fellow of New College, Oxford, and a University Reader in Ancient History. His other books include <i>The Classical World</i>, Alexander<i> the Great</i>, <i>Pagans and Christians </i>and <i>The Unauthorized Version</i>. He was historical advisor to Oliver Stone on the making of Stone's film <i>Alexander</i>, for which he waived all his fees on condition that he could take part in the cavalry charge against elephants which Stone staged in the Moroccan desert.</p>

A major new interpretation of how one of the great figures of Christian history came to write the greatest of all autobiographiesAugustine is the person from the ancient world about whom we know most. He is the author of an intimate masterpiece, the Confessions, which continues to delight its many admirers. In it he writes about his infancy and his schooling in the classics in late Roman North Africa, his remarkable mother, his sexual sins ('Give me chastity, but not yet,' he famously prayed), his time in an outlawed heretical sect, his worldly career and friendships and his gradual return to God. His account of his own eventual conversion is a classic study of anguish, hesitation and what he believes to be God's intervention. It has inspired philosophers, Christian thinkers and monastic followers, but it still leaves readers wondering why exactly Augustine chose to compose a work like none before it.Robin Lane Fox follows Augustine on a brilliantly described journey, combining the latest scholarship with recently found letters and sermons by Augustine himself to give a portrait of his subject which is subtly different from older biographies. Augustine's heretical years as a Manichaean, his relation to non-Christian philosophy, his mystical aspirations and the nature of his conversion are among the aspects of his life which stand out in a sharper light. For the first time Lane Fox compares him with two contemporaries, an older pagan and a younger Christian, each of whom also wrote about themselves and who illumine Augustine's life and writings by their different choices.More than a decade passed between Augustine's conversion and his beginning the Confessions. Lane Fox argues that the Confessions and their thinking were the results of a long gestation over these years, not a sudden change of perspective, but that they were then written as a single swift composition and that its final books are a coherent consummation of its scriptural meditation and personal biography. This exceptional study reminds us why we are so excited and so moved by Augustine's story.

An award-winning historian of antiquity, Robin Lane Fox is also one of Britain's foremost gardening experts, and in Thoughtful Gardening he takes readers on a varied and highly enjoyable journey through each season of the gardening year. From a tender eulogy for one of his landscape design mentors to a candid consideration of global warming's effects on his lupins or the perfect shrub to grow in shade along a path, Fox brings his trademark wit, wisdom, and charm to bear on the art and experience of gardening. Essential reading for anyone planting a new garden or taking stock of one after several years, this collection offers valuable critiques of horticultural trends and traditions, and essential insights into gardening practices and philosophies. Taken together these essays form--season by season--a rich reflection on the lessons, challenges, and absurdities of life with a green thumb.

Undertittel: Truth and fiction in the Bible

From award-winning historian Robin Lane Fox, Alexander the Great searches through the mass of conflicting evidence and legend to focus on Alexander as a man of his own time. Tough, resolute, fearless, Alexander was a born warrior and ruler of passionate ambition who understood the intense adventure of conquest and of the unknown. When he died in 323 BC aged thirty-two, his vast empire comprised more than two million square miles, spanning from Greece to India. His achievements were unparalleled - he had excelled as leader to his men, founded eighteen new cities and stamped the face of Greek culture on the ancient East. The myth he created is as potent today as it was in the ancient world. Combining historical scholarship and acute psychological insight, Alexander the Great brings this colossal figure vividly to life. 'So enjoyable and well-written ...Fox's book became my main guide through Alexander's amazing story' Oliver Stone, director of Alexander 'I do not know which to admire most, his vast erudition or his imaginative grasp of so remote and complicated a period and such a complex personality' Cyril Connolly, Sunday Times 'An achievement of Alexandrian proportions' New Statesman Robin Lane Fox was the main historical advisor to Oliver Stone on his film Alexander, and took part in many of its most dramatic re-enactments.His books include The Classical World: An Epic History of Greece and Rome, The Unauthorised Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible, Travelling Heroes: Greeks and their Myths in the Epic Age of Homer and Pagans and Christians in the Mediterranean World from the Second Century AD to the Conversion of Constantine.

'Beautifully illustrated, packed with fascinating insights' Robin Lane Fox in the Financial Times A new handbook-sized edition of Japanese Zen Gardens. Japan's iconic zen gardens are revealed in Alex Ramsay's specially commissioned photographs and their history and meaning is explored in Yoko Kawaguchi's learned text. The austere, enigmatic rock gardens of Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital, have never ceased to fascinate garden lovers. Weather---beaten rocks set in an expanse of white sand raked into geometric patterns challenge the idea of a garden as a space chiefly dedicated to the cultivation and appreciation of plants. How did the taste for this kind of garden arise? What do the stones represent? Why aren't there more flowers?This book sets out to answer questions such as these. It explores the Zen characteristics of these gardens, and discusses the impact Zen Buddhism has had on the Japanese way of looking at the natural world. This book also shows how key traditional concepts, such as that of using the confined space of a garden to create a landscape in miniature, were reinterpreted in Zen temple gardens.It explores how they make use of traditional imagery, such as those of mountain and sea, and how they reflect that acute sensitivity to the passage of time and the changing of the seasons which characterizes so many other Japanese garden styles. Yoko Kawaguchi's thoughtful and learned book illustrated with commissioned photography by Alex Ramsay, this book covers important examples of Japanese Zen temple gardens from the fourteenth century through to the twentieth century. It appeals to readers who are interested in gardens, garden design and garden history, as well as in Zen Buddhism and Zen aesthetics. It also serves as a useful reference book for travellers planning a trip to Japan to visit the country's temples.

Trees are part of the British psyche. We care if just one tree is cut down unnecessarily. So what happens when 15 million are blown down in one night? Part travelogue, part memoir, part celebration of nature's ability to heal itself, Windblown is as rich in character and story-telling as the rings of an ancient oak.'Windblown is a marvellously original mixture of reportage and memoir, holding a memorable event in recent history up to the light and making sense of it' Bel Mooney'A wonderful read' Michael Fish'Vivid ... thoroughly researched and informative' TLS'This eloquently written account shows that the Great Storm was a wake-up call, providing a wealth of information that helps us manage our treescape today.' Tony Kirkham, Head of the Kew Gardens Arboretum

Tacitus was the greatest historian of the Roman empire. Born in about AD 55, he served as administrator and leading senator. This career gave him an intimate view of the empire at its highest levels, experience brought to bear on his writing. His major works are the "Annals" and the "Histories", both of which have come down to us incomplete. Between them, they cover a period of about 80 years, from the death of the first emperor, Augustus, to the death of Domitian in 96AD. In addition, Tacitus also composed two short historical books or essays, the "Agricola" (about his father-in-law, a distinguished provincial governor) and the "Germania", an account of the tribes beyond the Rhine. Tacitus is a brilliant narrator and master stylist who had ample material for his story in the dramatic, violent and often bloody events of the first century. His portraits - especially those of Tiberius, Nero, and Nero's immediate circle - are unforgettable, his scene-setting masterly, his psychological analysis as acute as any novelist. He is also a fierce critic of the decadence and corruption which marked struggles for the imperial succession.As Robin Lane Fox writes in his brilliant introduction, 'Above all Tacitus was supremely wary of the distortions and 'spin' of official announcements. He had no illusions about the capacities of presidential, one-man rule.' Napoleon disliked him, not surprisingly. Everyman reprints the classic translation by A.J. Church and W.J. Brodribb, with extensive notes considerably revised and updated by Dr Eleanor Cowan.

'I am in awe of what Sarah Wain & Jim Buckland have achieved at West Dean and this superb book is a testament to inspired, uncompromising horticulture at its very best.' Monty DonAt West Dean is the story of how Sarah Wain and Jim Buckland brought back to life a neglected garden in Sussex and is a celebration of the gardening excellence they have established there. Super-tidy sheds, meticulously cared for glasshouses, a biomass boiler and steaming compost heaps are the engine that drive the garden forward but these would be nothing without the artistic vision and thoughtful philosophy that Sarah Wain and Jim Buckland bring to this exemplary garden, which attracts thousands of visitors each year. While West Dean's expansive site is the starting point, At West Dean highlights the unique combination of persistence, skill and artistry that make for a successful garden in any set of circumstances. Richly illustrated with specially commissioned photographs by award-winning garden photographer Andrea Jones. The glories of the garden through the seasons are shown to their full extent, alongside shots of gardeners at work - pruning and tying in climbers, mowing, raking, labelling, washing pots, stacking canes. The results of their labours enhance the book - carefully pruned trees, exquisite lawns, wildflower meadows, renovated flintwork, beautiful vegetables and freshly topiarized shrubs. The gardens at West Dean are defined by horticultural rigour and contemporary efficiencies set against a Victorian backdrop. They are also part of the Edward James Foundation along with West Dean College, which is widely respected for its Arts and Crafts education (Edward James was a passionate early supporter of surrealism and was the original recipient of Salvador Dali's famous lobster telephone).At West Dean sets a sublime standard to aspire to and is a joyful reminder of the infinite rewards to be gained from a hard day's work in the garden.Praise for West Dean: 'One of Britain's most exemplary centres of practical horticulture.' Robin Lane-Fox, Financial Times 'The kitchen garden has to be one of the most perfect examples of its kind.' Noel Kingsbury, The Telegraph 'Jim and Sarah have given much of their lives to the gardens at West Dean. Over the many years that I have visited the garden I am always amazed at the high level of horticulture that is displayed in the grounds, and under glass. Over 25 years this incredible pair have gardened to a level that is admirable, and inspirational.' Christine Walkden, horticulturist, broadcaster and writer.

In the past 35 years our archaeological and epigraphic evidence for the history and culture of ancient Macedon has been transformed. This book brings together the leading Greek archaeologists and historians of the area in a major collaborative survey of the finds and their interpretation, many of them unpublished outside Greece. The recent, immensely significant excavations of the palace of King Philip II are published here for the first time. Major new chapters on the Macedonians' Greek language, civic life, fourth and third century BC kings and court accompany specialist surveys of the region's art and coinage and the royal palace centres of Pella and Vergina, presented here with much new evidence. This book is the essential companion to Macedon, packed with new information and bibliography which no student of the Greek world can now afford to neglect.

Ten year-old Seymour is bored and lonely and on the run from a gang of kids when he opens a back lane gate. And there is Angie. She is much older (twenty), confident, cool and alluring, and Seymour is captivated. Angie's friendship gives Seymour new confidence. But she has a dark side--a secret that threatens to destroy her.

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes the final book in the Blue Ridge Romance series."I have never read a romance by Denise Hunter that didn't sweep me away into a happily ever after. Treat yourself!" -Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of Who I Am with YouFalling in love with Daisy was easy for Jack. But finding the courage to tell her becomes problematic when his secret feelings lead to even bigger complications.After two years of counseling sessions with Daisy Pendleton, Pastor Jack McReady has earned a permanent spot in her life as a spiritual leader-and nothing more. Jack would never risk losing her trust by exposing the depths of his heart, but he's hopelessly in love with her.Daisy loves her southern small-town life and her job at her family-run flower shop, but she doesn't have the thing she longs for most: someone to share it with. Her recent foray into online dating has been a disaster-until she meets TJ.Jack could kill his friend Noah for using his initials and some indistinct photos to set up a profile on the dating app Daisy is using. But when he's finally afforded the opportunity to show her a different side of himself, he's sucked into the plan before he has time for second thoughts.Online, Daisy shares some of her greatest fears with TJ, but in person, Jack and Daisy are spending more time together. When a devastating family secret surfaces, Daisy knows that only her trusted friend and counselor can bring her comfort. Jack wants nothing more than to be both men for Daisy, but revealing his secret will prove to be the ultimate test of Daisy's grace."Move over You've Got Mail because in Denise Hunter's On Magnolia Lane you've got an e-romance with enough RAM (romance and magic) not only to sputter your software, but to tug at your heart while touching your soul. Easily one of the top romance writers in the CBA, Hunter is a master at inspirational love stories that linger in one's memory-and hard drive-long after the last page." -Julie Lessman, award-winning author

Superboy and Robin, the sons of Superman and Batman, take center stage as a reluctant super-team in an all-new series bursting out of the DC Universe Rebirth event! When Robin (Damian Wayne) discovers a connection between a series of mysterious crimes and the aftermath of the bizarre and deadly Amazo Virus, he needs Superboy (Jonathan Kent) to aid in the investigation. But when the duo learn that the teenage Kid Amazo has plans that put the entire Justice League in danger, they need help from an unlikely source: Lex Luthor! Even if the odd couple of young heroes survive Luthor's assistance, they'll have to face a possibly greater threat: the combined forces of Robin's tutor, Alfred Pennyworth, and Superboy's mother, Lois Lane! Acclaimed writer Peter J. Tomasi (SUPERMAN) and superstar artist Jorge Jimenez (EARTH 2: SOCIETY) launch an explosive new generation of adventure in SUPER SONS VOL. 1, collecting issues #1-5 of the popular series.

Superman and Batman first teamed up in these stories from comics' 1950sSilver Age, reprinted here for the first time in one massive softcover. In thesetales, which feature frequent guest stars Robin, Lois Lane, Commissioner Gordon,and Perry White, the two heroes battle crime in the past, present, and future,including each other's greatest foes: Lex Luthor and The Joker! Collects storiesfrom Superman #76 and World's Finest Comics #71-94.

Superman and Batman first teamed up in these stories from comics' GoldenAge, reprinted here for the first time in one massive hardcover. In these tales,which feature frequent guest stars Robin, Lois Lane, Commissioner Gordon andPerry White, the two heroes battle crime in the past, present and future,including each other's greatest foes: Lex Luthor and The Joker! Collectsstories from New York World's Fair Comics #1-2 and World's Finest Comics#71-96.

Following the events of Black Dawn, Superman is thrust into the antimatter universe of Qward where his only hope is Sinestro, the former greatest of the Green Lanterns. Meanwhile, Lois Lane profiles Deathstroke the Terminator for the Daily Planet, and it could cost her life! This leads Deathstroke to Metropolis, and he forces Superman to make an impossible choice--let the love of his life die or become a killer himself. The stellar creative team of Peter J. Tomasi (Nightwing, Green Lantern) and Patrick Gleason (Green Lantern Corps, Batman and Robin) unite in this volume that asks the question: What scares Superman? Collects Superman #27-36 and #39-41.