Journal Entry 1 by nikel27 from Ginsheim-Gustavsburg, Hessen Germany on Friday, March 19, 2010

Amazon Editorial Review:
In the story of the great lyric poet Simonides, Mary Renault brings alive a time in Greece when tyrants kept an unsteady rule and poetry, music, and royal patronage combined to produce a flowering of the arts.

Born into a stern farming family on the island of Keos, Simonides escapes his harsh childhood through a lucky apprenticeship with a renowned Ionian singer. As they travel through 5th century B.C. Greece, Simonides learns not only how to play the kithara and compose poetry, but also how to navigate the shifting alliances surrounding his rich patrons. He is witness to the Persian invasion of Ionia, to the decadent reign of the Samian pirate king Polykrates, and to the fall of the Pisistratids in the Athenian court. Along the way, he encounters artists, statesmen, athletes, thinkers, and lovers, including the likes of Pythagoras and Aischylos. Using the singer's unique perspective, Renault combines her vibrant imagination and her formidable knowledge of history to establish a sweeping, resilient vision of a golden century.
 

Journal Entry 2 by nikel27 at BookObsessed Exchange, Ginsheim -- Controlled Releases on Monday, March 29, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/30/2010 UTC) at BookObsessed Exchange, Ginsheim -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent out via BookObsessed May Exchange 2010, enjoy the book & chocolate 

Journal Entry 3 by butterfly-noir from Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Saturday, May 22, 2010

thank you so much nikel