NONFICTION

The Roman Search for Wisdom

by Michael K. Kellogg
Prometheus. 2014. 335p. notes. ISBN 9781616149253. $28.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616149260. HIST
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A common misconception is that Roman literature is at best an imitation of that of the Greeks; Kellogg (Three Questions We Never Stop Asking; The Greek Search for Wisdom) effectively dispels that theory. He discusses ten Roman authors: Plautus, Lucretius, Cicero, Horace, Ovid, Virgil, Seneca, Plutarch, Tacitus, and Marcus Aurelius, placing each within the context of his time and analyzing his work. The ideas that are drawn from Greek thought are clearly identified, but deviations are also apparent. Further, the detailed analyses of Roman works prove how influential these authors have been throughout human history.
VERDICT Kellogg's readable evaluation of each author will be intriguing to students as well as to a general audience, particularly readers interested in literature, history, or philosophy.
Reviewed by Keri Youngstrand, Dickinson State Univ. Lib., ND , Jun 27, 2014
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