The One with The Father of Us All

192. Title & Author: The Father of Us All: War and History, Ancient and Modern by Victor Davis Hanson (246 pages)

Genre: Nonfiction—History, Military History, & Current Events

Completed: 14 August 2011

Summary & Review:

In recent decades, the superficial face of war has changed drastically. New technologies allow the United States to strike at enemies with remotely controlled drones, smart bombs, and satellite guided ordinance. Classicist and war historian Victor Davis Hanson makes the case that despite the rapid changing of technologies, the basic principles as to why nations fight wars and how wars are won have remained constant throughout the history of Western Civilization, reaching back to the days of Ancient Greece. Through a series of essays, book reviews, and commentaries, Hanson examines ancient and modern warfare and the way in which public perception of war and its interaction with it have changed over the millennia.

Whenever I read VDH, I realize how little I actually learned in school about the foundations of Western Civilization. I never read a Greek tragedy until college; I only read two works of Shakespeare in high school. If it wasn’t for studying art history and my own personal reading, I would know even less about our Western heritage and that kind of makes me wonder what they made us do for twelve years in public school.

In regard to the book, it was excellent, especially the essays focused on Classical Greece and Rome. Hanson made convincing arguments as to the essentially unchanging nature and presence of war and the constantly evolving public attitude and interaction (or lack thereof) with war. The better we understand the past, and the more we know about it, the better we are able to cope with modern events.

Thank you to my wonderful wife who gave me this book as a Christmas 2010 present!

Rating: 8.0