ALEXANDER

The making of a legend.

Alexander the Great, the almost-mythic subject of this biography by English classicist Richardson, springs alive from the page: the dizzying quests, conquests, and larger-than-life incidents of the ancient Macedonian ruler’s life unfurl in cinematic color. Inventive but scrupulously scholarly, Richardson extrapolates from the historical record to imagine Alexander’s mental state, adding details that will resonate with readers. This contributes to a dazzling, fully realized, and insightful portrait of his subject: complex, contradictory, cruel, and charismatic. After deftly setting the stage, Richardson plunges readers into the world-changing Battle of Issus, describing the terrifying phalanx and Alexander’s invaluable cavalry: the Companions. Though many readers know the outcome, the author makes the scene suspenseful, amplifying the drama of this and other brutal battles. He writes of Alexander: “His journey would…unleash violence on a scale never before seen: almost 1 per cent of the world’s population would die as a direct result of his campaign.” Richardson uses the few recorded mentions of women, like Barsine, Ada, and Roxane, to widen the story’s scope and increase its human interest. Pages fly by in riveting anecdotes, brief evocative descriptions of places, and striking feats of engineering and logistics; historical mysteries, exciting discoveries, archaeological photos, and new research technology enthrall. The author’s masterly prose enhances the legend of this “god, king, man,” even as it takes a tragic turn: Alexander appears to become paranoid, his judgment falters, and his neglect of administration undoes his conquests. His end is poignant, and the succession struggles that followed occupy the epilogue, but the last word is encouraging, as—long after he is gone—knowledge flows along the paths Alexander took. The breadth of Richardson’s learning is perfectly suited to his subject’s norm-shattering achievements.

Brilliant erudition meets dynamic storytelling.