Review by Booklist Review
The author's assertion that Pompeii can justifiably be described as the most famous archaeological site in the world is followed by the perhaps startling fact that Pompeii, at the time of its burial beneath volcanic debris, was just a provincial Roman town with no specialness attached to it whatsoever. Berry is a Pompeii specialist, and her book is an excellent overview of the town that Mt. Vesuvius laid to waste in 79 CE. The book unfolds in two stages. First, Berry discusses the history of the excavation of Pompeii in the centuries following its burial beneath volcanic ash (excavation often at the vicissitudes of regional politics, including wars, from the Napoleonic ones to World War II). Then she re-creates the life as led in ancient Pompeii, using what has been learned in the course of excavation, including women's lives, slaves' plights, types of civic entertainment, religious practices, domestic and public architecture, and overall economic conditions within the community. A welcome addition to ancient-history collections.--Hooper, Brad Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, the volcanic material that buried the provincial Roman town of Pompeii also preserved it for posterity and rendered it one of the most famous archeological sites in the world, where the modern discipline of archeology began more than 250 years ago. Berry (Unpeeling Pompeii), an archeology instructor at Swansea University, Wales, masterfully gathers primary sources, discusses the various excavations of Pompeii and the neighboring ancient holiday resort Herculaneum. Berry vivifies Pompeii's bustling everyday life, particularly its architecture, religion, economy, women's roles, and arts and cultural scene. Pliny the Younger's detailed eyewitness account of Vesuvius's destruction, reprinted here, retains its freshness and urgency The majority of Pompeii's denizens were at least semiliterate, and graffiti both vulgar and banal grace the forum, while election propaganda and advertisements for gladiator games plaster houses, shops and tombs. The most famous Pompeiian woman was the priestess Eumachia, who built the forum's largest public building with her own funds, while ostentatious private houses became personal status symbols among the elite of the prosperous empire. Highly readable and lavishly illustrated with more than 300 photos and maps, 275 in color, this authoritative, comprehensive resource is a boon for archeology buffs. (Nov. 27) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Berry (ancient history/archaeology, Swansea Univ.; Unpeeling Pompeii) presents an encyclopedic look at one of the most famous natural disasters in human history. Worthy of the title, this book introduces the reader to the many facets of Pompeii's history. Much like the remains of Pompeii itself, this book is a well-organized snapshot of a bygone era. It covers the origins and evolution of the city, the daily life of its residents, the geography of the region, and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, as well as a history of the excavation of the site. Easy to read and with full color pictures of the excavation, along with maps, time lines, diagrams, and vivid art reproductions, this book gives a broad and comprehensive introduction to the Pompeian world. Compared with similar books, such as Colin Amery and Brian Curran's The Lost World of Pompeii, Berry's offers both a wider scope and a more thorough look at the subject. With an extensive bibliography and footnotes. Recommended for public and undergraduate libraries; high school libraries should be advised that there is a section on eroticism that contains visually and verbally explicit sexual material.-Elizabeth White, Univ. of Georgia, Athens (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
