Book Review: H.D.F Kitto's Book the Greeks

The Greeks, by H.D.F. Kitto (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England. Penguin Books, 1951) 256 Pages
Reviewed by Samantha Mancuso

This book, all though originally written five decades ago, deserves to be reviewed and praised. It may be an older book but the information it delivers and the in the manor it is delivered in is exceptional. The author's theories and knowledge on the subject is still recognized in the academic community and accepted for its accuracy on Greek civilization. H.D.F Kitto's book, The Greeks, delivers an entertaining and thorough introduction into Classical Greek History. This book is an excellent and necessary tool for anyone involved with Greek history. The organization of The Greeks creates a steady flow that allows the reader to glide through the beginning of Greek history and stop short of Alexander the Great. The book is centered on Greek life and its evolution, the foundation of Greek life being the polis. The book essentially begins with the creation of the polis and ends with its destruction.

The author, H.D.F. Kitto, is a proven British historian specializing in Greek and Classical history. He was an established author whose publications include Greek Tragedy, Form and meaning in Drama, Sophocles: Dramatist and Philosopher, and various translations of Greek poetry. He has taught at numerous prestigious colleges including the University of Glasgow and the University of Bristol. His teaching ability is strongly revealed in his writing, as if he is lecturing his students through his writing.

Kitto's thesis is clearly stated and supported throughout the book. He sets out to show the reader that Greeks stand out in time and how they accomplished a perfectly balanced culture that was unlike any other of its time. He goes on to explain that this is also what the Greeks believed, that they "found out the best way to live.[1] His work explains Greeks distinguished themselves apart and believed to be superior to others. He clearly restates his thesis and provides vivid and clear examples to support it perfectly.

The book is divided up into 12 chapters. He begins by illuminating Greeks defined what it meant to be Greek by their legends. A huge emphasis is placed on the idea as he dedicated a whole chapter to Homer. Kitto claims Homer was "the basis of Greek education, both of formal education and the cultural life of the ordinary citizen."[2] He describes Homer's stories as the Bible of the Greeks. In this chapter Kitto hints at what made Greek life perfectly balanced, a balance between Greek legends and the polis. After elucidating how the Greeks defined themselves he turned to what made Greek identity possible, the polis. Chapter five, The Polis, is an extremely important chapter; it sets up the rest of the book. The information provided in this chapter is vital to fully understanding the rest of the book and Greek life. Chapter four (Homer) and Chapter five work together as a base for the book, both defining what it means to be Greek and how the Greeks formed a balanced culture. He asserts the Greek superiority to the Romans.

The next chapter was rather ingenious of Kitto; he broke down the chapter into three sections: Ionia, Sparta, and Athens. Each section gives the background to its respective city-state. Those three sections are what each chapter thereafter is broken down into. The construction of the book allows for easy reading during a complicated and confusing subject. He concludes the book with the decline of the polis that he attributes to war and rivalries. He reveals how a change in art and thought destroyed Classical Greek culture; ironic considering that is what was prized most among the Greeks.

The Greeks had many strengths and noticeable weaknesses. The book is well written and constructed for easy reading, perfectly designed for an introductory class into Ancient Greece. It is also full of examples to help the reader wholly understand the material. The examples provided do not only help in understanding the material, but they aid in teaching the material. It is obvious the book is written by a professor because it does not introduce facts with the expectation that the reader will understand; it explains the facts in an educating manor. Kitto asks the readers questions, another example of how he teaches and does not solely dictate the material. The questions asked help stimulate independent thought among the readers and forces one to formulate their own opinion based on the facts provided. Kitto keeps his readers' attention with sporadic jokes where the material may be a bit dull. This is a technique typically used by entertainment writers, but effective nonetheless. For example, "It is no surprise to find Plato, in the fourth century, rejecting the Ionian modes in music and rhythm as voluptuous and enervating-though we must remember that Plato rejected much that is good."[3] The book is not solely meant for people or students interested in Greek history, but the book also speaks to the historian. Quite a few times Kitto speaks directly to historians about what their function is supposed to be. The literary work has a universal audience meant for scholars, students, and the average day history enthusiasts.

Cons of the book are few but clear. One large con is there is no bibliographic page that can be used by students or historians for cross-referencing. It is an extremely good book but one is left to wonder where all the information came from. A huge negative is that he references certain oddities of British culture that are lost on an audience not familiar with England. As with most academic books, there are spots that drag and become dull, but one spot in particular. Chapter two is exceeding dry and at times confusing.

Charming, educational and exciting, the book places an emphasis on classical life that has been lost since the Medieval Age. The book brings spectacular light on the culture as it educates and excites the reader. Vivid stories used to bring Greek history alive. The Greeks is a collection of noteworthy events meant to explain overall Greek history; the ripple effect theory. It is obvious that Kitto loves Classical life and though it is shown in his writing he does not get lost in his opinion. He stays on topic and does not stray away from his thesis or his goal to educate and not dictate. By and large, this book is an excellent over view and introduction into Classical Greek Life.

[1] H.D.F Kitto, "The Greeks", (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England. Penguin Books, 1951), pg 11.

[2] H.D.F Kitto, "The Greeks", (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England. Penguin Books, 1951), pg 44.

[3] H.D.F Kitto, "The Greeks", (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England. Penguin Books, 1951), pg 86.