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Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great
A riveting biography of Alexander the Great’s final years, when the leader’s insatiable desire to conquer the world set him off on an exhilarating, harrowing journey that would define his legacy.
By 330 B.C.E., Alexander the Great had reached the pinnacle of success. Or so it seemed. He had defeated the Persian ruler Darius III and seized the capital city of Persepolis. His exhausted and traumatized soldiers were ready to return home to Macedonia. Yet Alexander had other plans. He was determined to continue heading east to Afghanistan in search of his ultimate goal: to reach the end of the world.
Alexander’s unrelenting desire to press on resulted in a perilous seven-year journey through the unknown eastern borderlands of the Persian empire that would test the great conqueror’s physical and mental limits. He faced challenges from the natural world, moving through deadly monsoons and extreme temperatures; from a rotating cast of well-matched adversaries, who conspired against him at every turn; and even from his own men, who questioned his motives and distrusted the very beliefson which Alexander built his empire. This incredible sweep of time, culminating with his death in 323 BC at the age of 32, would come to determine Alexander’s legacy and shape the empire he left behind.
In Alexander at the End of the World, renowned classicist and art history professor Rachel Kousser vividly brings to life Alexander’s labyrinthine, treacherous final years, weaving together a brilliant series of epic battles, stunning landscapes, and nearly insurmountable obstacles. Meticulously researched and grippingly written, Kousser’s narrative is an unforgettable tale of daring and adventure, an inspiring portrait of grit and ambition, and a powerful meditation on the ability to learn from failure.
By 330 B.C.E., Alexander the Great had reached the pinnacle of success. Or so it seemed. He had defeated the Persian ruler Darius III and seized the capital city of Persepolis. His exhausted and traumatized soldiers were ready to return home to Macedonia. Yet Alexander had other plans. He was determined to continue heading east to Afghanistan in search of his ultimate goal: to reach the end of the world.
Alexander’s unrelenting desire to press on resulted in a perilous seven-year journey through the unknown eastern borderlands of the Persian empire that would test the great conqueror’s physical and mental limits. He faced challenges from the natural world, moving through deadly monsoons and extreme temperatures; from a rotating cast of well-matched adversaries, who conspired against him at every turn; and even from his own men, who questioned his motives and distrusted the very beliefson which Alexander built his empire. This incredible sweep of time, culminating with his death in 323 BC at the age of 32, would come to determine Alexander’s legacy and shape the empire he left behind.
In Alexander at the End of the World, renowned classicist and art history professor Rachel Kousser vividly brings to life Alexander’s labyrinthine, treacherous final years, weaving together a brilliant series of epic battles, stunning landscapes, and nearly insurmountable obstacles. Meticulously researched and grippingly written, Kousser’s narrative is an unforgettable tale of daring and adventure, an inspiring portrait of grit and ambition, and a powerful meditation on the ability to learn from failure.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 15, 2024
Confession time. I hate reading ancient history. Often I find the authors of this time period are focused on hitting the reader with as many facts and scientific jargon as possible. Sure, I understand that archeologists need to do the best with what they have, but that doesn't mean I have to find it interesting.
So, I had trepidation when picking up Rachel Kousser's Alexander at the End of the World. Not only is it ancient history, but the book is also looking at Alexander the Great AFTER all the super cool battles that most books focus on. Instead, Kousser looks at when Alexander made a long and belligerent march in the direction of the Pacific Ocean (not that he knew what it was or where it was for that matter). Surely, this book would put me to sleep forthwith.
Yes, dear reader, I was once again forced to admit that I am a ridiculous person. Kousser's book is magnificent. She continually finds the most interesting and intriguing parts of the story and presents it to the reader like it's a novel. Kousser even finds a way to mention where the historians argue about what really happened without bogging down the narrative. She has written a book which I can wholeheartedly recommend to every audience. If my cold, dead, ancient history avoiding heart can fall in love, then you can, too.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Mariner Books.)
So, I had trepidation when picking up Rachel Kousser's Alexander at the End of the World. Not only is it ancient history, but the book is also looking at Alexander the Great AFTER all the super cool battles that most books focus on. Instead, Kousser looks at when Alexander made a long and belligerent march in the direction of the Pacific Ocean (not that he knew what it was or where it was for that matter). Surely, this book would put me to sleep forthwith.
Yes, dear reader, I was once again forced to admit that I am a ridiculous person. Kousser's book is magnificent. She continually finds the most interesting and intriguing parts of the story and presents it to the reader like it's a novel. Kousser even finds a way to mention where the historians argue about what really happened without bogging down the narrative. She has written a book which I can wholeheartedly recommend to every audience. If my cold, dead, ancient history avoiding heart can fall in love, then you can, too.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Mariner Books.)
January 2, 2024
The story of Alexander The Great is well known, but only the broad strokes of his conquest of Persia. Rachel Kousser picks up the narrative after his defeat of the Persian ruler Darius III and the capture of his capital city of Persepolis. At that triumphant success, Alexander's Macedonian army expected to go home, laden with riches. Instead, Alexander led them on a seven year path of continued struggle and conquest. The author zeroes in on Alexander's vision of a bicultural empire, and the tensions that generated between his Hellenic army and the Persians, along with other eastern peoples, which he incorporated into his armed forces. Alexander's forceful, impetuous, and daring personality comes to life in this extraordinarily researched volume. Fascinating.
May 17, 2024
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Mariner Books for an advanced copy of this biography on the last years of a man who was never content with what was here, but always wanted to know what was there, and how he used his intelligence, gift for leadership and military thinking to conquer so much area.
At the age of thirty Alexander the Great controlled a huge empire, spanning from his home in Macedonia, to the recently conquered lands of Persia. After defeating Darius III, or more leading to the people under Darius to murder him, and seizing many cities, Alexander's men expected to go home. Four years away had left the men homesick, or create new families in this new lands. Also they were flush with loot, so much loot that the start of the camel train bringing treasure to the capital of Sussa the were separated not by hours but by days. For Alexander this was still not enough. The lure of what was to the East called to him. Alexander wanted to see the oceans he had heard about, the mountains, the deserts. The armies that he could challenge, and the lands that he could claim for his own. For nothing would ever be enough for Alexander, and this is how he spent his last years. Alexander at the End of the World:The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great, by Rachel Kousser is both a history and a biographer of a man who forges a huge empire, an empire that never satisfied his hunger, and in the end lead to his demise.
Alexander the Great could never just sit. Even when resting his armies, or wintering his troops, there were plans within plans, or people who revolted to be put down. Alexander was quick to give people positions of power, and then would have to deal with them when they turned against him. The army that Alexander fielded could move faster than most, and was more than willing to leave equipment behind if they could gain the upper hand of arriving first. This helped Alexander quite a bit in his bid to seize Persia from Darius III, hounding the leader until finally the Persians turned on their leader. Alexander had won, but there were still kingdoms to the East, some that might nibble away at his new prize. Or was this just an excuse, a reason to Alexander's troops, why their war had to go on. To the east went Alexander, crossing barren deserts, dealing with real winters, and seeing the mountains of the Hindu Kush, which were bigger than Mount Olympus the home of the Gods in Greece. And still he conquered.
A book that looks at Alexander when he has so much, the world, wealth, and so much more, and yet it doesn't seem enough. Kousser has a nice writing style, and balances a very large cast of friends, enemies, even frenemies, along with a lot of insight into Alexander and his thinking. Kousser writers powerful battle scenes, and lots about atrocities on both sides, and the brutalities of war, and looks at the many plots that Alexander had to deal with, sometimes with great violence. Kousser is also very good at explaining the places that Alexander found himself in, the beauty, the people, and interesting facts. Sometimes in writing books like this it is hard to balance the two, but Kousser does a very good job, and the narrative never loses momentum. a very interesting and informative book.
Recommended for people interested in both military and classical history. A very good story told well, and one that never loses its place. This is the first book I have read by Rachel Kousser, and I look forward to reading more.
At the age of thirty Alexander the Great controlled a huge empire, spanning from his home in Macedonia, to the recently conquered lands of Persia. After defeating Darius III, or more leading to the people under Darius to murder him, and seizing many cities, Alexander's men expected to go home. Four years away had left the men homesick, or create new families in this new lands. Also they were flush with loot, so much loot that the start of the camel train bringing treasure to the capital of Sussa the were separated not by hours but by days. For Alexander this was still not enough. The lure of what was to the East called to him. Alexander wanted to see the oceans he had heard about, the mountains, the deserts. The armies that he could challenge, and the lands that he could claim for his own. For nothing would ever be enough for Alexander, and this is how he spent his last years. Alexander at the End of the World:The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great, by Rachel Kousser is both a history and a biographer of a man who forges a huge empire, an empire that never satisfied his hunger, and in the end lead to his demise.
Alexander the Great could never just sit. Even when resting his armies, or wintering his troops, there were plans within plans, or people who revolted to be put down. Alexander was quick to give people positions of power, and then would have to deal with them when they turned against him. The army that Alexander fielded could move faster than most, and was more than willing to leave equipment behind if they could gain the upper hand of arriving first. This helped Alexander quite a bit in his bid to seize Persia from Darius III, hounding the leader until finally the Persians turned on their leader. Alexander had won, but there were still kingdoms to the East, some that might nibble away at his new prize. Or was this just an excuse, a reason to Alexander's troops, why their war had to go on. To the east went Alexander, crossing barren deserts, dealing with real winters, and seeing the mountains of the Hindu Kush, which were bigger than Mount Olympus the home of the Gods in Greece. And still he conquered.
A book that looks at Alexander when he has so much, the world, wealth, and so much more, and yet it doesn't seem enough. Kousser has a nice writing style, and balances a very large cast of friends, enemies, even frenemies, along with a lot of insight into Alexander and his thinking. Kousser writers powerful battle scenes, and lots about atrocities on both sides, and the brutalities of war, and looks at the many plots that Alexander had to deal with, sometimes with great violence. Kousser is also very good at explaining the places that Alexander found himself in, the beauty, the people, and interesting facts. Sometimes in writing books like this it is hard to balance the two, but Kousser does a very good job, and the narrative never loses momentum. a very interesting and informative book.
Recommended for people interested in both military and classical history. A very good story told well, and one that never loses its place. This is the first book I have read by Rachel Kousser, and I look forward to reading more.
July 23, 2024
Excellent and needed work bringing non-Western data and archaeology to Alexander’s story. Kousser brings a fresh analysis that doesn't devolve into moralizing or lionizing.
While she does an excellent job of humanizing the real people involved, she does on occasion take her speculation into the emotions and inner thoughts beyond what the evidence can maintain.
While she does an excellent job of humanizing the real people involved, she does on occasion take her speculation into the emotions and inner thoughts beyond what the evidence can maintain.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews