The Golden Mean
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 11:14AM 
This year's bookclub is providing me with some fantastic reads (Light in August and Bel Canto for example) - this month, another delight: The Golden Mean by Annable Lyon. I am tearing through this book (not crying, ripping) - the writing is tight, the characters beautifully drawn, and the content is just plain fascinating. The novel imagines the relationship between Aristotle and his young student Alexander (the Great).
It helps that I have been reading a lot about Aristotle lately, his views on science and astronomy, and how his philosophy differed from Plato's. At this point you might go, "really?" Why would you be reading that? Well, I just seem to get interested in these things.
Anyway, Lyon's book deservedly won a bunch of awards. I am amazed at how she gives just enough to put the reader in ancient Greece, and that she doesn't labour over long descriptive passages trying to nail the period. But when you read of some ancient medicine techniques like trepanning (yikes!), it's a bit blood curdling, the kind of stuff I need to read through splayed fingers.
What I am getting at is that Lyon obviously did the research, but uses Hemingway's iceberg theory well. You know she knows her stuff, and she doesn't have to prove it by giving long history lessons.
Fantastic book - highly recommended.
Reader Comments (2)
Oh, I've been meaning to read it for months! I have it right on my desk. Thanks for sharing.
You bet - I am 3/4 the way through, and really loving it. Great writing, great story.
hope you're doing well,
craig