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Kamis, 15 November 2012

Historical Non Fiction Books And Famous Figures From The Past

By Dianne Crane


Historical non fiction books offer people the opportunity to explore and enjoy the past. Looking back is one way of avoiding mistakes as one focuses on the future; to use an oft quoted phrase, there is no point in reinventing the wheel. Studying the past is also a great way of finding general principles to apply to one's life. It is also one of the best ways to develop humility.

He developed the Napoleonic Code, a set of laws that have made many contemporary constitutions richer. That is not all Napoleon Bonaparte is known for; he is still regarded as one of the best military strategists in history, and his tactics are still studied by armies worldwide. He reconstituted the French Monarchy, declaring himself Emperor. At one point, he controlled most of what is now Europe.

The name Cleopatra evokes images of stunning beauty in many people's minds, a goddess like figure that took a daily bath in milk. The reality is very different; she was actually the last Pharaoh of Egypt. Strangely enough, the lady was not even Egyptian, but Greek, a descendant of Alexander the Great. Many people are familiar with her relationship with Mark Antony, which resulted in two sons. Very few know that she had a son with Caesar too.

Caesar, Cleopatra's lover, also remains a popular figure, even though he died hundreds of years ago. He is known for his military conquests, and for his political and social reforms. He introduced the Julian calendar, an innovation that is still used by some contemporary religious denominations. Despite his power and achievements, Caesar never managed to fully quell political dissent in Rome, and he was eventually killed by jealous rivals 44 years before Christ.

With an empire that stretched from Greece in continental Europe all the way to Nepal in Asia, Alexander the Great remains one of history's greatest conquerors. Amazingly, he did all this by the time he was thirty years old. He remained undefeated throughout his military campaigns, a record any modern commander would envy. Perhaps that success was a result of his upbringing; Alexander was a student of the well known Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, until he was sixteen.

The largest continuous empire in human history was created through the actions of Genghis Khan and his descendants. He was the king of the Mongols, and a man with a fearsome reputation, and with good reason; after conquering a territory, he would then proceed to massacre the local population. After his death, his children went on to stretch the empire further, and eventually went as far as Eastern Europe.

Shaka was a Zulu king who rose to prominence in the nineteenth century. He was a brilliant military strategist, and as a result, he carved out a large empire in much of Southern Africa. According to archaeologists, he was born illegitimately; this goes to prove that one can succeed in spite of an adverse background. He is credited with introducing a number of reforms to his armies, making them more effective in their campaigns.

Not everyone gained fame because of their skill on the battlefield; many are known for their efforts in creating peace. Such people include Buddha, Jesus among others. Some are famous for their inventions and discoveries; Newton, Galileo, and many others immediately spring to mind. It is the duty of everyone to read several historical non fiction books, and figure out what they would like to be remembered for; that is one benefit of hindsight.




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