The Eternal City

A History of Rome

By: Ferdinand Addis

Narrated by: Pete Cross

Length: 22 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Why does Rome continue to exert a hold on our imagination? How did the Caput Mundi come to play such a critical role in the development of Western civilization?

Ferdinand Addis addresses these questions by tracing the history of the Eternal City told through the dramatic key moments in its history: the mythic founding of Rome in 753 BC, the murder of Caesar in 44 BC, the coronation of Charlemagne in AD 800, the reinvention of the imperial ideal, the painting of the Sistine chapel, the trial of Galileo, Mussolini's March on Rome of 1922, the release of Fellini's La Dolce Vita in 1960, and the Occupy riots of 2011.

City of the Seven Hills, spiritual home of Catholic Christianity, city of the artistic imagination, enduring symbol of our common European heritage - Rome has inspired, charmed, and tempted empire-builders, dreamers, writers, and travelers across the 27 centuries of its existence. Ferdinand Addis tells its rich story in a grand narrative style for a new generation of listeners.

©2018 Ferdinand Addis (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Absolutely Phenomenal

So much information and an absolutely incredible book! Highly recommend this for anyone who wants to learn more about Italian history and the 3,000 years of human history attached to Rome.

A 20 hour glimpse at eternity

The story was well paced and dense with characters, all compelling, and many similar to those we see today. Three thousand years and we keep treading the same trodden trails. The book transports one from the founding of Rome in 738 BC to 1948. It is a twisty turny trip. I recommend it. Take in part of it or the whole thing; every page has substance.

Loved the retelling of history of Rome

I reveled in every chapter. A telling of the “civilized” world encapsulated in one city.

Timeless

Evocative, compelling, vulgar and spiritual. The imagination conjures and screams for more. A full breath of the unknowable. Loved it.

Interesting, varied, and well-read.

I enjoyed almost every chapter. The few I didn’t were more because of the particular topic than of the writing itself. Excellent narration. I feel better prepared for my first visit to Rome.

An excellent review of Rome the city.

If there is a problem in this text it is simply that you want more, The story of the Punic wars for example tempts you for more, You want to hear the whole story. But, you have to keep reminding yourself that this is about the city Rome. The same may be said of Garibaldi. You want to hear the full story of the Risorgemento but that's not the point of the book, Perhaps, Addis cam give us more in the future.
The narrator is not so good. Too fast. I had to set the speed back a notch. Then too, as with so many narrators, his pronunciation of common words like "Milan" which he pronounces something like "Mill In" suggests he has no idea of what he is reading. And again as with so many narrators, his foreign language skills are nil. He has clearly been prepped to read certain passages but when it comes to single words like "c'e? which he pronounces "say" and "Cinecittà." which he also mispronounces shows he knows no Italian whatsoever. Where are the editors and producers for these narrators.