The Virtues of War

A Novel of Alexander the Great

De: Steven Pressfield

Narrado por: John Lee

Told by Alexander the Great himself, this “sharp and colorful” (Washington Post Book World) novel presents a stunningly intimate account of the battles, the loves, the triumphs, and the tragedy of a man who conquered the world, from the best-selling author of Gates of Fire.

“Simply superb . . . Its expert pace, its vivid detail, its bone-crushing action, and its occasional piercing insights of sad eloquence make [The Virtues of War] an absolutely gripping read.”—Seattle Times

I have always been a soldier. I have known no other life.

So begins Alexander’s extraordinary confession on the eve of his greatest crisis of leadership. By turns heroic and calculating, compassionate and utterly merciless, Alexander recounts with a warrior’s unflinching eye for detail the blood, the terror, and the tactics of his greatest battlefield victories. Whether surviving his father’s brutal assassination, presiding over a massacre, or weeping at the death of a beloved comrade-in-arms, Alexander never denies the hard realities of the code by which he lives: the virtues of war.

But as much as he was feared by his enemies, he was loved and revered by his friends, his generals, and the men who followed him into battle. Often outnumbered, never outfought, Alexander conquered every enemy the world stood against him—except the one he never saw coming....

©2004 Steven Pressfield (P)2004 Books on Tape, Inc.

Concepts of war

I throughly enjoyed Mr. Pressfield's superb ability to introspectively describe the internal conflicts at the foundation of war and conquest.

Simply astonishing

Amazingly written. Perfect detail and level of commitment to no end. I recommend this read to anyone who aspires to be a leader.

STELLAR!

What did you love best about The Virtues of War?

Amazing audio book. Narration is very well done, and the story is very intriguing. If you know even a little about Alexander the Great, you will be very familiar with the subject matter. Talks a lot about his generals, major campaigns, etc.

Author takes a unique approach in that while it is historical, he took some liberties with the some of the characters/events that take place. He states this from the very beginning as well.

Great book!

highly recommended

Pressfield writes a great story around forgotten times. the narrator is very good and keeps you riveted. just wish it was longer.

Great Read and Good Narrator

Steven Pressfield has delivered another military nonfiction that is comparable to that of Gates of Fire.

I was there!

This incredible book is described as a novel, but I see it as an “Unauthorized Autobiography.” Pressfield slid away from creating a biography by fictionalizing the sinews of continuity to the historic facts, birthing a whole Alexander. The new creation writes to us of his worries, his strengths, his thought process and his obsession with victory. We find a man: embracing his errors, to learn from them; weeping for losses for which he feels responsible; redoubling his efforts after victories; and overwhelmed with his duty to fulfill his father’s vision. After all, he was a man, not “part-god” with a preordained destiny to conquer the known world. He was one of us mortals, perhaps imbued with a single-minded purpose, but still a man with all the shortcomings and foibles that entails. But simultaneously we watch him struggle to be loved, anxious to befriend his foes and willing to bend his habits, customs and even religion to understand and fit in with the people he conquered. We find a complex individual struggling to attend to the myriad voices whispering in his head. His father, his mother, his pseudo-socialistic teachers, his heritage, his friends - all influencing his decisions. Just like us. Just like me.
His strategy in battle, peace and life are not monotheistic. This book created a man I know. A person I work with. A neighbor with amazing accomplishments.
If you ever wanted to know a great human, read this book. Your discovery will embiggin* your life.
*Ask a Simpsons” fan, or Goggle it if you don’t know.

Pressfield is #1

Go also watch “kings and generals” on YouTube to see these battle searching the 2 - 3 and 2 hour documentaries. Listen also to Pressfield non-fiction books: “the war of art” “do the work” etc.

One of the best war stories I have ever heard

This book is amazing and has so many leadership lessons in it, it is now one of my all time favorites

Epic Descriptive Talent

This is really the first time I heard any details about the battles of Alexander, other than in sections of history classes. The author so outstandingly described the battles, I could see them clearly without any confusion.

The narration was excellent and kept me engaged, although there were (very) few instances of confusion in conversions between characters due to not enough variance in voices. Again though, the narration was excellent otherwise. Will definitely read/listen again!

incredible book!

I really enjoyed this book. there are chapters where I highlighted and made notes on every page. the worst part of listening to this book on audible was I kept having to pull over to highlight in the kindle version.

There are lessons in here I learned as an NCO in the Army, and notes I plan to pass onto the next generation of Soldiers. I couldn't help but notice the parallels between Alexander's army and our own in Afghanistan.

Few books have made me stop and think as much as this one.