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A Proper Book Review of Author Mike Gascoigne's
FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF THE WESTERN PEOPLE: FROM THE EARLIEST ORIGINS
book review -- Copyright © 2003 Janice Moore 11-29-2006
this book review (a few changes made) updated and edited by Janice Moore
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Of Contents |
Book Discussion
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All attempts to write a proper book
review covering Forgotten History of the Western People: From the Earliest
Origins have failed. So I'm giving up, making like a tumble weed and letting
it fly. Here goes... Author Mike Gascoigne writes on page 3 in the preface
that he has "attempted to bring history to life by starting from the beginning.
During the pre-Darwinian period (which constitutes most of the history of the
world), all history books were like that. They used to start with a few lines
about creation, or at least they would give a brief account of the dispersion
of the three sons of Noah after the flood, but they were not considered to be
religious books. They were history books. This book is also not a religious book,
it is a history book in the pre-Darwinian style." Not
a book on or about religion; but a history book in the pre-Darwinian style? So
how good a job of that has he done? Here's were my "tumble weed"
style of writing a book review takes over. Why not do it proper? Can't. Tried
that and everything I wrote ended up trite or worse yet, sounding like every other
book review and writer's block attacked at every turn. So, diving right on in
let us start with how as the author writes this is not a book on or about religion;
but a history book in the pre-Darwinian style. How good a job of that has the
author done? Judge for yourself, but you will not hear any complaints from me.
Every time I pick up a book on ancient history, archaeology ... whatever; dealing
with the ancient past I end up spending a lot of time trying to cross reference
what the author writes to the source material. Trying to get a handle on who said
or quoted what, when did they live in relation to the reported event, what else
was going on in the world at the time and anything else that may have some bearing
to the occurrence of the events or people of the past they are talking about.
Anything to help set it all in my head in some kind of structured fashion to help
me not only to remember what I am reading with some kind of comprehension but
also why I should or should not count the source and material I am reading as
reliable. Could the authors have been biased or misinformed, influenced by issues
such as political correctness? Or peer pressure? Where did their information come
from? Is there any way to know for sure? How plausible? Best guess? ... Of course
in the end the best possible result of all this mental gymnastics is that I stop
just short of total mental exhaustion and still have just enough ability left
to focus on the material I was reading to begin with. So when I started reading
Mike Gascoigne's Forgotten History of the Western People: From the Earliest
Origins and found immediately proceeding the preface pages a section entitled
Ancient and Medieval Sources I was thrilled; but it didn't end there! Reading
on I found that the author followed that tactic through out the entire book. Instead
of flipping from one book to another or searching online in order to read with
some kind of perspective. All I had to do is check what he said about the source
material to the best of my ability then read on. At this point if I needed to
do any flipping to get my bearings it was mostly in the book I was reading for
a change and not a full scale search through my own extensive collection of research
books or online. Before Constantine there was King Lucius
of BritainThree quarters of the way thru his book, author Mike Gascoigne
relates recovered information which at one time was most probably well know to
historian and layman alike; but today may pose a shock to most reader's. I am
referring to Briton King Lucius who approximately 12 decades before Constantine
converted to Christianity. Note! We're talking only 120 - 130 years AD! Lucius
was a direct descendant of King Arviragus who according to a number of sources
gave land to Joseph of Arimathea in Glastonbury only a few years after the crucifixion
and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. These little known tidbits of history
are introduced well past the mid-mark of the book. But don't think that earlier
parts of the book have nothing interesting to offer. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Which is why writing this review has proven so difficult. In many
regards and for personal reasons (which if you read the book and are familiar
with my own writings you can easily understand why) the first quarters of the
book were the most exciting for me. Perhaps that is the reason I can't seem to
write about the first part of the book yet. So... Instead, I am adding a link
to a copy of the table of contents. That way you can see for yourself the treasures
of ancient historical information it has to offer. In the future I hope to
expand on this review but for the moment this will have to hold until I can do
it better justice.
11-29-2006 this book review (a few changes
made) updated and edited by Janice Moore About The Author:
Mike
Gascoigne is a freelance technical author with a background in chemical engineering.
He has taken an interest in Biblical topics for about 40 years and is able to
bring together a unique blend of science and theology. He also has an interest
in ancient history and is the author of “Forgotten History of the Western
People”. His qualifications are: BSc, MS, CEng, MIChemE, MISTC.
Also
by Christian Author Mike Gascoigne:
Book Genre: Christian,
Theology, Evolution vs. Creationism, Science
Book Title: Impossible Theology:
The Christian Evolutionist Dilemma
Immpossible
Impossible
Theology: The Christian Evolutionist Dilemma "
If there were millions of years of evolution, before the creation of Adam and
Eve, what does the Bible mean when it says they would die as a consequence of
eating the forbidden fruit? " |
You
are invited to join our ancient history and book discussion which has been incorporated
into discussion of author Bill Cooper's AFTER THE FLOOD
Back
Cover Picture | Table
Of Contents | Book Discussion buy
the book - FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF THE WESTERN PEOPLE: FROM THE EARLIEST ORIGINS
For Further Investigation: I recommend a number of links collected on
this page of my site - Ancient History and Technology...
Lost Civilizations, Myth, Legend, Genesis 10 & 11: Focus on Ancient Mesopotamia
and the Near East | 
