The Story of the World's Most Famous Stadium and Its Deadly Games
Describes the design and contruction of the Colosseum as well as the culture that produced the gladitorial games.
December 15, 1998
Gr. 4^-7. Like others in the Wonders of the World series, this has a picture-book-style look but is packed with history. Covering some of the same territory Richard Watkins did in his more specific book "Gladiator" (1997), Mann explores the history and the events that led to the building of the Coloseum, and then looks at some of the structure's unusual features, which continue to have an impact on the work of modern engineers and architects. The text is clear, informative, and flows well, but the illustrations, though plentiful, are an odd, unbalanced mix of photos, pictures of artifacts, and bold, full-page paintings. Some of the pictures are quite dramatic, with a few showing the violence of the events, including a little spilling of blood. The center foldout, however, is a disappointment: despite its panoramic view of the amphitheater and miniature show of battling warriors, it is neither as effective nor as dynamic as readers might have expected from the splashy presentation. Maps; time line; glossary. ((Reviewed December 15, 1998))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1998, American Library Association.)
February 1, 1999
Gr 4-6-A colorful, informative introduction to the structure and history of gladiatorial games. The useful text provides fascinating facts about architectural and building innovations utilized in the construction of this arena and an explanation of the ingenious ticketing and numbered entrances that were designed to control the flow of 50,000 spectators. Details about gladiator training, styles of fighting, and the use of wild animals reinforce the author's contention that the Colosseum is both a symbol of Rome's greatness and its brutality. A clear, well-written text and full-color drawings and paintings graphically depict the events held there. Photographs of mosaics, relief carvings, and the site are also included. Richard Watkins's Gladiator (Houghton, 1997) offers more details about the games, the participants, and their social standing in Roman society and Don Nardo's The Roman Colosseum (Lucent, 1998) is hard to beat if additional background on the design and construction of the arena is needed.-Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukee, OR