Mysteries of the Oracles: The Last Secrets of Antiquity

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 296 pages
• Published by: Tauris Parke Paperbacks June 26, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1845114027
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1845114022
• Book Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 10.6 ounces

Product Review
"Vandenberg's lively and carefully researched book covers practically all of the well-known oracles of antiquity."--Joe Alex Morris, Greenwich Time 
"Accounts of the major achievements of the great archaeologists have spawned scores of best-selling books. The result [of Philipp Vandenberg's book] is engrossing."--Houston Post
"A history filled with chicanery, treachery, deceit, cupidity, violence and even beauty, love and compassion. Philipp Vandenberg's Oracles may be safely consulted for hours of delightful and startling reading."--San Diego Magazine

Product Description
The oracles are one of the great mysteries of the ancient world. Doorways to the underworld, foretellers of the future, decision-makers for kings and paupers alike, their power and mysticism held sway over civilisations and continues to capture the imagination. Two thousand years after the oracles were consulted by the ancients, Philipp Vandenberg set out on a quest to learn the mysteries of the oracles and uncover one of the best-kept secrets in antiquity. His journey involved 3 years, 15 oracles and countless revelations. The quest and what it uncovered proves at times shocking and disturbing and ultimately reveals a wealth of hidden knowledge about the ancient world: who, or what, really influenced some of the most consequential decisions of the time and fundamentally altered the course of history itself.

Reader Reviews
First of all I would like to make it clear that this is a review only of the 2007 Tauris Parke Paperback edition and not of the text itself. Although I am only sixty or so pages into the book, I find it a breezy, entertaining read. Or at least I would, if only the editors of this edition had bothered to proofread this translation, or at least run a spell check to catch the numerous instances of words run together and `the' spelled `lhe'. Numerous errors such as these range from the mildly annoying to downright confusing and take away from the enjoyment I am sure I would have derived from reading Phillipp Vandenberg's book. Here are some examples, reproduced as they appear in the text: "I had a substantial midday mealfish, of course" (pg 3) "At Ephyra ritual cleaningsteaming hot baths and quenching with ice-cold waterwas part of the following procedure. "(pg 9) "but il had an air of oppressive force" (pg 11) "We climbed Ihe twelve rungs of the latter" (pg 11) "The answer had barely died away before the cauldrononto a deafening accompaniment began to move again, floating up to the roof and disappearing in clouds of smoke" (pg 12) "in his work MenippUS" (pg 13) "He applied to an unnamed god in an 8V12 by 14 inch papyrus letter" (pg 60) While Tauris Parke Paperbacks may be, in their own words, "dedicated to publishing books in accessible paperback editions for the serious general reader within a wide range of categories" they should realize that "accessible paperback editions" should never be equated with "poorly edited" or "riddled with typos". Reading this edition does, however, have one benefit. It motivates me to improve my German so I may read this in the original.